Urban river governance is a serious challenge that affects the management and maintenance of human and ecological health under the pressures of urbanisation and climate change. Research has examined river governance in terms of complex processes requiring multi-level coordination at a basin scale. The integrated principle of water management has been promoted through basin-wide governance mechanisms, predominantly led by state institutions. Although local capacity is acknowledged as a critical ingredient of river governance, there is a dearth of knowledge on what constitutes enabling capacities for municipalities addressing urban river challenges. Our case-study-oriented review explores a suite of interrelated enablers at the municipal level, including awareness, political and financial commitments, formal authorities, leaders and front-liners, boundary spanners, and community participation. The urban cases include diverse governance systems around the globe, demonstrating the plurality of enablers for municipal river governance. The orienting framework, whilst non-exhaustive, can serve as a starting point for illustrating variations in local conditions and implementation outcomes, which may complement the basin-level governance approach. The identified municipal enablers must be viewed within their specific place-based contexts, which calls for a closer examination of the interplay between distinct socio-political conditions of given municipalities and basin-wide governance processes.