Benni McCarthy's Honest AFCON Assessment Sparks Calls for His Sacking as Kenya Coach
- Benni McCarthy’s assessment of Kenya’s AFCON ambitions has sparked debate among supporters ahead of the 2027 tournament
- The former Bafana Bafana striker has pointed to a gap between Kenya and Africa’s established football powerhouses
- Kenya’s preparations for the tournament come with added pressure as the country prepares to co-host AFCON
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South African football legend Benni McCarthy is facing criticism from some Kenyan supporters after questioning whether the Harambee Stars have the resources and squad strength to challenge Africa’s leading nations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title. His assessment has sparked debate as Kenya prepares to co-host the 2027 tournament.
McCarthy, who took charge of Kenya in March 2025, made the remarks in comments reported by Pulse Sports Kenya on 8 October 2026.
What Benni McCarthy said about Kenya’s AFCON chances
McCarthy questioned whether Kenya could compete with established continental heavyweights, including Morocco, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
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“Even if you were to pay me millions and millions of dollars to win AFCON, I don't think Kenya has the resources and the team strong enough to compete with Morocco, Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal,” McCarthy said, as quoted by Pulse Sports Kenya.
He added:
“Those are powerhouses. Guinea can also compete, you know. They have fantastic players. Those are the powerhouses in African football.”
dailysportsafrica.com shared a video of the coach's remarks on X:
McCarthy acknowledged that winning the tournament was not impossible for Kenya, but suggested that the team’s current capabilities made such an achievement unlikely.
His assessment has divided opinion among supporters. Some have questioned whether the coach should have made such comments publicly, while others have reportedly called for his dismissal.
Harambee Stars face pressure ahead of AFCON 2027
McCarthy’s comments come amid challenges surrounding Kenyan football. Reports have highlighted work permit difficulties involving members of his technical team, as well as concerns that players have allegedly gone months without receiving their salaries.
The former Manchester United coach is navigating his first senior national team head-coaching role after working in club football and on Manchester United’s coaching staff.
Kenya have also faced a difficult start to their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. The Harambee Stars drew 1-1 with Eritrea before losing 1-0 to Guinea in their opening two Group D matches.
Kenya’s automatic qualification changes the picture
Kenya will co-host AFCON 2027 alongside Uganda and Tanzania. The tournament is scheduled to run from 19 June to 17 July 2027, according to the Confederation of African Football.
As hosts, all three countries have automatically secured places in the finals, although they will continue participating in the qualifying campaign.
For McCarthy, the immediate challenge is to improve Kenya’s competitiveness before the tournament begins. His comments have placed the team’s ambitions under the spotlight, with supporters now debating whether his assessment reflects necessary realism or risks undermining confidence.
Benni McCarthy’s job could be at risk before Bafana clash
Briefly News also reported that Benni McCarthy’s position as Kenya coach could come under further pressure following a draw against Eritrea and a 1-0 defeat to Guinea in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Harambee Stars are scheduled to face South Africa on 11 and 13 November 2026. The upcoming fixtures could prove important for McCarthy as scrutiny grows over Kenya’s performances.
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Source: Briefly News
