Football
Exclusive: Kenya To Host AFCON Home Fixture Against Zimbabwe in Uganda
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) have settled for Uganda as the home ground for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying fixture against Zimbabwe on September 6.
Harambee Stars will return to the qualifiers for the 35th edition after being pooled in Group J alongside Africa powerhouse, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Kenya under head coach Engin Firat will begin their matchday one with a home fixture against the Warriors of Zimbabwe before they travel to take on Namibia’s Brave Warriors in matchday two in Windhoek on September 10.
With Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium closed for renovation in readiness to co-host the African Nations Championships (CHAN) and 2027 AFCON, FKF were once again left with an option to secure a venue for the home fixtures in the campaign.
Uganda Close to Home and Available for Kenya
FKF President Nick Mwendwa confirmed exclusively to SportsBoom.com that they had secured Uganda to host Harambee Stars' home matches but could not reveal the venue.
“It is official, Kenya will host Zimbabwe in Uganda on September 6, but FKF will communicate about the venue for the match in due course,” Mwendwa told SportsBoom.com. “We are glad Uganda have accepted to host us, Uganda is close to home and this gives Kenyans an opportunity to travel and rally behind their team.”
Kenya’s last game on home soil was on September 12, 2023, when they suffered a 1-0 friendly defeat against South Sudan courtesy of a Tito Okello goal. The friendly came after their historic 2-1 victory against World Cup hosts Qatar in another build-up.
Last June, Kenya was forced to move their 2026 World Cup qualifying Group F home matches to Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi. Harambee Stars drew 1-1 against Burundi before securing a 0-0 draw against African champions Ivory Coast.
In a recent interview, Mwendwa revealed why Nyayo was not available for Harambee Stars during the AFCON campaign.
I have bad news for Kenyans in regard to the availability of Nyayo Stadium for the AFCON matches following the recent tour of the facility by the CAF inspection team.
Mwendwa
“Unfortunately, Harambee Stars will not be able to play their AFCON qualifying matches at home, they will play away from home, that is the reality and we better live with it.”
The FKF boss added: “CAF recommended for Nyayo to be ready to host CHAN and AFCON, we must rework the playing surface by removing the entire grass and planting it again, the main problem with Nyayo as per the CAF team is the playing surface (grass is not up to the required standards), and lightning, which already is being worked on and should be 70% done.”
“We have already communicated the findings by CAF by writing to the government through the Ministry of Sports detailing the demands and we believe they are committed to undertaking the work required so that we don’t lose CHAN and AFCON.”
Though Nyayo will be closed for Kenya’s AFCON qualifiers, the venue will host inter-club competition fixtures for Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League champions Gor Mahia and domestic Cup winners Kenya Police. Gor Mahia, who will represent the East African nation in the lucrative CAF Champions League, will face El Merriekh Bentiu of South Sudan.
Meanwhile, Police, who will be making their debut in the Confederation Cup, will face Ethiopian Coffee in the first preliminary round. Gor will confront the South Sudanese side away on August 16 before the return leg slated for Nairobi on August 23.
Meanwhile, Police, under the tutelage of Salim Babu, will host the Ethiopian outfit at home on August 17 before they travel to Addis Ababa for the return leg on August 23.
Disappointing Kenya Never Enjoy Home Advantage
The 54-year-old Firat admitted to being disappointed with the lack of home support for Harambee Stars during their home matches but vowed to try their best and grind out positive results from the matches.
“Of course, it is disappointing that again we cannot play at home, all I can say is that it is very tough for us because since the FIFA ban, I don’t know what it is like to play in Nairobi, we have played in every stadium in Africa but not in Nairobi,” Firat told SportsBoom.com.
It is very difficult for our plans, and you remember everybody is saying especially football pundits that if you want to go somewhere (to qualify somewhere) then you need to win your home matches, but we have never had home matches, we have never had fans behind us, we never have fans support or home advantage but it nothing we can change, for us it important to focus on our game and try our best.
Firat
Uganda have two venues currently approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the world governing body FIFA to host international matches meaning Kenya could play Zimbabwe in either the newly refurbished Namboole Stadium or St Mary’s Kitende Stadium.
Kenya’s matchday three will see them travel to face the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in Yaounde on October 7 before returning home to host the same nation in their matchday four fixture on October 15.
After Cameroon, Kenya will travel to face Zimbabwe’s Warriors away on November 11 before they wind up their preliminary matches with a home match against the Brave Warriors of Namibia on November 19.
Dennis is a seasoned journalist in Kenya with over 18 years of experience. Having started his career at Kenya Times Newspaper, Dennis worked for Standard Newspaper for nearly six years as a Sports Writer. At Standard, he was privileged to cover Kenya's national team Harambee Stars outside the country, the biggest of all being the Four Nations tournament in Cairo, Egypt. He also covered the U17 team in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.