Harambee Stars Under Pressure After 'Poor' AFCON Qualifying Start as 2027 Concerns Grow

Alarm bells are ringing across Kenyan football after the national team's lacklustre start to its 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification fixtures.

Harambee Stars’ underwhelming displays have drawn fierce criticism from veteran players and administrators, who fear the country is headed for embarrassment as the upcoming tournament co-host.

Under the stewardship of head coach Benni McCarthy, Kenya suffered a disastrous international window. The team first stumbled to a humiliating 1-1 home draw against unranked minnows Eritrea in Nairobi before falling 1-0 to Guinea at the Stade 28 September in Conakry, courtesy of a second-half strike from Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy, who capitalised on a costly defensive mix-up.

Former Kenya international Reginald Asibwa has voiced deep concern over the trajectory of the national side, calling on key stakeholders to convene an urgent crisis meeting.

The former midfielder, who represented the country throughout the 1980s and '90s, warned that failing to address fundamental issues immediately could lead to a disastrous showing when Kenya co-hosts the continental showpiece alongside Uganda and Tanzania in mid-2027.

"Our current FIFA ranking of 113th tells the whole story of our regression, particularly after dropping points at home against a team like Eritrea," Asibwa told Flashscore.

"I am astonished that these kinds of results are treated as normal when we are gearing up to host Africa's top elite stars rather than just home-based players in the CHAN tournament."

Asibwa urged the Ministry of Sports and the national federation to take immediate responsibility. "The authorities remain silent while our national team plunges into an abyss. Just like in any institution, output must be scrutinised. If we stay quiet now, it will soon be too late to rescue the situation."

Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Sam Nyamweya also hit out at the current federation leadership headed by Hussein Mohammed, citing administrative negligence, questionable team selection, and poor player motivation as major concerns.

"I am not heartbroken simply because we lost, but because we squandered a match we ought to have won," Nyamweya said after the defeat in Guinea. "We created enough chances to take all three points, yet we shot ourselves in the foot through poor execution and inadequate preparation."

Nyamweya further argued that issues off the pitch are directly undermining the squad's performance on matchday: "Player selection must strictly be dictated by form, ability, and commitment rather than external influence or favouritism. When deserving talents are snubbed, team spirit and competitiveness suffer. Furthermore, player welfare cannot be compromised. You cannot demand total commitment on the pitch when players are stressed over basic logistics, decent accommodation, bonuses, and allowances."

"Harambee Stars represent 55 million people," Nyamweya added. "It will be an absolute national embarrassment if we maintain this downward trend heading into the historic 2027 finals on home soil."

Following the latest round of matches, South Africa sit comfortably atop Group D with a perfect six points after thrashing Eritrea 5-0. Guinea climbed to second place on three points, pushing Kenya down the pecking order.

Although Kenya are assured of a spot at the PAMOJA 2027 AFCON finals as joint hosts, the group qualifiers will determine which single rival among South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea books the solitary progression slot alongside them.