Harambee Stars Secure Friendly Matches With European Minnows and East African Rivals
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Harambee Stars will play a mini-tournament involving two European minnows and East African rivals Rwanda as part of their build-up towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Kenya will be busy during the March 2026 international window after being confirmed for the FIFA Series, a global initiative aimed at enhancing competitive exposure for national teams across different confederations.
Harambee Stars are in Group A of the FIFA Series, alongside Rwanda, Estonia and Grenada with matches set to be staged in Kigali from March 23-31, 2026.
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Kenya Highest Ranked Among Series Rivals
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These will be the next matches for Benni McCarthy’s men since last November when they had a period to forget, having lost 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea before they were hammered 8-0 by newly-crowned African champions Senegal.
Harambee Stars, at position 113 on the FIFA ranking, are the highest ranked among their Group A rivals with Estonia at 130, followed by Rwanda at 131, while Grenada are the lowest at position 164.
However, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has confidence that the mini-tournament will help McCarthy gauge his team as they build towards next year’s AFCON, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
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FKF Boss Thrilled With Mini-Tournament
This is a very welcome and forward-looking initiative by FIFA. The FIFA Series gives countries like Kenya a rare and valuable opportunity to measure ourselves against opponents from different continents, in environments that mirror the demands of major international tournaments.… https://t.co/Ucc6D0HK56
— Hussein Mohammed (@husseinmoha) January 19, 2026
“This is a very welcome and forward-looking initiative by FIFA. The FIFA Series gives countries like Kenya a rare and valuable opportunity to measure ourselves against opponents from different continents, in environments that mirror the demands of major international tournaments,” FKF president Hussein Mohammed said via a social media post.
“It is exactly the kind of exposure and competition our national team needs as we continue to grow and raise our standards.
“Facing teams with different styles, strengths and football cultures helps us learn, adapt and improve, both on and off the pitch. We look forward to using this platform to test ourselves, gain experience and keep building Harambee Stars in the right direction.”
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