March test in Kigali: Kenya set for Estonia opener as 2026 FIFA Series fixtures confirmed

Kenya’s March international window now has clear definition and purpose. The Harambee Stars will open their 2026 FIFA Series campaign against Estonia on March 27 at Amahoro Stadium, launching a two-match assignment in Kigali that could shape the direction of their rebuilding project under Benni McCarthy.

Their second fixture will hinge on the outcome of the tournament’s other opener between Rwanda and Grenada, with winners facing winners and losers meeting losers under the mini-competition format.

For Kenya, the structure offers both jeopardy and opportunity. A positive result against Estonia would set up a potential final against either the hosts or the Caribbean side, while defeat would push them into a placement match.

Either way, the East Africans are guaranteed two high-intensity friendlies within the March 23 to 31 window, fixtures designed to stretch squads beyond their usual continental boundaries.

The 2026 edition of the FIFA Series is the second instalment of the invitational tournament endorsed by FIFA to encourage cross-confederation matchups. Forty-eight national teams, nearly a quarter of the global membership, will participate across multiple host venues. Rwanda will stage two groups after Mauritius withdrew due to scheduling conflicts with 2027 AFCON qualifiers, consolidating Kigali’s role as a regional football hub.

For the Harambee Stars, the timing is significant. Kenya is co-host of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Uganda and Tanzania, with the tournament scheduled from June 19 to July 18.

The 36th edition will be historic: the first AFCON staged by three nations and the first in the CECAFA region since Ethiopia hosted in 1976. It also coincides with the competition’s 70th anniversary and will mark the final edition held in an odd-numbered year before CAF transitions to a quadrennial cycle from 2028.

Against that backdrop, March in Kigali is more than a pair of friendlies. It is an early examination of squad depth, tactical clarity and mentality.

The tournament rules stipulate that drawn matches proceed directly to penalties, eliminating extra time and sharpening the competitive edge. One team from each group will emerge as victors, adding a tangible target to what are officially friendly fixtures.

Kenya’s immediate focus, however, remains Estonia on March 27. In a compact window with little margin for error, the Harambee Stars have two matches to lay down a marker before the continental spotlight turns to East Africa in 2027.