Why Harambee Stars withdrew from CECAFA Four-Nations tournament
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Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 24.07.25. | 07:50
Speaking after the team's return to Nairobi, McCarthy said the playing surface in Arusha posed a serious injury risk to his players
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has shed light on the team’s abrupt withdrawal from the CECAFA Four-Nations Tournament in Tanzania, citing poor pitch conditions and footballing concerns.
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The former Cape Town City gaffer said that the conditions, at Karatu Stadium, threatened the team’s preparations for the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Speaking after the team's return to Nairobi, McCarthy said the playing surface in Arusha posed a serious injury risk to his players, just days before Kenya co-hosts CHAN alongside Uganda and Tanzania from August 2 to 30.
“What happened in Tanzania was unfortunate,” McCarthy said. “We travelled with good intentions, but for footballing reasons, the conditions were not up to standard.
After evaluating the situation, the technical team and I agreed that continuing with the tournament would be detrimental, particularly regarding injuries. We have high expectations of ourselves, and risking our key players wasn’t a chance we could take.”
The national team was scheduled to face hosts Tanzania in their opening match on Monday afternoon but pulled out of the tournament hours before kickoff.
A statement from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) later confirmed the decision was made on the advice of McCarthy and his technical bench.
The ex-Manchester United striker's coach took full responsibility for the withdrawal and defended the move as necessary for Kenya’s broader ambitions.
“We did not want to find ourselves making excuses later if we failed to progress out of the group stages at CHAN,” he explained.
Kenya has withdrawn from the CECAFA Four Nations Tournament following advice from head coach Benni McCarthy.
— #CHAN2024WithClive | 🇺🇬🎙️ (@CliveKyazze) July 21, 2025
This comes just days after Congo Brazzaville also pulled out of the competition.
They were later replaced by CHAN defending champions, Senegal who are yet to arrive in… pic.twitter.com/Wgf780MR12
“The training facility we were allocated in Tanzania simply was not good enough. Returning home was the best possible option to give us a fighting chance in CHAN.”
However, the withdrawal drew a sharp response from regional football body CECAFA.
Secretary-General Auka Gecheo expressed disappointment, saying organizers had made every effort to meet Kenya’s requirements, including special requests on accommodation and pitch access.
Despite the controversy, McCarthy and his charges have since resumed their CHAN preparations, holding their first training session at Nyayo Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
“We are happy to be back home. The environment here is great, the facilities are top-notch, and today I saw something I have rarely witnessed before, something you usually associate with teams like Germany or Spain: genuine unity and togetherness,” McCarthy said.
Kenya will kick off their CHAN campaign on August 3 against the Democratic Republic of Congo at Kasarani Stadium.
Other Group A fixtures will see them face Angola (August 7), Morocco (August 10), and Zambia (August 17).
