South African football legend Benni McCarthy is set to officially take charge of Harambee Stars, with sources confirming his appointment as the new head coach.
A senior Football Kenya Federation (FKF) official revealed that McCarthy, South Africa’s all-time top scorer with 31 goals, will arrive in Kenya by the end of the week to replace interim coach Francis Kimanzi.
“We have a new coach, Benni McCarthy, who will be taking over the team and is expected to arrive before the end of the week. He is a highly qualified coach, and we believe he can guide the national team to success,” said the FKF official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official further emphasized that FKF is committed to rebuilding the national team by prioritizing merit-based selections.
“Our goal is to restore Kenya’s football glory, and all decisions, including player selection, will be made strictly on merit,” he added.
McCarthy Will Work With Existing Coaching Staff
McCarthy will not bring in his own backroom staff. Instead, the current coaching team will remain in place but will take on supporting roles in the technical bench.
“This time, we have got it right. The finer details of the agreement will be released soon, but he is our new coach, and we expect him to build a competitive team,” the FKF official stated.
McCarthy, 47, is also expected to attend the highly anticipated ‘Mashemeji’ Derby on Sunday, where AFC Leopards will go head-to-head with Gor Mahia.
His First Assignment – World Cup Qualifiers
His first major challenge will be leading Kenya in a crucial 2026 World Cup Group ‘F’ qualifier against Gabon on March 24 at Nyayo National Stadium.
Kenya will finally play a home match at the revamped Nyayo Stadium when they face Gabon in their upcoming World Cup qualifier, marking the first time in over a year that the national team will host an international fixture on home soil.
After playing their previous international matches in Uganda and South Africa due to stadium limitations, Harambee Stars will use the Gabon clash to assess Nyayo Stadium’s suitability as a venue for the rescheduled 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Kenya currently sits fourth in Group ‘F’ with five points from four matches. African champions Côte d’Ivoire lead the group with 10 points, followed by Gabon with nine, Burundi with seven, Gambia with three, and Seychelles at the bottom with zero points.
McCarthy’s Impressive Career
McCarthy boasts an illustrious football career, having played for top European clubs, including Ajax, Celta Vigo, Porto, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham, and Orlando Pirates. On the international stage, he earned 79 caps for South Africa, cementing his legacy as Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer.
His coaching experience includes managing Cape Town City and Amazulu, as well as serving as an assistant coach at Belgian side Sint-Truiden.
Most recently, between 2020 and 2024, McCarthy was a first-team coach at Manchester United, working under Erik ten Hag in the striking department.. With his vast experience, FKF hopes he can transform Harambee Stars and lead them to greater success.
