50 teams to feature in this year's edition of Rausha Kipaji cup tournament
(Centre) Rausha Kipaji Cup co-founder John Mbenzwa , Nakuru Athletics Club Chairman Dr Victor Achoka and Nakuru RFC Director of Rugby Edward Moseti during the launch of Rausha Kipaji 7th edition which will be hosted at NAC
Nakuru City is set to host one of the country’s biggest youth football tournaments as the seventh edition of the Rausha Kipaji Cup kicks off from April 16 to April 19, bringing together hundreds of young players from across Kenya.
The tournament, which started its journey in Nakuru in 2018, will once again return to the town where it all began, with matches scheduled at Nakuru Athletics Club, Menengai High School, Nakuru Girls High School and Afraha Stadium.
Speaking ahead of the event, Rausha Kipaji Cup co-founder John Mbenzwa says the tournament continues to grow into a national platform for identifying and nurturing young football talent.
“This year we expect 50 main teams which expands to more than 400 teams from across different categories. The tournament will feature different age categories including under 7, under 9, under 11, under 13, under 15, under 17 and under 20 for boys, and under 15 and under 20 for girls,” says Mbenzwa.
According to the organisers, the four-day tournament will feature highly competitive matches while also providing a vibrant platform for youth engagement, community interaction and digital participation by players and parents.
Beyond the matches, the event will also feature children’s activities on the sidelines organized by sponsors, making it a family-friendly sporting festival.
Over the years, the tournament has helped young players gain exposure and opened doors to bigger opportunities both locally and internationally.
Mbenzwa notes that several players who previously featured in the competition have been selected for national youth training camps, while others have secured opportunities abroad.
“We have had two players from Nakuru who later travelled to Sweden and Norway for football trials. We have also seen players from Nakuru City Football Academy get opportunities to attend trials in Spain,” he says.
The organisers say they are also exploring partnerships with the Football Kenya Federation to ensure talented players identified during the tournament are recommended to national youth teams.
A key focus of this year’s edition will also be inclusion, with community teams from disadvantaged backgrounds being given a chance to participate.
"Teams such as Manyani FC , Tuomok FC and Johnny Machanga FC from Nakuru have already reached out to the organisers and will feature in the competition after presenting their proposals. Our main goal is to ensure the children play enough matches, compete fairly and remain safe throughout the tournament," Mbenzwa notes.
Rausha Kipaji Cup co-founder John Mbenzwa, Nakuru City Football Academy Director Coach Chrispin Wesonga durng a media briefing in Nakuru on March11,2026
Nakuru City Football Academy Director Coach Chrispin Wesonga, who is also co-hosting the tournament alongside Nakuru Athletics Club, says the event is a major boost for youth football in the region.
The tournament also coincides with the 100-year celebrations of Nakuru Athletics Club, which has been a key training facility for young footballers in the city.
“For us as a community club, this tournament provides a great opportunity for our players to showcase their talent and gain exposure to scouts. Beyond that we have sponsored over 100 children from the informal settlements to help them develop their football talent and play competitively,” says Wesonga.
He revealed that some players from the academy have already secured opportunities abroad, including Dete Otieno, who travelled to Cairo, Egypt, and Joshua Mumo, who went to Spain for trials.