The 2025–26 season was Nairobi City Stars's 23rd season since the club's establishment in 2003 and its sixth campaign in the second tier of Kenyan football. It marked the club's first season in the Kenyan National Super League following relegation from the Kenyan Premier League at the end of the 2024–25 season, which had brought to an end a five-year stay in Kenya's top flight.
The relegation also resulted in the withdrawal of financial support from the Jonathan Jackson Foundation, leaving the club facing an uncertain future. At one point, Nairobi City Stars' participation in the 20-team National Super League appeared in doubt, with talk of a disbandment of the team in the air, with the club only managing to confirm its place in the competition through the support of friends and well-wishers of the team less than two weeks to the league kickoff.
The demotion triggered a significant squad overhaul, with the majority of the playing staff departing in search of top-flight opportunities. However, defenders Calvin Masawa, Salim Odeka, Stephen Bulugu, Brian Opinde and Timothy Muganda opted to remain at the club, alongside midfielder Abuyeka Kubasu and head coach Salim Babu, who stayed on to spearhead an ambitious premier league return on attempt one.
Babu however exited with his assistant and Scotland trained apprentice Eugene Ochola was handed the task of guiding the team through the final ten games of the season.
Despite the continuity in key areas, City Stars endured a difficult campaign, particularly during the second half of the season. The team struggled for consistency and spent much of the year battling in the lower half of the table. Nevertheless, they secured enough results to preserve their National Super League status, finishing 14th in the final standings with 39 points.
Off season transfers In DatePos.PlayerFromRef.5 Sept 2025GK Maneno Chacha Nairobi United Kelvin Nginai RAVSA FW Luke Namanda Tusker FW Lawrence Luvanda AM James Kibande CB Jimmy Mbugua Posta Rangers RB Kelvin Elias Kajiado F.C. DM Austin Moya Naivas AM Vincent Odongo RB Bernard Odundo Mombasa StarsDM Phabian Odhiambo FC TalantaST Edisson Katana Malindi United Joshua Amunike 3K FC AM Suleiman Konzi Dimba Patriots Abdirahman Shariff Sharp FC CM Joseph Odhiambo Bucks FC LB Alvine Mukudi Police Youth
Out DatePos.PlayerToRef. 1 July 2025 ST Brian Nyambane FC TalantaGK Byron Owino Edwin Mukolwe Kakamega Homeboyz Elvis Ochoro KCB AM Rowland Makati ST Kelvin Etemesi FW Maxwell Odada Posta Rangers FW Elvis Noor DM Kevin Juma AM Joseph Mwangi Kariobangi Sharks CB Wycliffe Omondi Shabana FC FW Gilbert Abala CB Edwin Buliba APS Bomet DM Sven Yida ST Hansel Ochieng AM Vincent Owino Tusker ST Dennis Oalo FW Robinson Asenwa Free agents FW Benjamin Mosha
Mid season transfers In DatePos.PlayerFromRef.1 Jan 2020 GK Byron Owino FC Talanta FW Doreck Otieno Luanda Villa FW Alex Warai Mathare United (Loan) AM Joseph Mwangi Kariobangi SharksST Titus Kapchanga 3K FC Felix Seda Nzoia Sugar LB Ezekiel Simiyu AM Dennis Buhendwa Marafiki FC
Out DatePos.PlayerToRef. 30 Jan 2026 GK Maneno Chacha Kenya PoliceFW Lawrence Luvanda Bidco United Luke NamandaFree agents AM Vincent Odongo CM Phabian OdhiamboST Edisson Katana Joshua Amunike MOFA CB Brian Opinde Mfalme FC (Loan)
Competitions Overall record
Super League
Results summary
Results by round
Score overview
OppositionHome scoreAway scoreAggregate scoreDouble3k FC 0-31-1 1-4Darajani Gogo 0-3 0-1 0-4Equity Bank2-0 0-12-1Fortune Sacco3-21-14-3Gucha Stars2-02-24-2Kabati Youth 1-21-02-2Kibera Black Stars 2-31-1 3-4Kisumu All Stars1-10-11-2Luanda Villa1-00-11-1 MCF0-00-00-0 Migori Youth0-20-10-3 MOFA1-10-11-2 Mombasa United1-01-22-2Mwatate United1-02-03-0Naivas0-01-31-3Nzoia Sugar1-10-01-1Soy United1-11-22-3Talanta0-11-51-6Vihiga United2-00-12-1
Matches
The league officially kicked off on the 28 of September 2025
Statistics Appearances {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width:100%" |- ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| No. ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| Pos. ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| Player ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| Super League ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| FKF Cup ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| Total |- | 2 | DF |align=left| Salim Odeka ||14||0||14 |- | 3 | AM |align=left| Dennis Buhendwa ||11||0||11 |- | 4 | CB |align=left| Timothy Muganda ||27||0||27 |- | 6 | CM |align=left| Edwin Jumba ||13||0||13 |- |7 | AM |align=left| Abdirahman Shariff ||19||0||19 |- | 8 | DF |align=left| Calvin Masawa ||3||0||3 |- | 9 | FW |align=left| Titus Kapchanga ||16||0||16 |- | 10 | ST |align=left| Felix Seda ||18||0||18 |- | 12 | FW |align=left| Dorreck Otieno ||15||0||15 |- | 14 | AM |align=left| Joseph Mwangi ||19||0||19 |- | 16 | CB |align=left| Jimmy Mbugua ||28||0||28 |- | 17 | RB |align=left| Kelvin Elias ||20||0||20 |- | 18 | AM |align=left| James Kibande ||24||0||24 |- | 19 | DM |align=left| Austin Moya ||31||0||31 |- | 20 | LB |align=left| Alvine Mukudi ||32||0||32 |- | 22 | LB |align=left| Stephen Bulugu ||31||0||31
| 23 | GK |align=left| Byron Owino ||0||0||0 |- | 24 | FW |align=left| Alex Warai ||9||0||9 |- | 25 | RB |align=left| Bernard Odundo ||26||0||26 |- | 28 | CM |align=left| Joseph Odhiambo ||16||0||16 |- | 29 | LB |align=left| Ezekiel Simiyu ||14||0||14 |- | 30 | AM |align=left| Suleiman Konzi ||18||0||18 |- | 31 | CM |align=left| Abuyeka Kubasu ||31||0||31 |- | 32 | GK |align=left| Arnold Shivachi ||27||0||27 |- | 33 | GK |align=left| Kelvin Nginai ||2||0||2 |- ! colspan=15 style=background:#dcdcdc| Players who left the club |- | 3 | AM |align=left| Vincent Odongo ||13||0||13 |- |5 | CM |align=left| Phabian Odhiambo ||8||0||8 |- | 6 | CB |align=left| Brian Opinde ||2||0||2 |- | 10 | FW |align=left| Lawrence Luvanda ||10||0||10 |- |12 | ST |align=left| Joshua Amunike ||17||0||18 |- | 15 | ST |align=left| Edisson Katana ||15||0||15 |- | 24 | FW |align=left| Luke Namanda ||12||0||12
Goalscorers {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width:100%" |- ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| No. ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| Pos. ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| Player ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| Super League ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| FKF Cup ! style=background-color:#001489;color:#FFFFFF| Total |- | 18 | FW |align=left| James Kibande ||5||0||5 |- | 31 | MF |align=left| Abuyeka Kubasu ||3||0||3 |- | 4 | DF |align=left| Timothy Muganda ||2||0||2 |- | 6 | CM |align=left| Edwin Jumba ||2||0||2 |- | 14 | AM |align=left| Joseph Mwangi ||2||0||2 |- | 20 | DF |align=left| Alvin Mukudi ||2||0||2 |- | 10 | ST |align=left| Felix Seda ||2||0||2 |- | 30 | MF |align=left| Suleiman Konzi ||1||0||1 |- ! colspan=15 style=background:#dcdcdc| Players who left the club |- | 12 | ST |align=left| Joshua Amunike ||8||0||8 |- | 7 | FW |align=left| Lawrence Luvanda ||1||0||1 |- |15 | ST |align=left| Edisson Katana ||1||0||1
| colspan="3" |Awarded goals ||2||0|||2 |- ! colspan="3" | Totals||31||0|||31
Top Assists No. Pos. Player Super League FKF Cup Total 18 MF James Kibande505 10 ST Felix Seda202 14 AM Joseph Mwangi202 20 DF Alvine Mukudi202 31 CM Abuyeka Kubasu2026 CM Edwin Jumba1017 AM Abdirahman Shariff1019 FW Titus Kapchanga10112 FW Dorreck Otieno10116 CB Jimmy Mbugua101 19 DM Austin Moya101 22 DF Stephen Bulugu101 28 CM Joseph Odhiambo101 29 LB Ezekiel Wekesa10131 FW Suleiman Konzi101Awarded202 Players who left the club3 AM Vincent Odongo303 12 FW Joshua Amunike20224 FW Luke Namanda101 Totals31031
Clean sheets Rank No. Pos. Player Super League FKF Cup Total 1 32 GK Arnold Shivachi909 2 23 GK Byron Owino000 3 33 GK Kelvin Nginai000 Players who left the club 1 32 GK Maneno Chacha202 Totals11011
References