Battle royale as Ulinzi, Sofapaka and Bidco fight to stay afloat

The clock is ticking for some of the biggest names in Kenyan football history as they race to duck the relegation axe at the end of the season following a lacklustre campaign.

A majority of the sides jostling for survival have endured a torrid campaign, and following the change of the relegation format at the beginning of the season, anything less than a top 15 means automatic relegation to the second-tier league next season.  

Among the sides embroiled in the dog-fight are trailblazing 2009 champions Sofapaka, who, despite once being ranked among the wealthiest and most ambitious clubs in the country, are currently rooted to the bottom of the Kenya Premier League table after a series of disconsolate results.

With only a meagre 14 points from 22 outings and a dismal run of six straight defeats, 'Batoto ba Mungu' are four points adrift of safety. Their misery was compounded on Thursday afternoon after they suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of defending champions Kenya Police.

Just a few places above them, the 'Soldiers' of Ulinzi Stars are also in retreat.

The four-time league winners occupy the final direct relegation spot in 16th place and despite having one of the league's top scorers in Paul Okoth, the military side has gone six matches without a win, struggling to find the discipline that once made them a powerhouse.

The pressure is higher for these struggling sides than ever because the safety net is gone.

Under this season’s new rules, there are no playoffs the bottom three teams go down directly.

With Mathare United also looking over their shoulder after a loss to Shabana on Sunday, the 'old guard' of Kenyan football is under siege by rising powers like Mara Sugar and APS Bomet, who have staged an impressive fight to stay afloat despite difficult starts.

Meanwhile, Bidco United have also been dragged into the survival scrap after an inconsistent run of form left them hovering dangerously close to the drop zone.

The Thika-based side has struggled for consistency both in attack and defence, dropping crucial points in matches they were expected to manage.

With the margin for error shrinking by the week, Bidco must quickly rediscover their resilience if they are to avoid being sucked deeper into the relegation mire.

By the time the sun sets on this 2025/26 season, the Kenyan Premier League may look very different if giants like Sofapaka and Ulinzi fail to evade the chop in what is increasingly becoming a season to forget for the struggling sides.