Kenya’s preparation for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations has suffered an early setback, with a growing injury list threatening to disrupt Harambee Stars Coach, Benni McCarthy’s plans ahead of the opening Group ‘D’ fixtures.
Among the players facing fitness concerns are Zech Obiero, Stanley Wilson, Louis Millard, and Deon Woodman, while defender Daniel Anyembe has also emerged as a doubt after missing Viborg FF’s recent league match with an injury.
McCarthy is already expected to cope without Jonah Ayunga, Richard Odada, and Collins Sichenje, who are recovering from long-term injuries.
The situation leaves the coach with important decisions to make as he looks to balance experience, defensive stability, and attacking options.
The timing is particularly significant because Kenya is not simply preparing for another international campaign. The country, together with Uganda and Tanzania, will host the 2027 AFCON, making it the first edition of the tournament to be jointly staged by three nations.
CAF has scheduled the tournament for 19th June to 17th July 2027, with the competition returning to East Africa for the first time since 1976.
Interestingly, despite being hosts and therefore automatically qualified for the tournament, Kenya will still participate in the qualification campaign. The matches provide McCarthy with a competitive platform to assess his squad and build a team capable of competing on home soil next year.
In Group ‘D’, Kenya has been drawn alongside South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea; because Kenya is automatically qualified, the highest-ranked non-host in the group will take the additional qualifying place.
The first test comes against Eritrea at Nyayo Stadium on September 26, followed by an away trip to Guinea on October 1.
For McCarthy, the injury crisis, therefore, arrives at a crucial stage. Beyond the immediate results, these fixtures offer an opportunity to establish the combinations, depth, and tactical identity that Kenya may rely on when the continent arrives in East Africa in 2027.
With the spotlight already beginning to shine on the three co-hosts, Harambee Stars will need to turn the current injury challenge into an opportunity for squad depth and new talent to step forward.
By John Brighton
