Benni McCarthy says Kenya face ‘difficult’ Africa Cup of Nations qualifying challenge

Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy says his side will face a “difficult” route through the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, despite already having secured their place at the finals.

Kenya will co-host the tournament with Uganda and Tanzania, meaning the three nations are automatically qualified. They will nevertheless take part in the qualifying competition, with only the team that finishes top of their group progressing through the qualification process.

McCarthy, who became Kenya manager earlier this year, identified South Africa as one of the leading obstacles. The Bafana Bafana are among the continent’s more established teams and have recently appointed Pitso Mosimane as their new head coach.

“It’s gonna be difficult because South Africa has always been seen as a class A category, they always in the pot with Morocco, Senegal, so they get the good draws, teams like Kenya in the lower end, so that will be very difficult,” McCarthy said.

The former Bafana Bafana striker also warned that Guinea would present a significant threat. He pointed to the strength and experience in their squad, including Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy.

Guinea have appeared regularly at major international tournaments and possess players with substantial experience at both club and international level.

“I think Guinea also have super power in their players like Guirassy, they have a strong team, established and participated in major tournaments more than us, they have more experience,” McCarthy added.

Kenya draw confidence from recent campaigns

Although McCarthy recognises the quality within Kenya’s qualifying group, he believes the Harambee Stars can use their recent competitive experience to improve their prospects.

Kenya have come up against several of Africa’s leading sides during the African Nations Championship (CHAN) and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Their recent schedule has included matches against Ivory Coast and Gabon, as well as a demanding trip to Burundi.

McCarthy said those encounters, including the difficult conditions away from home, had helped Kenya develop greater resilience and reduce the gap between themselves and higher-ranked opponents.

“But like I said, listen, what we experienced in CHAN and World Cup qualifiers,” he continued.

“We played teams like Ivory Coast, Gabon, in Burundi where it was very hostile and we held our own, it was valuable experience that we gained, it might not have been wins, but I think from where we started to where we finished, we have grown.”