Harambee Stars will play two friendly matches in Antalya, Turkey. The fixtures have been adjusted, with the team now set to face Equatorial Guinea and Senegal, replacing the initially planned matches against Madagascar and Comoros.
Kenya will first come up against Equatorial Guinea on November 14th at the Emir Complex Stadium, before taking on Senegal on November 18th at the Mardan Sports Complex.
In the earlier fixtures, Kenya were scheduled to face Madagascar on November 14th, before taking on Comoros four days later in Turkey.
The two build up matches come just a month after Kenya played their last 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Burundi and Ivory Coast. Harambee Stars defeated the Swallows of Burundi 1-0 away before losing 3-0 against the African champions.
However, Kenya failed to qualify for the World Cup after finishing Group F in fourth position with 12 points from 10 matches. Kenya managed three wins, three draws and suffered four defeats.
Ivory Coast, who topped the group with 26 points earned automatic qualification while Gabon will play against Nigeria in a two-legged play-off to determine who qualifies for the global tournament that will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries.
McCarthy makes changes to Kenya squad
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has made three changes to the squad for the trip to Turkey. Kevin Otiende (Nairobi United), Bryton Onyona (Gor Mahia), and Shariff Musa (Gor Mahia) have received call-ups to the national team.
The trio have replaced Manzur Suleiman, Adam Wilson, and Vincent Harper, who have been ruled out of the fixtures. The team is set to report for residential training on Sunday, November 9th and will jet out on Wednesday, November 12th.
The friendly matches will provide the Stars with a vital opportunity to test their strength against high-ranking opponents, fine-tune tactical approaches and build cohesion ahead of upcoming competitive engagements.
The goalkeeping department will have Byrne Omondi (Gor Mahia), Brian Bwire (Polokwane City), and Brian Opondo (Tusker FC), while lead striker and captain Michael Olunga has been overlooked.
Sadio Mane to lead Senegal against Kenya
Meanwhile, Senegal have named a star-studded squad for the Kenya friendly with former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane leading the Lions of Teranga.
Apart from Mane, the squad selected by coach Pape Thiaw includes defenders Kalidou Koulibaly, and goalkeeper Édouard Mendy of (Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal), Gana Gueye (Everton), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), and Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham).
Kenya and Senegal will face each for the first time since Senegal’s 3-0 victory in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group stage fixture in Egypt, a result that helped propel Senegal toward the final.
Senegal previously faced Kenya in AFCON in 2004, with Senegal again clinching a 3-0 win. The last time Kenya played Equatorial Guinea was in 2018, when striker Piston Mutamba scored the winner in their 1-0 to hand Frenchman Sebastien Migne his first victory with the side.
Kenya final squad
Goalkeepers: Byrne Omondi (Gor Mahia), Brian Bwire (Polokwane City), Brian Opondo (Tusker FC).
Defenders: Sylvester Owino (Gor Mahia), Alphonce Omija (Etoile Du Sahel), Michael Kibwage (Gor Mahia), Ronney Onyango (Sogndal), Kevin Otiende (Nairobi United), Baron Ochieng (Zamalek), Bryton Onyona (Gor Mahia).
Midfielders: Alpha Onyango (Gor Mahia), Duke Abuya (Yanga), Timothy Ouma (Lech Poznań), Marvin Nabwire (Kenya Police FC).
Strikers: Austine Odhiambo (Gor Mahia), William Lenkupae (VPS), Job Ochieng (Real Sociedad), Boniface Muchiri (Ulinzi Stars), Aldrine Kibet (Celta Vigo), Ovellah Ochieng (Nairobi United), Jonah Ayunga (ST Mirren), Ryan Ogam (Wolfsberger), Lawrence Okoth (SJK Seinajoki), Sharif Musa (Gor Mahia).
Full Senegal squad
Goalkeepers: Édouard Mendy – Al-Ahli SFC (Saudi Arabia), Mory Diaw – Le Havre AC (France), and Yehvann Diouf – OGC Nice (France).
Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly – Al-Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia), Abdoulaye Seck – Maccabi Haifa (Israel), Antoine Mendy – OGC Nice (France), Moussa Niakhaté – Olympique Lyonnais (France), Ismaïl Jakobs – Galatasaray (Turkey), El Hadji Malick Diouf – West Ham United (England), Mamadou Sarr – RC Strasbourg (on loan from Chelsea), Ilay Camara – RSC Anderlecht (Belgium).
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye – Everton FC (England), Pape Gueye – Villarreal CF (Spain), Rassoul Ndiaye – Le Havre AC (France), Pape Matar Sarr – Tottenham Hotspur (England), Pathé Ciss – Rayo Vallecano (Spain), Mamadou Lamine Camara – Renaissance de Berkane (Morocco).
Forwards: Sadio Mané – Al-Nassr FC (Saudi Arabia), Boulaye Dia – Lazio (Italy), Ismaïla Sarr – Crystal Palace (England), Iliman Ndiaye – Everton FC (England), Pape Cherif Ndiaye – Samsunspor (Turkey), Nicolas Jackson – Bayern Munich (on loan from Chelsea), Ibrahim Mbaye – Paris Saint-Germain (France), Habib Diallo – FC Metz (France), Cheikh Sabaly – FC Metz (France), and Assane Diao – Como 1907 (Italy).
