NAIROBI, KENYA – The finals of the second annual Predator Energy Kenyan Freestyle Football Championship are set to take place on Friday, November 28, 2025, at the National Archives Grounds in Nairobi. The event, sanctioned by the World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA), will run from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM EAT and will crown both male and female national champions. This year's competition highlights the growing interest and participation in the sport within Kenya, with registration numbers increasing from 12 competitors in the inaugural 2024 event to 21 participants this year.

The championship provides a significant stage for Kenyan freestylers to showcase their skills in 1x1 battles, a format where competitors go head-to-head in 30-second rounds to outperform their opponent with a combination of football tricks, dance, and music. The event is free for spectators and aims to identify Kenya's top talent, with winners receiving cash prizes and awards. The reigning male champion, Austin Maina, who won the 2024 competition, is expected to defend his title. The inaugural female champion was Heizel Selesi.

Organized by the WFFA, the global governing body for the sport, the Kenyan championship is part of a broader effort to grow freestyle football across Africa. Predator Energy, a brand of Monster Energy, has renewed and expanded its partnership with the WFFA, sponsoring similar national championships in Uganda, Nigeria, Egypt, and Morocco. This investment provides crucial support in a country where athletes often lack dedicated training facilities and financial backing, according to local participants. The winners of the Kenyan championship may also have the opportunity to become brand ambassadors for Predator Energy, a programme initiated in the previous year.

The competition will be judged by a panel of three, including Edward Murimi from Kenya, former African champion Ashley from South Africa, and Sufyan from Morocco. The use of international judges underscores the event's adherence to global standards. The WFFA has been instrumental in structuring the sport, providing a framework for competitions worldwide, much like FIFA does for traditional football. The association also has long-term ambitions to have freestyle football included in the Olympic Games within the next decade.

The 2025 championship utilized a hybrid format, allowing participants to register online via the FS Meet platform between October 23 and November 21. This digital integration is consistent with other WFFA events, such as the NextGen World Championship for athletes under 16, which is held entirely online before a live final. The main World Freestyle Football Championship finals for 2025 are scheduled to be held in Sopot, Poland, on December 13, bringing together the best 32 freestylers from global qualifying events.

Nairobi has previously been a host for major international freestyle events, including the 2023 World Freestyle Football Championship held at the Bomas of Kenya. That event, a first for the African continent, brought significant global attention to the local scene. While Kenyan athletes did not win the top titles in 2023, their participation was praised by WFFA officials, highlighting the passion for the sport in the country. The continued presence of sanctioned national events provides a clear pathway for Kenyan athletes like Austin Maina, who was ranked 103rd globally and first in Kenya as of January 31, 2025, to gain international experience and ranking points.

The growth of freestyle football in Kenya offers a unique avenue for youth engagement in sports. It is an accessible discipline, requiring minimal equipment—essentially just a football—and can be practiced in various environments. However, challenges remain, including a lack of public awareness and the perception of freestyling as mere entertainment rather than a competitive sport. Events like the Predator Energy Kenyan Freestyle Football Championship are vital in shifting this perception, providing a competitive structure and demonstrating the skill, athleticism, and dedication required to excel.