- The Kenya vs Zimbabwe game will be staged at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
- The match will kick off at 1600EAT.
Kenya and Zimbabwe will be looking to get their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaigns off to the perfect start when they clash at the Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda on Friday evening.
Pooled in Group J alongside Namibia and giants Cameroon, both sides will be targeting the three vital points from the opening match as they seek a ticket to the 2025 tournament set to take place in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
Kenya vs Zimbabwe Match Preview
Kenya, who were forced to host the game away in Uganda due to the lack of a CAF-approved stadium within the country, play the opening Group J match seeking to qualify for their seventh AFCON tournament (1972, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2004, 2019) having missed the 2021 and 2023 editions held in Cameroon and Ivory Coast respectively.
The Engin Firat-coached side will be playing their first match since June where they recorded draws against reigning AFCON champions Ivory Coast (0-0) and Burundi (1-1) in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
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They head into the game riding high on confidence as they have not lost in their last five matches across all competitions (W3 D2), results that should give them some mental comfort heading into the clash.
Additionally, Kenya has not lost to Zimbabwe in their last four meetings across all competitions, winning thrice and drawing the other match.
The last time the two teams met came in July in the 2024 COSAFA Cup held in South Africa where Kenya’s U23 team grabbed a 2-0 win over Zimbabwe.
Back in March, Michael Olunga bagged a hat trick to give Kenya a 3-1 win over The Warriors in the Four Nations Tournament staged in Malawi.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe head into the clash of back-to-back losses against Lesotho and South Africa in the World Cup qualifiers, results they will be hoping to turn around as they start their bid to qualify for Morocco.
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Kenya vs Zimbabwe Team News
Firat is facing a selection headache in defense as to who will partner French-based defender Joseph Okumu in the centre-back position. This is after regular Johnstone Omurwa left the Stars camp in Uganda to finalize a move to a new club.
Firat is also likely to miss the services of captain Michael Olunga due to an injury sustained while on club duty in Qatar with Al Duhail.
Daniel Anyembe, who paired with Omurwa during the World Cup qualifiers in the absence of Okumu, is also out due to personal reasons alongside the injured Collins Shichenje.
“I don’t know why we are always unlucky during FIFA days, we always have injured players. We are missing a lot of important players and it is a very unlucky situation for us,” Firat lamented.
Kenya however has the services of Okumu and marauding left back Erick ‘Marcelo’ who missed the World Cup qualifiers owing to injuries.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe will miss the services of EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle defender Brendan Galloway, who has been ruled out owing to injury.
However, the Warriors have been boosted by the return of winger Khama Billiat. Billiat, who plays for Yadah Stars.
Billiat had announced his retirement from football but changed his mind and was drafted into the Zimbabwe squad for the AFCON opener.
The team will also be buoyed by the presence of FC Nantes star Tinotenda Kdwera, Douglas Mapfumo of Polokwane City and Prince Dube of Yanga.
Where to watch Kenya vs Zimbabwe?
The Kenya vs Zimbabwe match which kicks off at 1600EAT will be broadcasted live on Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
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Tujiamini is an initiative that seeks to provide a platform, including up to 30M shillings in funding, for individual, team sports and various talent, in a year-long campaign that will go around the country in a move aimed at evoking the sense of pride in Kenya’s sports and talent ecosystem.
Applicants are urged to submit their applications through www.tujiamini.co.ke