Why 2026 demands patience for Stars but offers promise for Starlets

This year will be one of sharp contrast for Kenya’s national football teams.

For the men’s team Harambee Stars, it will largely be a year of waiting, rebuilding, and reflection while for Harambee Starlets, it will be a year of action, hope and renewed belief as they return to the continental stage.

After missing out on the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Harambee Stars head into the new year with very little competitive football on their calendar.

Kenya also failed to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in June.

As Africa sends teams such as South Africa, Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia to the global showpiece, Kenya will once again watch from the sidelines.

That reality means 2026 will be a barren year for the men’s team, with international friendlies expected to be the only avenue to stay active and maintain match fitness.

It is not the position Kenya hoped to be in, especially after the appointment of South African tactician Benni McCarthy, who was expected to guide the team to a higher level.

Last year, Kenya played 15 matches under McCarthy across the African Nations Championship (Chan), World Cup qualifiers and international friendly matches.

The team won six games, lost five and drew four, translating to a win percentage of 40 percent. While not disastrous on paper, the numbers still point to a side struggling to find consistency.

Those struggles were laid bare in November, when Kenya lost 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea before suffering a humiliating 8-0 defeat to Senegal in their final friendly of the year.

The heavy loss was a painful reminder of the gap between Kenya and Africa’s top teams and served as a wake-up call for the technical bench.

McCarthy admits the road ahead will not be easy, but insists the focus must now shift to rebuilding.

“This team has spirit and potential,” he said. “The focus now is to prepare a competitive side for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Kenya has the talent, and if we keep improving, we will get there.”

With Kenya already qualified for the 2027 Afcon as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, the upcoming qualifiers, which begin in March and run until October, will carry little pressure in terms of results.

However, they present a vital chance to test players, build combinations and give young talent a chance at international football.

Former Harambee Stars striker Elijah Onsika believes that Kenya must act fast to avoid carrying old problems into the 2027 tournament.

A strong critic of hiring foreign coaches at the expense of locals, Onsika says the current situation has proved his point.

“It is time Kenya trusts local coaches,” Onsika said. “We have experienced coaches like Robert Matano and many former players who understand our football. They should work together to build a strong team.”

Onsika also questioned McCarthy’s involvement at the grassroots level.

“He is not watching Division One, NSL or even school games where raw talent is dying,” he said. “You cannot build a strong national team if you do not know what is happening at home.”

Despite the criticism, McCarthy remains clear on his mission. He believes 2026 offers a rare chance to start afresh without the pressure of any qualification.

“This is an opportunity to bring in young players and give them a chance to play for the national team,” he said. “We must build for the future, not just for today.”

That future stretches beyond 2027 to the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

For Kenya, the disappointment of recent failures must now mark the start of a new journey rather than another false dawn.

While it is a gloomy outlook for Harambee Stars, the picture is far brighter for their female counterparts, Harambee Starlets.

Unlike the men, Starlets will be active on the continental stage in 2026 when they take part in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The tournament, set for March 17 to April 3, will mark Kenya’s second Wafcon appearance and their first in 10 years. It is a major milestone for the team, which has shown steady growth under head coach Beldine Odemba.

Starlets booked their ticket to Morocco after beating Gambia’s Queen Scorpions 4-1 on aggregate last October. The qualification was celebrated as a sign of progress and renewed belief within the women’s game.

Preparations have already began. Last month, Kenya played two friendly matches against Algeria as part of their Wafcon build-up. Starlets lost the first match 2-1, but bounced back to hold the higher-ranked North Africans to a 1-1 draw in the second game.

Odemba says those matches showed both the work done and what still needs improvement. “We are learning with every game,” she said.

“Playing strong teams helps us understand our weaknesses and our strengths. The goal is to be ready for Wafcon and compete with confidence.”

Beyond Wafcon, Starlets also have their eyes on a bigger prize, qualification for the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Brazil.