Harambee Stars have officially begun their AFCON 2027 Qualifiers campaign, but the road ahead promises to be far more demanding as head coach Benni McCarthy seeks to build a competitive squad for the continental showpiece that Kenya will co-host in 2027.
While Kenya have already secured automatic qualification as one of the tournament hosts, the remaining fixtures offer a crucial opportunity for the national team to measure itself against some of the continent’s strongest sides and fine-tune preparations ahead of the finals.
Under CAF’s rules, only the highest-placed team among South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea will qualify from Group D alongside host nation Kenya.
Harambee Stars’ Full Schedule
The Stars’ next match will be away to Guinea on October 1, 2026, in their second Group D fixture.
The match will be played in Conakry.
Kenya will then face a double-header during the November international window. The team will play Matchday Three away before hosting the return fixture in Matchday Four. CAF is yet to confirm the exact dates and kick-off times for the two matches.
The campaign will conclude during the March 2027 international window.
Kenya will play an away fixture in Matchday Five before returning home for their final group match in Matchday Six.
| Matchday | Date | Fixture | Venue |
| 2 | October 1, 2026 | Guinea vs Kenya | Conakry, Guinea |
| 3 | November 9–17, 2026 | Kenya vs South Africa / Eritrea / Guinea* | To be confirmed |
| 4 | November 9–17, 2026 | Kenya vs South Africa / Eritrea / Guinea* | To be confirmed |
| 5 | March 22–30, 2027 | Kenya vs South Africa / Eritrea / Guinea* | To be confirmed |
| 6 | March 22–30, 2027 | Kenya vs South Africa / Eritrea / Guinea* | To be confirmed |
Kenya’s Poor AFCON Record
Harambee Stars have a long but interrupted history at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), having made six appearances at the men’s continental tournament in 1972, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2004 and 2019.
Despite those appearances, Kenya has never advanced beyond the group stage of the competition.
Their best campaign came in 2004 when they secured their first AFCON victory by beating Burkina Faso 3-0, although it was not enough to reach the knockout rounds.
Kenya made its AFCON debut in 1972 and had to wait until the 2004 tournament in Tunisia to register a first win in the competition.
The Harambee Stars returned to the finals in 2019 after a 15-year absence, beating Tanzania 3-2 but again exiting in the group stage.
Overall, Kenya have played 17 AFCON matches, winning two, drawing four and losing 11.
The team has scored 11 goals and conceded 31 across its six previous appearances.
McCarthy’s Plan to Write History
Harambee Stars head coach McCarthy has focused on building a young, competitive squad ahead of AFCON 2027.
He has widened his search to Kenyan players abroad and given younger players chances to prove themselves.
According to McCarthy, his aim is to prepare a team that can compete at the tournament and remain strong after he leaves.
In a previous interview, he said qualifiers will give him a chance to test his players against other national teams, while friendly matches will help him assess new talent and strengthen the squad.
McCarthy also wants to build a team that can challenge established African sides, rather than rely on Kenya’s automatic qualification as co-hosts.
His preparations have faced challenges, including injuries, unpaid player allowances and work permit issues affecting his technical staff.
He has also raised concerns about limited time with players between international matches.
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