Victor Wanyama Rings AFCON 2027 Alarm Bells for Benni McCarthy and Harambee Stars

Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama hopes that the government will not let coach Benni McCarthy and his team down ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2027).

Kenya will co-host next year’s tournament, alongside neighbours Uganda and Tanzania, with all three nations under pressure to perform well at home.

While Harambee Stars have never gone past the group stage in their previous six AFCON appearances, they are expected to make the knockout round next year, and some have even ambitiously demanded for a quarter-final as well as a semi-final berth.

Wanyama feels the key to an impressive tournament will be how well the team will be prepared as he is fearful that if McCarthy does not get the right support, Kenya may be embarrassed at home given the level African teams have shown at the 2026 World Cup.

“I just wish that the management will support the coach to have good preparations because you have seen the World Cup,” Wanyama told Sporty FM.

“Almost all 10 teams that have been to the World Cup will be here for the Africa Cup of Nations and they are no joke, they are high-level teams.

“So to be able to compete with those types of teams, we need very good preparations. So hopefully, our government will help to get our boys prepared.”

Wanyama’s warning comes on the back of an improved showing for African teams at the ongoing World Cup where nine of the 10 representatives from the continent made it to the knockout round with two securing tickets to the Round of 16.

There could have been more had Senegal, DR Congo, Ivory Coast, South Africa and even Cape Verde managed their games better as they allowed their respective opponents to score late equalisers and winners.

Morocco comfortably qualified for the quarter-final, thrashing Canada 3-0, while Egypt nearly pulled off the biggest shock when they took a 2-0 lead against Argentina before letting it slip away in the final 11 minutes to lose 3-2 on Tuesday.

With Harambee Stars having struggled against Africa’s big boys, Wanyama’s fears are real and Kenya have their work cut out ahead of AFCON 2027.