- Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has identified a key factor that contributed to Kenya’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Kenya is set to face Burundi and Ivory Coast this October in their final Group F fixtures, both considered dead rubber matches.
- The team will take on Burundi on October 9, before concluding their qualification campaign against Ivory Coast on October 14.
Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has elaborated on a crucial factor that led to the men’s national team falling short of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Olunga was addressing the press on Monday, October 6, during the team’s first training session ahead of their two remaining Group F fixtures – dead rubbers against Burundi and Ivory Coast, scheduled for October 9 and 14 respectively.
The Al-Arabi SC striker pointed out that one of the main reasons Kenya failed to produce a strong showing in the qualifiers was the inadequate infrastructure, which significantly set them back.
He emphasized that if some of their home fixtures had actually been played on Kenyan soil, rather than away from home, the team’s chances could have been considerably boosted, citing the recent positive experience with the CHAN 2024 matches.
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Key factor in Harambee Stars’ World Cup Qualifying failure
We didn’t start the campaign quite well, and I believe the infrastructure issues really dragged us behind,” Olunga said. “But looking at the recent CHAN 2024 and the recent qualifiers matches we have hosted at home and with the overwhelming support from fans, I strongly feel we could have delivered better results.”
Kenya regained the right to host international matches on home soil this year after being barred since 2023 due to substandard stadiums.
For their first-leg matches against Ivory Coast and Burundi in June 2024, the team was forced to host both games in Malawi, settling for draws on each occasion.
Harambee Stars captain: Remaining matches will be used as a benchmark
With Benni McCarthy’s squad out of contention, the key lesson learned is to always begin any tournament on a strong footing.
“So, we have learned that we should start the competition much stronger to secure a favorable position and take advantage of each and every game you play at home,” Olunga added.
Currently sitting 5th in the group with 9 points, the Harambee Stars will be looking to finish their qualification journey on a positive note.
Despite the inconsequential nature of the upcoming matches, Olunga believes they are perfect for evaluating the team and gauging their capabilities.
“I think the difference when we played the first leg against (Burundi and Ivory Coast) is that every team was still aspiring to qualify for the World Cup. But I believe now, for both us (and Burundi), it is realistically impossible,” he said.
“However, I think it is an opportunity for us to go out there and test ourselves. To play against such strong opposition (Ivory Coast) allows us to measure our progress, and also, the pitch and infrastructure there are a bit different from what we are accustomed to here.”
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Kenya will first face Burundi on October 9, 2025, at Intwari Stadium, with kick-off set for 4 PM EAT.
They will then wrap up their campaign against Ivory Coast on October 14, 2025, at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, kicking off at 10 PM EAT.