Safaricom Chapa Dimba Western Region County Finals will take place this weekend as young footballers from Busia, Bungoma and Vihiga counties battle for county titles and a chance to advance to the Western Regional Finals.
The competition will begin with county playoffs on Saturday, 1st August, followed by the county finals on Sunday, 2nd August. The playoffs will determine the two boys’ and two girls’ teams that will compete in the county finals in each county.
The Busia County Finals will be held at Malaba Primary School, while Bungoma will host its matches at Bungoma High School. In Vihiga, games will take place at Chavakali Boys’ High School.
Defending champions will also be looking to retain their titles. Ebwali Boys from Vihiga, Brenda Girls from Bungoma and Chakol Girls from Busia will all be aiming to win their county competitions again and qualify for the Western Regional Finals.
Ebwali Boys and Brenda Girls are also the current Western Regional champions and will be hoping to continue their strong performance this season.
Growing young football talent
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed said the competition is focused on discovering and developing talented young footballers who could play at both local and international levels.
Scouts will assess players throughout the competition, while Safaricom’s GPS vest technology will provide real-time performance information to help identify promising players.
The tournament has attracted more than 3,100 teams across Kenya, showing the growing interest in grassroots football. Football fans have been encouraged to attend the matches and support the young players.
Girls’ teams ready for competition
In Bungoma, defending champions Brenda Girls will face Makuselwe Queens and St. Augustine Girls Lukhuna in the Pool A playoffs.
In Busia, defending champions Chakol Girls will compete against Lwanya Girls and Nambale Hotstarlets FC in their Pool A county playoffs.
The county competition will also continue in Kakamega on 8th and 9th August. Lugari Progressive has already secured a place in the county finals after winning the Kakamega South Sub-County title.
Lugari Progressive recently won the 2026 Western Region Kenya Secondary Schools Games and will represent the region at the National Secondary Schools Games at M-PESA Academy in Thika.
Winners to receive cash prizes and scholarships
The county champions will receive KES 75,000, while runners-up will receive KES 30,000.
Individual players will also have an opportunity to win awards. The Best Goalkeeper and Top Scorer in both the boys’ and girls’ categories will each receive KES 10,000.
The Most Valuable Player, also known as the Golden Ball winner, will receive KES 10,000 and a fully funded tertiary education scholarship under Safaricom’s Citizens of the Future Programme.
The scholarship will cover tuition, accommodation and a monthly upkeep stipend at public tertiary institutions in Kenya.
A pathway to international football
County champions will progress to the Western Regional Finals, which will be held later this month at Mumias Sports Complex in Kakamega.
The best players from the tournament will also have a chance to join an All-Stars team that will represent Kenya at the Gothia Cup in Sweden, one of the world’s biggest youth football tournaments.
This will give the young players an opportunity to compete against international talent and gain exposure to scouts, football academies and professional clubs.
Since its launch in 2017, Safaricom Chapa Dimba has helped develop young football talent in Kenya. Some players who have gone through the programme have progressed to local leagues, national teams and international clubs.
The tournament is not only about football. It also gives young people opportunities in education, personal development and professional careers.
Safaricom Chapa Dimba targets boys and girls aged 15 to 18, giving them a platform to discover, develop and showcase their football talent.