By GPC Sports Reporter
SportPesa has launched a national pool circuit backed by a multi-million-shilling investment aimed at creating a structured competition pathway for players across Kenya.
The inaugural SportPesa National Pool Circuit, launched in Nairobi on Thursday, will be run in partnership with Kenyan promoters Cuevolution Plus Africa and will seek to identify, develop and showcase pool talent from the grassroots.
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The circuit will use the ‘Black Ball Rules’ format and provide players with a progression route from local competitions to regional and national events.
The grassroots phase will run from September 21 to October 4, with competitions held concurrently at multiple venues and hubs across the country.
The programme will then move to regional championships and three circuit events in Eldoret, Nakuru and Mombasa before culminating in the SportPesa National Pool Finals in Nairobi from January 8 to 10, 2027.
SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri said the investment was part of the company’s strategy to support sports beyond traditional disciplines.
“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 Kenya had significant pool talent but lacked structures to support its development.
“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 the circuit would give players opportunities to compete, develop their skills, gain recognition and potentially earn a living from the sport.
Pool is already widely played across Kenya, but the sport has historically lacked sustained investment, national structures and clear competitive pathways.
The new circuit is intended to provide regular competition and greater visibility for players while developing a broader professional ecosystem around the sport.
The investment comes as pool and cue sports expand their professional footprint globally. The World Pool Association reported that more than US$11.4 million (about KSh1.5 billion) in prize money was distributed through WPA-sanctioned events in 2025.
In Kenya, organisers said the circuit would seek to develop not only players but also the wider workforce supporting competitive pool, including coaches, tournament officials, club operators, technicians and content creators.
Collins Tuwei, director at Cuevolution Plus Africa Limited, said the partnership would provide the structure needed to bring together players from across the country.
“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 the sponsorship was expected to improve the quality and visibility of competitions while helping identify talent at grassroots level.
“We expect the sponsorship to improve the quality and visibility of competitions, identify new talent from the grassroots and, importantly, demonstrate that pool can be approached as a professional sport with real economic opportunities for players and the wider ecosystem.”
After the grassroots phase, the circuit will proceed to regional championships before the three national circuit events.
The Eldoret leg will be held from November 6 to 8, followed by Nakuru from November 20 to 22 and Mombasa from December 4 to 6.
The season will conclude with the national finals in Nairobi from January 8 to 10, 2027, bringing together the leading players emerging from the circuit.
The regional and national structure is designed to allow players to progress from local competition to increasingly competitive stages of the circuit.
SportPesa said the investment is also part of its wider multi-sport strategy of supporting disciplines capable of developing sustainable sporting ecosystems in Kenya.
