Kenya’s national football team, the Harambee Stars, will kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Zimbabwe in Uganda at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
This arrangement is due to the unavailability of stadiums in Kenya, which are currently under renovation in preparation for the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the 2027 AFCON finals.
The match is set for September 4, 2024, and it’ll be the opening 2025 AFCON qualifier for both teams.
The news was broken by Kenyan sports journalist Eric Njiru on Wednesday morning.
The renovations in Kenya have left the nation without any CAF-approved stadiums, necessitating the shift to Uganda.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently approved the newly renovated Namboole Stadium in Uganda and the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Tanzania to host the first and second rounds of the Champions League and Confederation Cup.
In a similar predicament, Kenya’s next opponents, Namibia, who also lack a CAF-certified stadium, will host their home game against Kenya in South Africa.
Kenya is pitted in Group J for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, alongside Namibia, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe.
Around the same time as Kenya’s match against Zimbabwe, the Uganda Cranes will play their opening qualifier against South Africa on September 2, in South Africa.
Uganda will then host Congo Brazzaville on September 9, 2024, also at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
