The details of Benni McCarthy’s contract, which is set to run until after the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations set to be co-hosted on home soil alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has unveiled details of new Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy’s contract, setting clear targets for his tenure with the national team.
The South African football legend, officially presented on March 3, 2025, at Nairobi’s Serena Hotel, has been tasked with revitalizing Kenya’s football ambitions, particularly as the team looks to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
McCarthy, 47, arrives with an impressive resume, having previously served as a first-team coach at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag. His managerial career includes successful stints at South African clubs Cape Town City and AmaZulu.
Justin Gatlin has paid homeage to Usain Bolt for reviving his sprinting career after getting back into the sport in 2010.
At Cape Town City, he secured the MTN Super 8 Cup, while his tenure at AmaZulu saw the club earn an unprecedented qualification for the 2021/2022 CAF Champions League.
As a player, McCarthy earned 80 caps for South Africa, featuring in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups. His club career included stints with Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United in the English Premier League, and he was a key member of the Porto squad that won the UEFA Champions League in 2004 under José Mourinho.
According to FKF President Hussein Mohammed, McCarthy’s contract runs until the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya is set to co-host alongside Tanzania and Uganda. The deal incorporates a performance-based reward system, which applies not only to McCarthy but to the entire technical bench.
)
Incoming Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy will get to work with the man he had selected as assistant after his current cut ties with him.
“We talked about a performance reward system as part of our key foundations for the KPIs in terms of the coaches. It is not just the technical bench but the entire coaching staff, and the duration is up to AFCON 2027,” Hussein Mohammed stated during the unveiling ceremony.
Reports circulating on social media suggest that McCarthy will earn up to Ksh 8 million per month during his tenure. However, FKF CEO Harold Ndege has stated that the finer details of his remuneration will be officially disclosed “in the forthcoming days.”
McCarthy’s primary task will be steering Kenya through the ongoing 2026 World Cup qualification campaign. The Harambee Stars currently trail Group F leaders Ivory Coast by five points, with six matches remaining.
The group winner secures direct qualification, while the top four runners-up will enter a playoff round. Kenya’s next matches include an away fixture against The Gambia and a home clash with Gabon.
)
Five of the greatest Harambee Stars players of all time.
Explaining his decision to take on the role just six months after leaving Manchester United, McCarthy emphasized his commitment to improving African football.
“With all that experience achieved, I want to put that into practice and make this national team a success,” he said.
He also cited transparency as a key reason for accepting the job, praising FKF’s open approach: “This is a new regime that was transparent and open. If there are difficulties, those are ones you had. As a South African who played for the national team, that was the biggest issue, as it is with African football.”
Drawing from his European football education, McCarthy expressed a desire to instill a professional and disciplined culture within Harambee Stars:
“Being educated in Europe and learning the European way, I have understood how to do the right things to make African football better because I did it. I succeeded, and now I want to make these players and African people understand that through hard work and dedication, everything is possible.”
McCarthy sees his role as extending beyond the pitch, aiming to improve the overall structure of Kenyan football: “I want to help them with the challenges, but I want to make this team the best East Africa has ever seen. If we can fix the football team, the Football Federation will also prosper.”
His appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen Kenya’s footballing pedigree, not just for World Cup qualification but also for the long-term goal of a successful AFCON 2027 campaign on home soil.
With high expectations, McCarthy’s journey with Harambee Stars is set to be closely watched by fans and stakeholders alike.