Musonye sets target for Harambee Stars ahead of 2027 AFCON
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 18.02.26. | 14:03
With just over a year to the tournament, Kenya is now expected to begin preparations for Harambee Stars much earlier than it did during CHAN
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman, Nicholas Musonye, has challenged stakeholders to prioritise early and thorough preparations for Harambee Stars ahead of the tournament, insisting that Kenya must aim beyond mere participation.
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The continental showpiece will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from June 19 to July 18, 2027, marking the first time the tournament will be staged in East Africa.
The three nations co-hosted the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in 2025, which was termed a success by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The tournament was won by Morocco, while the co-hosts were eliminated at the quarterfinal stage.
As preparations intensify for infrastructure projects, including stadiums and training facilities, Musonye, who also chaired the LOC during CHAN, has stressed that the tournament’s success will not be measured by facilities alone, but also by how well Kenya performs on the pitch.
Speaking on the team’s prospects, Musonye underlined the importance of close cooperation with the Football Kenya Federation and strong government support to ensure the national team is fully prepared.
“We will discuss with the Football Kenya Federation president on how the team will be prepared. As the LOC, we are concerned about the success of Harambee Stars,” Musonye said in an interview with Sporty FM.
He also pointed to the impact of government backing during CHAN, when players and technical staff benefited from performance-based incentives. Following presidential pledges of Ksh1 million for every win and Ksh500,000 for a draw, each team member reportedly earned more than Ksh5 million by the end of the tournament.
“AFCON is big, and we want our team to prepare well. We want the government to support our national team preparations so that we have the best team to contest and be in contention for winning, not just participating,” he added.
Reflecting on Kenya’s recent performances, Musonye acknowledged the progress made but insisted more is needed at the AFCON level.
“During CHAN, we reached the quarterfinals, which was okay, but now we want to do better,” he said.
The LOC chairman emphasised that reaching at least the semifinals should be the minimum target, arguing that a strong run by the host nation would significantly boost excitement around the tournament.
“If the team stretches all the way to the semifinals, it will make this competition very exciting,” Musonye noted.
“Our target is to reach the semifinals in the Africa Cup of Nations, and from there, we can plan how to reach the final. A semifinal place would stretch the competition to a level where everyone would be happy about it.”
With just over a year to the tournament, Kenya is now expected to begin preparations for Harambee Stars much earlier than it did during CHAN.