A look at Kenya Cup relegation permutations ahead of rescheduled fixtures
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 17.03.26. | 18:11
For Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) Rugby, that lifeline could come in the form of a rescheduled fixture against Nondescripts RFC
The curtains came down on the 2025/26 Kenya Cup regular season on Saturday, 14 March, bringing clarity for some teams while leaving others clinging to a final lifeline.
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For Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) Rugby, that lifeline could come in the form of a rescheduled fixture against Nondescripts RFC.
MMUST currently sit at the bottom of the standings with 11 points, but their fate has not yet been sealed. Their clash against Nondies, which had been scheduled for Saturday, 7 March, was postponed due to inclement weather.
The Kenya Rugby Union later ruled that the match will now be played on Saturday, 28 March.
That decision gives the Kakamega-based students two weeks to prepare for what could become the most important match of their season.
The narrow survival path
For MMUST to escape relegation, they must beat Nondies with a bonus point, meaning a victory while scoring at least four tries. Such a result would lift them from 11 to 16 points and potentially move them out of the relegation zone.
However, their survival will also depend on the outcome of another rescheduled fixture between Impala RFC and Kenyatta University's Blak Blad.
Impala currently sit 10th with 16 points and also have a game in hand. If they manage a win against Blad, they could climb further up the table, ending MMUST’s hopes regardless of the students’ result.
The more favourable scenario for MMUST would see Impala lose their match against Blad, while the Kakamega-based side claims a bonus-point victory over Nondies.
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If that happens, both MMUST and Impala would finish the season tied on 16 points.
Head-to-head could decide it
Should the two sides end level on points, the head-to-head record between them during the regular season would come into play.
That rule could hand MMUST a crucial advantage.
Earlier in the season, MMUST defeated Impala 20–15, a result that could now prove decisive. If the standings are tied at 16 points, that victory would hand the students the edge and allow them to leapfrog Impala on the table, effectively securing their survival while condemning the Nairobi-based club to relegation.
Playoff race still alive
The result between Impala and Blad carries weight beyond the relegation battle.
Blad, who are fresh from a narrow 9–8 defeat to Kisumu RFC, will be eager to bounce back and confirm their playoff spot. They currently sit fifth on the standings with 24 points, and a win or a victory with a bonus point would strengthen their position in the top six.
Meanwhile, Nondies also have their own ambitions to protect. A home win with a bonus point against MMUST would guarantee them a place in the playoffs.
Kisumu’s painful exit
While MMUST still have hope, Kisumu RFC have already bid a painful farewell to the top flight after finishing the regular season in the relegation zone.
At the other end of the table, defending champions Kabras Sugar RFC and KCB Rugby have already secured home semifinals, underlining their dominance this season.
Championship shake-up
In the second tier, the KRU Championship has also seen significant movement.
United States International University (USIU) Martials and Western Bulls have suffered automatic relegation, while Mwamba RFC and JKUAT Cougars have secured direct home semifinals.
All eyes will now turn to the rescheduled fixtures, particularly MMUST’s showdown with Nondies, where one bonus-point victory could spark one of the most dramatic escapes of the season.