NAIROBI, Kenya - Leads United successfully defended their men's football title at the Betika BingwaFest Nairobi Region finals on Sunday, November 23, 2025, with a dominant 3-0 victory over Lucky Summer Sports at Nyayo Stadium. In the women's final, Macmillan Starlets were crowned new champions after overcoming defending champions Embakasi South Ladies 3-1. The event also saw new winners in rugby and basketball, highlighting the multi-sport nature of the grassroots tournament.

The men's football final saw a goalless first half before Henry Krop broke the deadlock for Leads United 10 minutes into the second half. Krop doubled their lead just 10 minutes later, with Jasper Omwando sealing the victory with a third goal. "We are excited to defend the Nairobi region title, playing at Nyayo Stadium. I had never played here before, like most of our players, and this was a good experience for us," said Leads United captain, Vincent Chiluka. "Our focus now shifts to the national title, and we will work hard to ensure that we defend that one too."

The women's final was a more contested affair. Embakasi South Ladies took an early lead through Nelly Okoth in the 13th minute. However, Macmillan Starlets responded swiftly, with Phoebe Awuor converting a penalty seven minutes later to level the score. Marion Wafula then gave Macmillan the lead in stoppage time just before the break, and Mary Erima secured the championship with a goal in the 79th minute.

Following their victories, both Leads United and Macmillan Starlets received Ksh 1 million in prize money. The runners-up, Lucky Summer and Embakasi South Ladies, were awarded Ksh 500,000 each, while third-place finishers Shauri Moyo United and Valeo Starlets took home Ksh 250,000.

New Champions Emerge in Rugby and Basketball

The tournament also featured intense competition in other disciplines. In men's rugby, Stingerz narrowly defeated Blak Blad 7-5 in a tightly contested final to be crowned new champions. The women's rugby final saw a more decisive result, with Kiambaa Women beating Kenya Harlequins Women 27-0. The rugby winners also received Ksh 1 million each, with the runners-up pocketing Ksh 500,000.

Basketball also saw new champions crowned. In the women's category, Underdogs caused an upset by defeating favorites Hawks 17-15. In the men's final, ANSA overcame Heart 14-12. The victorious basketball teams each received Ksh 500,000.

Fostering Grassroots Talent

The Betika BingwaFest is a multi-disciplinary sports initiative aimed at nurturing talent from the grassroots level across Kenya. The tournament travels to different regions, providing a platform for young athletes in football, rugby, basketball, and athletics to showcase their skills. Betika's Head of Brand, Eric Mwiti, commented on the success of the Nairobi edition: “Congratulations to all the winners for their effort throughout the year. For the Nairobi edition of BingwaFest, we tried as much as possible to have the matches held across different venues within the region so that different communities would experience the magic of BingwaFest, and we are happy to have made that decision.” The initiative has been lauded for its commitment to gender equality by offering equal prize money for both male and female athletes.

The focus of the BingwaFest now moves to the next leg of the tournament in Meru, scheduled for December 15th-21st, 2025.