Michael Olunga Reveals 2 Lessons Learnt From Failed World Cup Qualifying Campaign

Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has reflected on Kenya’s failed bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, admitting that the team’s sluggish start and infrastructural challenges were major factors behind their disappointing campaign.

Kenya, who currently sit fifth  in Group F on 6 points, are set to close out their qualifiers with matches against Burundi and Ivory Coast. Despite both being dead rubbers, Olunga insists the team must take valuable lessons from the experience as they shift focus to future competitions.

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Speaking ahead of Thursday’s clash against Burundi, Olunga was candid in his assessment of where things went wrong for the national team.

“I think the first lesson is that we need to take advantage of the infrastructure,” Olunga said. “We didn’t start the campaign quite well, and the infrastructure was also lagging behind. 

“But right now, you can see from the recent CHAN games and other matches, we’ve had massive support at home. I believe we could have done better.”

The Al Arabi  forward, who remains two goals shy of becoming Kenya’s all-time top scorer, said that Kenya’s delayed start in building a consistent football environment, first due to the lack of FIFA and CAF approved stadia, and then coaching changes,  made it difficult to compete with top African sides who have invested heavily in their systems.

“Again, it goes to show that the competition requires us to start tournaments much stronger and to take advantage of every home game we play,” he added.

The Harambee Stars had been forced to play some of their earlier qualifiers away from home due to stadium compliance issues before returning to Nairobi’s Nyayo and Kasarani Stadia for later matches. Olunga believes having stable home venues, improved logistics, and early preparation will be key for the future.

Olunga also pointed to the mental and tactical approach as an area of growth, noting that while qualification is no longer mathematically possible, the remaining games present an opportunity for self-assessment and progress.

“When we played the first leg, every team was still aspiring to qualify for the World Cup,” he said. “But now, for both us and Ivory Coast, it’s quite realistically impossible to make it. Still, it’s a good opportunity for us to go out and test ourselves against strong teams.”

The skipper acknowledged the upcoming away fixtures will offer a valuable test of resilience, particularly in different environments. “Playing away, especially on pitches that are not what we’re used to — like the AstroTurf in Burundi — poses a great challenge,” he said. “But we want to see how we can handle it and learn from the experience.”

With Kenya’s qualification hopes over, Olunga is already looking ahead to AFCON 2027, which the country will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania. He believes the lessons from this World Cup qualifying campaign will help Kenya prepare better for the next cycle.

“These experiences will make us stronger,” Olunga concluded. “We must continue rebuilding, take every match seriously, and ensure we start strong in every competition. That’s the only way to progress.”

Kenya face Burundi on Thursday in Bujumbura before concluding their campaign with a high-profile clash against Ivory Coast on October 14 in Abidjan.