It's fresh faces and familiar rivals as Stars prepare for 2027 Afcon

Coach Benni McCarthy during the Harambee Stars and Morocco CHAN 2024 Group A clash at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi, on August 10, 2025.[Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The last two days have offered Harambee Stars fans a glimpse into the future as coach Benni McCarthy unveiled a youthful squad for next month’s international friendlies before Kenya discovered the teams they will face in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

While Kenya are already assured of a place at the tournament as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, the qualifiers still matter for McCarthy and his rebuilding project.

The South African tactician now knows the scale of the task awaiting his side after Harambee Stars were pooled alongside South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea in Group D.

On paper, Kenya avoided the toughest possible draw, but the group still presents several difficult tests for a team trying to find consistency.

The draw has also added extra significance to the June friendlies against Palestine and Kyrgyzstan as McCarthy looks to shape the team that will compete with some of Africa’s experienced football nations.

Perhaps the biggest talking point from the squad announcement was the inclusion of five foreign-based players receiving their first senior national team call-ups.

Defender Deon Woodman, winger Sammy Hena-Kamau, striker Micah Obiero, defender Sydney Agina and goalkeeper Caleb Kramer are all set for their first taste of senior international football.

The selection appears to signal McCarthy’s intention to widen his talent pool ahead of the qualifiers and eventually Afcon 2027.

Kenya’s squad also carries a youthful look with players such as Mohammed Bajaber, Austine Odhiambo, Ryan Ogam and Ben Stanley continuing to earn the coach’s trust.

However, the real focus quickly shifted to the Afcon draw where McCarthy will face his own country.

South Africa head into the qualifiers as favourites after steady progress under Belgian coach Hugo Broos. Ranked 60th in the world, Bafana Bafana are currently far ahead of Kenya, who sit at position 111.

South Africa’s rise has been impressive in recent years following their third-place finish at Afcon 2023. Despite relying heavily on local-based players, Broos has built a disciplined and competitive side capable of troubling any team on the continent.

History is also not on Kenya’s side. Harambee Stars have never beaten South Africa in four previous meetings, losing three and drawing one.

Although all their encounters have been friendlies, Bafana Bafana have generally looked the stronger side, winning the last meeting 2-1 in 2012.

Still, McCarthy may quietly welcome the challenge. Few people understand South African football better than the former Manchester United first-team coach and the clashes could provide Kenya with an early measure of how far they have progressed.

Guinea will present a different kind of danger. Ranked 80th in the world, the West Africans possess experience and individual quality despite missing out on Afcon 2025.

Led by stars such as Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy, Guinea remain one of the continent’s respected football nations.

Yet Kenya can draw confidence from their previous meetings. The two countries have faced each other eight times and each has won four matches. Their last encounter came in the 2008 World Cup qualifiers when Kenya secured a 2-0 home win before losing 3-2 away.

Eritrea may appear to be the weakest side in the group but they could still prove tricky opponents. Ranked 184th in the world, they are one of the lowest-ranked teams globally and have never qualified for Afcon.

However, past meetings show Kenya cannot afford complacency. While Harambee Stars have won six of their 10 meetings against Eritrea, the Eritreans have surprisingly dominated recent encounters, including victories in the 2008 Afcon qualifiers and a memorable 4-1 win in the 2019 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

The qualifiers will begin in September next year before concluding in March 2027, but attention now turns to next month’s friendlies where McCarthy will start building the team he hopes can compete strongly before a home Afcon tournament.

For Kenya, the next few months may not just be about preparing to host Africa’s biggest football event, but proving they can also compete with the continent’s best when the tournament finally arrives.