Football fans to government: Take us to Malawi to support Harambee Stars
KEFOFA President Francis Liboyi addresses a press conference in Nairobi on May 27, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Harambee Stars are unable to play at Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani, and Nyayo National Stadiums, which are undergoing renovation. Kasarani will host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, while Nyayo is preparing to host Africa Nations Championship (Chan) which has tentatively been set for September this year.
Football fans in the country have called on the government and well-wishers to sponsor them for the national men's football team's 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in Malawi.
Through the Kenya Football Fans Federation (Kefofa), the fans said they want to support Harambee Stars when they play Burundi on June 7 and Cote d’Ivoire on June 11 at Mbingu Mutharika Stadium, Lilongwe.
Harambee Stars are unable to play at Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani, and Nyayo National Stadiums, which are undergoing renovation. Kasarani will host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, while Nyayo is preparing to host Africa Nations Championship (Chan) which has tentatively been set for September this year.
The national team will leave for Malawi on June 2. On Monday, Kefofa CEO Shem Okottah said they already have one bus and are looking for seven other buses to make the trip. The distance from Nairobi to Lilongwe is 1991.3 km and approximately a 31-hour drive.
"We want to gather as many sponsors as possible to ensure our fans can support the national team. Currently, we have one bus to ferry fans. Our target is to get seven buses before next week," said Okottah
"We will be there for five days to support Harambee Stars in both qualifiers. We aim to give our national team morale that will boost their chances of qualification," he added.
In 2019, Kefofa arranged for the travel of 70 fans to Cairo, Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations with government and giant gaming firm Sportpesa sponsoring the trip.
"Kefofa does not have a kitty and is not sponsored by anyone. It is run on our own good will. We are raising funds through the sale of the t-shirts for Sh3,000. We also receive some support from some of our members," the official said.
Kenya currently sits third in Group F of their 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers group with three points. They lost 2-1 to Gabon and thumped Seychelles 5-0 on November 16 and 20 respectively.
Only the top team in the group, which also comprises Gambia, will qualify for the 48-team World Cup to be staged across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
