Why Paul Bitok believes Kenya Cup is entering a new era of competitiveness
Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 20.07.26. | 16:31
The Kenya Cup quarterfinals will be held from Friday, 24, to Sunday, 26 July, at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, where both the men's and women's champions will be crowned after three days of action
The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) Kenya Cup heads into the quarterfinals this weekend with renewed excitement, and the federation’s vice president, Paul Bitok, believes the tournament is ushering in a new era of competitiveness.
Download our Mozzart Sport app for more news
Clubs are now allowed to reinforce their squads using overseas-based players from the quarterfinal stage onwards
Bitok says the quality of the competition has significantly improved while also pushing local teams towards a more professional approach.
The Kenya Cup quarterfinals will be held from Friday, 24, to Sunday, 26 July, at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, where both the men's and women's champions will be crowned after three days of action.
"From the knockout stage onwards, teams are allowed to bring in players who are based outside Kenya. They can invite their overseas-based players or strengthen their squads with new signings for the knockout rounds through to the final. This year, several teams have taken advantage of that opportunity," Bitok told Mozzart Sport.
"As we conclude this year's competition calendar, the Kenya Cup has been progressing well. We started with 16 teams in the men's competition and 10 in the women's competition. Last weekend, we completed the knockout stage, and now attention shifts to the quarterfinals, which will be played from July 24 to 26," he continued.
One of the tournament's unique features is the flexibility clubs have to strengthen their squads once the knockout rounds begin.
Among the notable returnees is national team opposite hitter Sharon Chepchumba, who links up with KCB, while Greece-based Veronica Odhiambo rejoins defending women's league champions Kenya Pipeline.
DCI have arguably made the biggest statement, recruiting Croatia-based Pamela Adhiambo alongside Tunisia-based Abiud Kipchirchir, Cornelius Kiplagat and Rwanda Police star Brian Meli.
Kenya Prisons have also boosted their ranks with Rwanda-based duo Elphas Makuto and Dennis Esokon.
Bitok believes these additions will not only raise the standard of play but also inspire clubs to invest more in long-term development.
"The return of these top players has raised the profile of the championship and made the competition even more exciting. It is also changing the mindset of the clubs, with many teams becoming more professional in their approach. We hope to build on this progress and continue growing the competition," he added.
The tournament comes just days after Kasarani hosted the KVF National League finals, which delivered dramatic finishes in both categories.
Kenya Pipeline successfully defended the women's National League title after recovering to beat Kenya Prisons 3-0 in the decisive third match, while Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) claimed their maiden men's league crown by completing a 3-0 series sweep over surprise finalists Chema VC.
Attention now shifts to the Kenya Cup, where league form will be put to the test in a winner-takes-all knockout format.
The men's quarterfinals on Friday will see Kenya Prisons face APK, Chema VC take on KAPU, GSU battle Equity Bank and newly crowned league champions KPA meet KDF.
Saturday's program begins with the women's quarterfinals, where DCI faces Kenya Pipeline before KCB takes on Kenya Prisons. The men's semifinals will follow later in the day.
The competition concludes on Sunday with the third-place playoffs before the women's and men's Kenya Cup finals, bringing the domestic volleyball season to a close.
Day 1: Friday, 24th July 2026 (Men's Quarter-Finals)
10:00 AM: Prisons Kenya vs. APK
12:00 PM: Chema VC vs. KAPU
2:00 PM: GSU vs. Equity Bank
4:00 PM: KPA vs. KDF
Day 2: Saturday, 25th July 2026 (Women's Quarter-Finals & Men's Semi-Finals)
10:00 AM: DCI vs. Kenya Pipeline (KPC)
12:00 PM: KCB vs. Kenya Prisons
2:00 PM: Men's Semi-Final 1
4:00 PM: Men's Semi-Final 2
Day 3: Sunday, 26th July 2026 (Finals & Third-Place Playoffs)
10:00 AM: Women's Third-Place Match
12:00 PM: Men's Third-Place Match
2:00 PM: Women's Kenya Cup Final
4:00 PM: Men's Kenya Cup Final