President Ruto Hosts Benni McCarthy After Historic CHAN Quarter-Final Run With Kenya
- President William Ruto hosted Benni McCarthy and the Harambee Stars at State House following their CHAN quarter-final run
- McCarthy received the Coach of the Month award for August, after guiding Kenya to a historic knockout stage for the first time in decades
- Despite their exit in the quarter-finals, Kenya secured $450,000 in prize money, with additional rewards pledged by President Ruto
Kenyan President William Ruto hosted Bafana Bafana legend and Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy, along with his technical team, at State House on Monday, 1 September.
McCarthy, who was recently honoured with the Coach of the Month award for August, had guided the Harambee Stars to a historic quarter-final appearance at the just-ended CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Source: Instagram
In an Instagram post, McCarthy expressed his gratitude to President Ruto for the invitation and warm reception.
Kenyan President has been a consistent Harambee Stars fan
The President has been a strong supporter of McCarthy and the Harambee Stars, having previously visited the team at a training session before the tournament. At the time, he encouraged the South African coach to reach out directly should any challenges arise that could distract or derail the squad.
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Ruto also addressed the players during that visit, reaffirming his commitment to supporting them as they prepared for the continental competition.
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How much did the Harambee Stars earn?
Although Kenya’s journey ended in the quarter-finals, the team still secured $450,000 in prize money, in addition to funds earned during the group stages.
The players are also set to benefit from additional financial rewards promised by President Ruto for their earlier victories, ensuring they conclude the tournament with significant earnings despite the disappointing exit.
Source: Facebook
McCarthy turns his focus to the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
The Stars play Gambia on Friday, 5 September, with the hopes of rising from their current 4th spot in Group F. Côte d’Ivoire sits firmly at the top of the table on 16 points, with Gabon close behind on 15 and Burundi rounding off the top three with 10.
Kenya still have four fixtures remaining in their World Cup qualifying campaign, beginning with a clash against Gambia on Friday before meeting Seychelles next Tuesday.
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The final stretch will see them face Burundi and then group leaders Côte d’Ivoire in October. Securing a place at the 2026 World Cup remains a daunting task, as only group winners advance automatically, while runners-up must battle through the play-offs.
“We are hoping to beat the Gambia, which will put us in a good standing. If we finish second or third in the group, it will be a very good achievement,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy makes honest admission about Kenya's WC hopes
Briefly News also reported that Benni McCarthy made an honest admission about the Harambee Stars' chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which would be hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
The former Pirates star cited the points gap and early setbacks in the qualifying series as some of the challenges.
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Source: Briefly News
