Tennis: Kenya to host Davis Cup Africa Group IV

The 2026 Davis Cup Africa Group IV tournament was officially launched on Friday at the Nairobi Club under the auspices of Tennis Kenya Deputy President Martha Tirop.

The event is scheduled to take place from June 17 to 20, 2026, with eight nations competing for promotion to next year's Africa Group III.

Speaking in Nairobi on Friday during a press conference and the launch of the tournament, Tirop underscored the significance of the Davis Cup, a prestigious international men's tennis competition widely regarded as the World Cup of Tennis.

Kenya will host teams from Algeria, Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

“This marks a major return of continental Davis Cup tennis to Nairobi after a six-year hiatus, representing a significant boost to local tennis development and showcasing Kenya's commitment to African sporting excellence,” Tirop said.

Tournament Director Francis Mutuku explained that tickets for the competition will cost Sh1,000 for a season pass and Sh300 for daily entry at the Nairobi Club. The event follows Tennis Kenya's successful hosting of the Billie Jean King Cup, various ITF junior tournaments, the W35 tournament, and other regional competitions.

“Each tie will consist of two singles matches and one doubles match to determine the winning country. What is at stake in this event, and what Kenya will be aiming for, is promotion to Davis Cup Group III because we are currently in Group IV. However, there is also the risk of relegation to Group V. Teams will therefore be fighting either to move up, at the very least remain in the group, or at worst be relegated,” Mutuku said.

The tournament format will feature two pools of four teams each competing in round-robin matches from Wednesday to Friday.

The teams that finish first and second in each pool will advance to promotion play-offs on Saturday, with the winners securing promotion to Africa Group III for next year.

Meanwhile, the teams finishing third and fourth in their respective pools will compete in relegation play-offs to determine which nations will drop to Africa Group V.