Kenya to ‘host’ Afcon qualifiers in Uganda
Harambee Stars players during their training session on November 13, 2023 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Annex.
What you need to know:
- Kenya is in Group “J” of the 2025 Afcon, alongside five-time champions Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
- Harambee Stars will open their campaign at home against Zimbabwe on September 4, before visiting Namibia.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has settled on Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda as venue for hosting Kenya’s three home matches of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nation (Afcon) qualifiers.
At the same time, a report by the national federation has revealed national football teams will gobble the largest chunk of FKF funds in 2024.
Kenya is in Group “J” of the 2025 Afcon, alongside five-time champions Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Harambee Stars will open their campaign at home against Zimbabwe on September 4, before visiting Namibia six days later.
The team, coached by Engin Firat, will then host Cameroon on October 15, eight days after visiting the Indomitable Lions.
Closed for renovations
Speaking on Friday at FKF's Special General Meeting (SGM) at Sports View Hotel in Nairobi, the federation president Nick Mwendwa said the three home matches will be played in Kampala since no stadium in Kenya is accredited by both Fifa and the Confederation of African Football.
“We have made the painful choice of playing our three Afcon matches in Uganda,” Mwendwa said on Saturday during FKF’s Special General Meeting in Nairobi.
The 42,000-seater capacity Mandela National Stadium, which is fondly known as ‘Namboole National Stadium’ got the green light from Caf to host international matches in May.
Back home, both Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani and Nyayo National Stadium have been closed for renovations in readiness for the African Nations Championship (Chan) early next year and 2027 Afcon.
Kenya is expected to co-host the two tournaments with her neighbours Uganda and Tanzania. Mwendwa said that the federation will ferry fans to Kampala by buses to cheer Harambee Stars.
Expected expenditure
“We are going to organise buses for Kenyans to travel in Kampala to cheer our boys and we are hopeful that we will qualify for the Afcon for the second time from this region,” said the federation’s boss.
In his presentation on Saturday during FKF’s Special General Meeting, Chris Amimo, who is the chairman of the FKF’s Finance Committee, said the expected expenditure for 2024 was to the tune of Sh5.3 billion.
Of that amount, national teams take the largest share at Sh3.4 billion followed by the FKF Leagues and Competition Committee at Sh1 billion while a technical center the federation plans to put up will take Sh265 million.
Technical Development will gobble Sh239 million, women’s desk Sh88 million, permanent administrative and technical staff Sh82 million, Governance (NEC, AGM, Committees) Sh85 million, Administrative costs Sh71 million, marketing and communication Sh32 million, referees costs Sh24 million, Safaricom Chapa Dimba Sh15 million and capital costs Sh16 million.
The total of the expected receipts is to the tune of Sh1.2 billion.
Local receipts amount to Sh626 million, receipts from Fifa totals Sh578 million while grants from Caf amounts to Sh32 million. Safaricom Chapa Dimba totals Sh15 million. The delegates unanimously passed the budget.
