Kenya: Harambee Stars to Play European, Middle East Opponents in September FIFA Friendly Window
Nairobi — Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss Nick Mwendwa has disclosed that they are making plans to see Kenya play either Middle East of European opponents in a friendly match over the next FIFA friendly window in September.
Mwendwa says they have already approached some teams and are waiting for responses, while also affirming the team will also be active during the October window as well.
“We are making plans to play either a team from Middle East or Europe in September. We are planning for two matches and then in October, we will also have two more matches. We have written to several teams and we are waiting for some responses from them and then the coach will select which teams he would like to play,” Mwendwa said.
Kenya is not participating in the qualifiers for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and the next competitive fixture will be a 2026 World Cup qualifier in November, with the draw set to be conducted in September.
Mwendwa was speaking on Thursday afternoon as the Federation received financial support from the Ministry of Sports for the upcoming national team assignments.
The Ministry of Sports will avail a total of Sh24mn to the Federation to cover for travel and accommodation expenses as well as paying players’ allowances for the upcoming international assignments for both men and women’s national teams.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba said that the Ministry will do it’s absolute best to ensure national teams are given the best preparations possible to ensure good results.
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“We want our teams to compete in the best conditions possible. We want good preparations and that is why we are offering this support. The government is ready to give support to our teams and the Federation for both men and women’s teams,” Namwamba said as he paid the team a courtesy call at their Nyayo National Stadium training base.
He added; “November is close and we would our teams to be ready and that is why such preparations are important. If we want to compete well, we must give them support in the best way possible.”
While the men’s team are preparing for the run of friendly matches and November’s qualifier, the women’s team is hugely inactive, though the Under-18 team is preparing for the CECAFA Championship which will be staged on home soil.
Meanwhile, Stars were handed a cheque of Sh10.7mn ahead of next week’s four-nation international tournament to be staged in Mauritius. Stars will face Pakistan, Djibouti and the hosts in the week-long tournament.
Mwendwa said they were thankful for the support from the Ministry in aiding the smooth travel and training of the team.
He says such friendly matches will be vital for the national team coach Engin Firat to know his team and prepare a winning outfit for the next round of competitive matches.
