* The fans federation is a recognized entity by Kenya’s Ministry of Sports that has been championing football support for 60 years
* It responsible for mobilizing fans, ensuring stadium safety and representing the national team’s brand
* For the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, it mobilised 70 fans with the backing of the government and SportPesa
By Duncan Mlanjira
Following the unavailability of FIFA-approved stadia, Kenya’s football association chose Bingu National Stadium for the Harambee Stars’ back-to-back FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers — and the team’s fans are set to fly into Malawi to cheer them on against Burundi on Friday, June 7 and Côte d’Ivoire on Tuesday, June 11.
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That country’s online publication, Sports Brief, quotes Kenyan Football Fans Federation (KEFOFA) chief executive officer, Shem Okottah appealing to the Ministry of Sports and the private sector to support the “noble mission” of ensuring the Harambee Stars feel the presence of their passionate fans during these crucial matches.
“Let’s all be united and support our team in this qualifying journey, and the only way to do that is to have our full presence there in Malawi,” Okottah is quoted as saying by Sports Brief.
The online says the KEFOFA is a recognized entity by the Ministry of Sports that has been championing football support for 60 years — responsible for mobilizing fans, ensuring stadium safety and representing the national team’s brand.
In the past, KEFOFA has successfully organized fan travel to support the Harambee Stars, such as during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Cairo, Egypt, where they mobilized 70 fans with the backing of the government and SportPesa.
All major sports arenas in Kenya — Moi, Kasarani and Nyayo stadia — are undergoing renovations for AFCON 2027, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Moi Stadium
Kasarani
Nyayo
Other teams in Group F are Gabon, The Gambia, Burundi and Seychelles. Côte d’Ivoire will first host Gabon in Korhogo before traveling to Malawi while The Gambia will meet Seychelles on neutral venue in Berkane, Morocco.
As Kenya meet Côte d’Ivoire in Lilongwe, Gabon will be up against The Gambia in Franceville, Gabon while Seychelles date Burundi in Berkane.
The decision for Kenya to host their matches in Malawi was first met with resistance but it seems the country’s FA chose Lilongwe having had a good feel of Bingu National Stadium during the 4-Nations Tournament that Malawi hosted in collaboration with Kenya, Zimbabwe and Zambia in March.
The Harambee Stars won the Malawi 4-Nations Tournament at the same Bingu
The resistance stemmed on the fact that Malawi is a member of the Council of Confederation of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) and Kenya should have instead chosen a Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) nation — that include Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zanzibar, Somalia, Burundi or Djibouti.
During the Malawi 4-Nations, the Harambee Stars defeated the hosts Flames by four goals to nil before winning the tournament after beating Zimbabwe 3-1 in the final — thus probably Kenya FA’s decision to opt for Bingu National Stadium as their home as nolstagia.
In 2022, a CECAFA member, Ethiopia also chose Bingu National Stadium during the qualifiers of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Côte d’Ivoire 2023 — in which they were grouped alongside Malawi, Egypt and Guinea.
Ethiopia first had a feel of Bingu turf against the Flames in which they lost 1-3 and for their next back-to-back fixture against the Pharaohs of Egypt, they opted to stay over in Lilongwe as their home after their main home pitch was declared unfit — but for the Flames away matches, they had to choose an alternative venue.
Meanwhile, Côte d’Ivoire — who won both of the Matchday 1 & 2 in November against Seychelles and Gambia with clean sheets in each — are bringing to Malawi for their match against Kenya the strong squad that won the AFCON 2023 they hosted in which they defeated Nigeria 2-1.
They are goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Angers), Badra Ali (Sekhukhune), Mohamed Kone (Dunkerque);
Defenders: Willy Boly (Nottingham), Christopher Operi (Havre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Odilon Kossounou (Leverkusen), Evan Ndicka (Roma), Ghislain Konan (Al-Fayha), Guela Doue (Rennes), Wilfred Singo (Monaco), Emmanuel Agbadou (Reims);
Midfielders: Mohamed Diomande (Rangers), Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli), Jean Michael Seri (Hull), Seko Fofana (Al-Ettifaq), Lazare Amani (Union SG), Hamed Traore (Napoli):
Forwards: Mohamed Bamba (Lorient), Sebastien Haller (Dortmund), Evan Guessand (Nice), Oumar Diakite (Reims), Jeremie Boga (Nice), Nicolas Pepe (Trabzonspor), Simon Adingra (Brighton), Emmanuel Latte Lath (Middlesbrough).
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