Harambee Stars set for West African sojourn against Gabon and Seychelles in World Cup qualifier quest

© FKF

FOOTBALL Harambee Stars set for West African sojourn against Gabon and Seychelles in World Cup qualifier quest

Festus Chuma 10:56 - 04.11.2023

Kenya's Harambee Stars to play 2026 World Cup qualifiers in West Africa against Gabon and Seychelles, hosted in Ivory Coast.

After an intensive period of international friendlies and tactical preparations Harambee Stars, are about to embark on their quest for a spot at the 2026 World Cup with a challenging set of qualifying matches ahead.

Engin Firat's charges are scheduled to face two crucial games on foreign turf in West Africa where they will seek to transform their recent form into qualifying success.

Kenya is slated to play both fixtures away, with their first encounter against Gabon, which has experienced its own share of struggles on the pitch.

The match is confirmed to take place at the Stade de la Rénovation in Franceville, a city in the southeastern part of Gabon, on November 16.

This game marks the first official match for Kenya following the lifting of the FIFA suspension that had previously hindered the progression of football within the nation.

The second fixture for the Harambee Stars will be against Seychelles. However, the match will be hosted in Ivory Coast at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, due to the absence of a Seychellois stadium meeting FIFA and CAF's stringent requirements.

This stadium beautiful stadium also prepping itself as one of the venues for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations, slated for the next year.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has disclosed that the national team will begin their camp in Gabon from the start of the international break on November 13, with further details to be announced.

On the opposing end, Gabon's national team is scrutinizing their own football affairs after missing out on a spot for the next Africa Cup of Nations, to be held in Ivory Coast.

The Panthers finished a disappointing third in their qualifying group, which was spearheaded by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mauritania.

Gabon's fading hopes for a spot in the African football celebration were crushed by successive defeats to Sudan, DRC, and Mauritania, prompting the dismissal of French coach Patrice Neveu.

Thierry Mouyouma, an ex-Gabonese international, has stepped in as coach and led the team to a 1-1 draw in a recent friendly against Guinea.

November stands as a bustling period for the Football Kenya Federation, with not just the senior team but three squads overall gearing up for critical matches.

The performances of the Harambee Stars in these upcoming qualifiers will bring into focus the team's chances of making it to their maiden World Cup—a feat no East African nation has ever achieved. 

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