Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy instructs his players during training session as the team finalized its preparations for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) at Police Sacco Stadium on July 30, 2025. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]
Benni McCarthy's Harambee Stars set for FIFA Series 2026 in Kigali
Football
By
Robert Abong'o
| Feb 24, 2026
Harambee Stars are set to participate in the FIFA Series 2026, with their Group A matches scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, during the March international window.
FIFA released the official match schedule for the 2026 edition of the initiative, confirming Kenya’s opening fixture against Estonia on Friday, March 27, at 6:00 PM at Amahoro Stadium.
The mini-tournament will also feature hosts Rwanda and Grenada, with all Group A matches to be played between March 23 and March 31, 2026.
Benni McCarthy's men were confirmed as participants in mid-January, joining the global programme that provides national teams with structured international friendlies against opponents from different confederations.
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In the group’s opening fixtures, Rwanda will face Grenada on the same day Kenya plays Estonia. Jürgen Henn coaches Estonia.
The tournament format will determine Kenya’s second fixture based on results from the opening matches. The winner of Kenya versus Estonia will play the winner of Rwanda versus Grenada three days later, while the losing sides will also meet on the same date. Any match that ends in a draw will proceed directly to a penalty shoot-out, with no extra time played.
The FIFA Series was approved by the FIFA Council in December 2022 as part of its Strategic Objectives for the Global Game 2023–2027. The initiative aims to create meaningful international friendly matches between national teams that would not ordinarily face each other, supporting technical development and increasing global exposure.
The 2026 edition will feature 48 national teams drawn from nearly a quarter of FIFA’s 211 Member Associations. The teams will compete across 12 groups hosted by 11 countries, with Rwanda staging two groups. Nine groups will feature men’s national teams, while three will involve women’s sides, ensuring representation from all six confederations.
Although the fixtures are classified as international friendlies, participating Member Associations have adopted competitive formats, including semi-final and final structures or pre-arranged match pairings. In each group, one team will emerge as the group winners. All matches will be broadcast globally, providing participating nations with increased international visibility.
For Kenya, the tournament offers an opportunity to test the squad against unfamiliar opposition as preparations continue for upcoming continental assignments.
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