Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has shed light on a significant challenge the national football team has encountered. Due to ongoing renovations at major stadiums, Harambee Stars have been compelled to play numerous games outside the country.
As a result, they are set to host their June FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and Ivory Coast in Malawi, given that Nyayo Stadium and Moi International Sports Complex in Kasarani are undergoing renovation.
For Firat, the necessity of playing most games away from home has posed a considerable difficulty.
“One of the problems is that we played all our matches away because we do not have a FIFA-approved stadium at the moment. This was a serious test to establish a new team, but the boys went through the process well.
“We played against strong teams that Kenya is not used to. We beat Asian champion Qatar away and drew away with Russia. Things are going positive for us in the national team,” Firat told Turkish news agency Anadolu.
However, the former Moldova national team coach said Harambee Stars, under his stewardship, have achieved impressive records.
“We broke many records in this process and won five away matches in the last year. No one has achieved this in Kenyan history. There is even a coach who has been on duty for 10 years, but he has not seen five away wins.
“We experienced this in one year. We won a cup in a special tournament in March. One of our biggest goals is the World Cup and the African Cup of Nations, which will be held in our country in 2027,” Firat added.
The Turkish tactician also highlighted another issue, which is the standard of the Football Kenya Federation Premier League. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic that the competition will see improvement, potentially leading to significant advancements at the national level.
“The Kenyan league is not of the quality we want. Especially since the stadiums and fields are not in good condition, the players cannot truly reflect their talents on the field, which causes the quality of the league to decrease.
“I hope that if more investments come from sponsors from now on, clubs will also have the chance to make a move in this regard,” he concluded.
