McCarthy names 36-man Kenya squad for Bafana AFCON qualifiers

Kenya coach Benni McCarthy has announced a 36-man provisional squad for the back-to-back 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Bafana Bafana next month, according to iDiski Times.

The double header pits McCarthy against his home country. His Kenyan side will be looking to spoil the plans of Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane, who is keen to continue his strong start in charge of the national team. The Kenyan group is expected to be trimmed before the team travels to South Africa.

How the two teams have fared

Bafana have made a good start under Mosimane. Their results so far are:

• a 2-1 win over Guinea in qualifying;
• a 5-0 win over Eritrea in qualifying;
• a 1-0 win in a friendly match in Egypt.

McCarthy, on the other hand, is yet to taste victory in the qualifiers. Kenya drew 1-1 with Eritrea in their opening match and then lost 1-0 to Guinea. Even so, the Harambee Stars have already secured a place at next year’s finals, which will be staged in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

That means the two matches against Bafana carry a different kind of pressure for each side. Mosimane’s team will want to keep their run going, while McCarthy’s players are still looking for a first win in this qualifying campaign.

Dates to remember

Supporters who want to follow the action should note the fixtures:

• First match: Friday, 13 November, at 18:00, at Orlando Amstel Arena in South Africa.
• Return match: Tuesday, 17 November 2026, in Kenya.

Mosimane has also announced a preliminary Bafana squad for the matches, according to the same outlet. Both coaches still have to finalise their groups, so the final lists should become clearer closer to the first kick-off.

This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.