Harambee Stars Coach Banking on Hidden Advantage Ahead of AFCON 2027: 'Kenya Has Been Good'

Harambee Stars assistant coach Vasili Masounakis is confident that Kenya's passionate football fanbase will be a crucial asset in helping the team handle the pressure of co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Speaking after Kenya's decisive 4-0 friendly victory over Lesotho in Pretoria, Vasili Masounakis expressed his anticipation for the tournament, highlighting the incredible support the team expects to receive on home soil.

The assistant coach drew parallels to the electric atmosphere during the 2024 African Nations Championship, suggesting a similar environment could provide a significant advantage for the Harambee Stars as they prepare for their first-ever AFCON tournament as hosts.

At the CHAN 2024 tournament that was co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Harambee Stars bowed out at the quarter-final stage after a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

"Kenya has been good to us. The people are crazy about football," Vasili Manousakis stated. "We look forward to playing in Nairobi again. They are crazy about football, and it is unbelievable. The new Talanta [Stadium] is near completion, and we hope we will see a repeat of this."

Vasili Manousakis acknowledged the immense demands the upcoming AFCON will place on both the players and the coaching staff, which is led by head coach Benni McCarthy.

"There is pressure and expectation on us, but with it, we have the support of the fans," he added. "When there are 60,000 people in the stands, it gives the team an extra boost to perform."

Meanwhile, as a co-host of the AFCON 2027 tournament alongside Tanzania and Uganda, Kenya has already automatically qualified for the final showpiece.

Despite their guaranteed spot, Harambee Stars are still participating in the qualification campaign to maintain competitive match fitness.

They will feature in home-and-away fixtures against continental heavyweights South Africa and Guinea, alongside regional rivals Eritrea.

Kenya's qualifying group matches will be played across three concentrated international windows, starting with Matchdays 1 and 2 between September 21 and October 6, 2026.

The remaining group fixtures will follow shortly after, with doubleheaders scheduled for November 2026 and the final rounds wrapping up in March 2027.