Harambee Stars Face Questions After Difficult AFCON 2027 Start

Harambee Stars players pose for a team photo ahead of their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. Photo/Courtesy

Harambee Stars have endured a difficult opening to their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign, with back-to-back disappointing results raising questions about Kenya’s readiness for next year’s tournament.

Kenya began the campaign with a 1-1 draw against Eritrea at Nyayo Stadium before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Guinea in Conakry on Thursday.

The two results leave Kenya with just one point from two matches in Group D and at the bottom of the group standings.

Despite the results, Kenya’s place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is not in danger. As one of the three tournament co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, Harambee Stars have already secured automatic qualification.

Instead, the matches are being used as competitive preparation for the tournament, making the team’s performances an important early test for coach Benni McCarthy and his squad.

Kenya’s campaign got off to a frustrating start against Eritrea.

The visitors took the lead through Nahom Girmai before Ryan Ogam rescued a point for the hosts with a late equaliser.

The result came after a troubled build-up in which the team lost valuable preparation time amid disagreements over unpaid allowances and player welfare.

According to reports, the players only returned to collective training shortly before the Eritrea match, leaving McCarthy with limited time to properly prepare his side.

Hopes of an immediate response were dashed in Conakry.

Kenya battled Guinea but conceded in the first half when Serhou Guirassy found the net in the 32nd minute. The goal proved decisive as Guinea held on for a 1-0 victory.

The result gave Guinea its first points of the campaign and left Kenya still searching for its first win.

For McCarthy, the result increases the scrutiny surrounding the team’s progress, particularly with AFCON 2027 being played on home soil.

Former Kenyan internationals have also raised concerns about the team’s performances and preparations, adding to the debate over whether the current squad is developing quickly enough for the challenge ahead.

While the results do not threaten Kenya’s place at AFCON, they have increased concerns about the team’s competitiveness.

The qualifiers provide McCarthy with an opportunity to test players, build combinations and identify weaknesses before the tournament begins.

Kenya will next face South Africa away on November 11, with further qualifying matches scheduled for November and March 2027.

South Africa have started strongly in Group D, while Guinea have also collected points, leaving Kenya with plenty to work on despite already having its tournament place secured.

The early results are not the end of Kenya’s preparations, but they have highlighted areas that will require attention.

The coaching staff will now have to use the remaining competitive fixtures to improve the team’s organisation, finishing and consistency while giving more players an opportunity to establish themselves.

With AFCON 2027 set to be staged in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, expectations around Harambee Stars will be high.

For now, the pressure is not about qualification. It is about making sure Kenya is ready when the tournament finally arrives on home soil.