Kenya — AFCON 2027
Group D is where Kenya begin qualifying for AFCON 2027. They are ranked 109 worldwide.
FIFA ranking as of July 20, 2026.
Hosting means Kenya are through already. Their group games settle who joins them, not whether they go.
Group D and how it looks
Kenya sit 55 places below South Africa in the ranking.
No side here is ranked inside the world top 70, and only 27 places separate South Africa from Guinea. This one is open.
| Group D | FIFA ranking | Head coach |
|---|---|---|
| #54 | Position vacant | |
| #81 | Paulo Duarte | |
 Kenya
Host nation |
#109 | Benni McCarthy |
| #184 | Hesham Yakan |
Head coach
Kenya are coached by Benni McCarthy.
Record at the Africa Cup of Nations
The continental title has so far eluded Kenya.
Qualifying fixtures
| Matchday | Matches | Match window | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 21 – October 6, 2026 | to be confirmed | |
| 2 | September 21 – October 6, 2026 | to be confirmed | |
| 3 | November 9 – November 17, 2026 | to be confirmed | |
| 4 | November 9 – November 17, 2026 | to be confirmed | |
| 5 | March 22 – March 30, 2027 | to be confirmed | |
| 6 | March 22 – March 30, 2027 | to be confirmed |
CAF has published the pairings and the international windows, but not the individual kick-off dates and times. Those are shown as to be confirmed rather than guessed.
Watching Kenya at home
Broadcast listings for this country, including which edition each channel actually holds rights to, are on the dedicated page.
Common questions
- Who does Kenya play in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers?
- Group D, against South Africa (#54), Guinea (#81), Eritrea (#184). Six matches in total, three at home and three away, spread across three international windows: September 21 – October 6, 2026, November 9 – November 17, 2026 and March 22 – March 30, 2027. CAF has published the pairings and the windows, but neither the individual dates nor the kick-off times.
- Has Kenya already qualified for AFCON 2027?
- Yes, as a co-host: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania are through automatically. The six group matches are still played, but nothing rides on them for Kenya. What remains open is the fate of the other three sides in Group D: since the expansion to 28 teams, CAF has not said how many of them advance.
- Why does the ranking shown here not match the draw pots?
- The draw on May 19, 2026 used the FIFA ranking as it stood in April 2026. The figures on this page come from the list published on July 20, 2026, and teams have moved between those two dates. Kenya currently sits at #109. The next FIFA update is due on October 7, 2026, during the first qualifying window.
- Where can I watch Kenya?
- Confirmed for 2027: KBC Channel 1. Free to air: KBC Channel 1. Rights for 2027 remain largely unsold, and the lists circulating elsewhere describe the 2025 tournament in Morocco rather than this one.