Eritrea’s national football team has arrived in Kenya ahead of Saturday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Harambee Stars, with the visitors already settling into camp and beginning preparations for the crucial Group D encounter.

The Red Sea Camels arrived on Tuesday and held their first training session at the Police Sacco Grounds in Nairobi, a venue also earmarked among Kenya’s training facilities for the 2027 AFCON tournament.

The match, scheduled for Saturday, September 26, at Nyayo National Stadium, will be Kenya’s opening fixture in the AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. Although Kenya has already secured a place at the finals as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, the qualifiers provide coach Benni McCarthy with competitive matches to build his squad ahead of the tournament.

Saturday’s encounter also carries considerable historical significance. Kenya and Eritrea have met several times, including two AFCON 2008 qualifying matches. Eritrea stunned Harambee Stars 2-1 in Nairobi in September 2006 before claiming a 1-0 victory in Asmara in June 2007.

The most recent meeting was equally painful for Kenya. Eritrea defeated Harambee Stars 4-1 in the 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup semi-final in Kampala, ending Kenya’s hopes of defending the regional title.

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has named a 24-man squad for the opening qualifiers, with captain Michael Olunga leading the attack alongside several locally and internationally based players. Kenya will face Guinea-Africa on October 1 after Saturday’s clash with Eritrea.

With Eritrea already in Nairobi and both sides preparing for the encounter, Saturday’s meeting offers Harambee Stars an opportunity to begin their AFCON 2027 preparations against opponents with a history of producing difficult matches for Kenya.

By John Brighton