Benni McCarthy says Kenya are not ready to challenge Africa’s leading nations at AFCON 2027

Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy says the Harambee Stars do not yet have the resources or squad strength to compete with Africa’s leading nations at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

McCarthy identified Morocco, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal as teams currently operating above Kenya, while also naming Guinea among the countries capable of challenging for the title.

“Even if I were paid millions and millions of dollars to win the Africa Cup of Nations, I do not think Kenya has the resources or a strong enough team to compete with Morocco, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire or Senegal,” he said.

The former South Africa international believes those nations have a significant advantage because of the quality of their players and their greater experience at continental level.

Kenya, by contrast, still have several stages to complete before they can realistically consider themselves contenders for the trophy. McCarthy’s assessment reflects the gap he believes remains between the Harambee Stars and the established powers of African football.

McCarthy calls for a long-term approach

McCarthy also warned that building a team capable of competing consistently with Africa’s strongest sides will require considerably more than a few months of work.

In his view, the development of Kenyan football must be approached over several years, with progress dependent on improving the players available to the national team and strengthening the resources surrounding the squad.

The manager said it could take as long as 10 years to establish the foundations required for Kenya to emerge as a genuine title contender. That process would involve developing players and improving the support available to the national side.

Despite the challenge, Kenya remain committed to making progress on the African stage. The Harambee Stars will aim to move closer to the continent’s leading teams, although McCarthy believes a realistic push for the Africa Cup of Nations title can come only after they address the considerable gap that currently exists.