AFCON 2027: McDonald Mariga Warns East Africa Against Morocco Comparisons as He Sets Target for Harambee Stars

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) vice president McDonald Mariga says it would be unfair to compete with Morocco when it comes to staging the Africa Cup of Nations.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will co-host AFCON 2027 and there have been doubts over whether they can match the high standards set by Morocco, who hosted last year’s tournament.

However, while he is certain of a great tournament in East Africa, Mariga acknowledges that matching Morocco will be an uphill task and the three East African countries should strive to set their own bar rather than comparing themselves with the North Africans.

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“We can’t compare ourselves with Morocco, they did a very fantastic tournament and we have to do it in a different way,” Mariga said on the Obi One Podcast which is co-hosted by Nigerian legend John Obi Mikel.

“We are three countries and we have facilities…hospitality is good and I think we are ready to do it in our own way. There is even one journalist who said that we don’t have roads in East Africa so I think we have to prove to the world that here is the best and we can even host a World Cup.

“We hosted CHAN and everyone, president of FIFA and CAF, were here and saw and know we are capable of hosting AFCON.”

Mariga knows hosting the tournament alone would not be enough and he has enumerated the plans the federation have to form a strong Kenyan team that will not just participate but compete at AFCON 2027.

“We want to do early preparations for local players, we have players abroad so we have to blend professional and local players. We have many players that have reached out and have never played for the national team and we have to go look for them and talk to them,” he added, referring to a recent trip to Europe to lure foreign-born players who are eligible to play for Kenya.

“Hosting AFCON, we just do not want to participate but do a good tournament and show that Kenya can make a mark,” Mariga further said, while revealing that he expects at least a run to the quarter-final for Benni McCarthy’s men.

“In CHAN, we went out at the quarter-final and at this AFCON, we have to do the same. We have to show that we can play and we are good at football,” insisted the former Inter Milan and Parma midfielder.

Mariga has faith in McCarthy, a man he chose to lead Harambee Stars, saying his qualities make him ideal for the job.

“A great motivator,” he said of McCarthy. “A mix between [Jose] Mourinho and modern coaching…I have been with the team with him and seen he is a very good coach. For years, we never got a coach like him and now I think with him, we will go far.”