SportPesa has committed a multi-million-shilling investment to Kenya’s pool sport, launching a national competition circuit aimed at identifying talent, expanding participation and creating a professional pathway for players.
The SportPesa National Pool Circuit, established in partnership with Cuevolution Plus Africa Limited, will introduce a structured competition calendar spanning grassroots tournaments, regional championships and national events.
The programme will be contested under the Black Ball Rules format, with the inaugural grassroots phase scheduled to run from September 21 to October 4 across venues and competition hubs in different parts of the country.
The initiative will subsequently move to regional championships before three major circuit events are staged in Eldoret, Nakuru and Mombasa.
The season will end with the SportPesa National Pool Finals in Nairobi from January 8 to 10, 2027, where the leading players from the circuit will compete for national honours.
SportPesa Chief Executive Officer Ronald Karauri said the investment was intended to give greater attention to sporting disciplines that have strong participation but limited formal structures.
“Our investment in pool is part of our wider commitment to supporting sports beyond the traditional disciplines and creating structures that allow talent to grow,” Karauri said.
According to Karauri, Kenya has a substantial pool-playing community, but many talented players have remained outside formal competition structures.
“There is significant talent in Kenya that remains largely undiscovered because the structures around the sport have not kept pace with the passion and participation,” he said.
He said the national circuit would provide players with opportunities to compete regularly, improve their skills and build recognition within the sport.
Pool targets commercial growth
The investment comes amid growing commercial activity in professional pool globally.
The World Pool Association reported that more than US$11.4 million, equivalent to about KSh1.5 billion, was distributed in prize money across WPA-sanctioned competitions in 2025.
The organisers hope the Kenyan circuit will help develop a wider pool economy, with opportunities extending to coaches, tournament officials, club operators, technicians, content creators and other professionals.
Collins Tuwei, Director at Cuevolution Plus Africa Limited, said the country already has a strong base of players and enthusiasts.
“Talent and passion already exist across the country; what has been missing is a structured platform that can bring that talent together, provide consistent competition and give players something to aspire to,” Tuwei said.
He said the partnership would help improve the standard of tournaments, increase visibility for players and strengthen grassroots talent identification.
Circuit spreads across regions
The competition schedule has been designed to take the sport to different parts of the country.
Eldoret will host a circuit event from November 6 to 8, followed by Nakuru from November 20 to 22 and Mombasa from December 4 to 6.
The best-performing players will then proceed to the national finals in Nairobi in January 2027.
The organisers say the regional structure will give players outside Nairobi greater access to high-level competition while establishing a clearer route from grassroots tournaments to national competition.
Pool has a significant presence in communities across Kenya, but its development has historically been constrained by limited national structures, sustained investment and formal progression pathways.
The SportPesa National Pool Circuit seeks to address those gaps by providing a regular competitive calendar and a platform for players to develop and demonstrate their ability.
The programme is also part of SportPesa’s wider multi-sport strategy, which seeks to support disciplines beyond Kenya’s traditional sporting focus.
The organisers hope the initiative will help reposition pool as a competitive sporting discipline with the potential to support professional careers, attract investment and create employment across the wider pool ecosystem.
