The second edition of the Sakaja Cup is set to begin Saturday at Dandora Stadium.
This year’s event will feature a match between last year’s champions, Githurai All Stars, and Dandora Youths.
The launch is expected to begin at noon.
Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson has emphasized the importance of the tournament saying it is an opportunity to engage youths in meaningful activity.
"This is an opportunity to keep our youths engaged. We have selected teams that will participate, and the teams collected and submitted forms as required for the second edition,” he said.
A total of 780 teams will be participating in this year’s tournament, with the winning team set to take home a grand prize of Sh3 million.
Football clubs affiliated with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Nairobi branches were encouraged to join the tournament, with registration forms made available at City Stadium.
Beyond just participation, Governor Sakaja said standout players will be selected to join Nairobi United, a team that is now under the Sakaja Foundation.
"The winners will be rewarded with Sh3 million, and the best players will have an opportunity to advance to higher levels of competition,” he said.
The tournament includes both men’s and women’s teams, aiming to promote gender equality in sports.
During the first edition, women’s teams like Club Jojo, Kibagare, and Mchezo Halisi were awarded Sh1 million, Sh500,000, and Sh250,000, respectively.
"This time, we have even more women’s teams participating, and we encourage them to be part of this edition,” Governor Sakaja noted.
Running until December, the Sakaja Cup aims to nurture talent, instill hope, and steer young people away from crime and drug abuse across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties.
"We want to give young people an alternative to crime and offer them opportunities to earn a living,” Sakaja said.
With the construction of Woodley and Kihumbuini stadiums underway, Sakaja said his administration os committed to providing better facilities for athletes across Nairobi.