Harambee Stars have been the major movers as the Group F World qualifying round seven fixture concluded on Saturday, September 7, 2025.

Benni McCarthy’s team, who lost 3-1 to Gambia at home, were left ruing a first half en route to a 3-1 humiliation that has left them now dropping from the earlier rank of fifth to sixth in the group.

The win for John McKinstry’s team saw the Gambia’s Scorpions leapfrog Kenya to fifth. The West Africans have now amassed seven points in as many games, as Kenya failed to add to their point haul.

Automatic spot

Meanwhile, the group remains tight at the top, with Ivory Coast and Gabon locked in a tight race for the automatic qualification slot.

The reigning African champions narrowly edged Burundi 1-0 in their matchday seven fixtures to retain their top spot in the group.

Gabon Ivory Coast claim wins

Emerse Fae’s side needed Vincent Bayo’s early strike to sink the Burundians in a clash played moments after Kenya succumbed to their loss on Friday, September 5, 2025.

Gabon also recorded a victory in their group clash with a comfortable win 4-0 over the group whipping boys, Seychelles.

The foregoing comes as Kenya and McCarthy now focus on seeing out the three remaining clashes for the campaign.

With Friday’s loss, effectively ending Kenya’s chances of qualification from the group, the team now angles for the second of the back-to-back clashes on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, against Seychelles.

The clash at Moi Kararani will be Kenya’s seventh in Group F.

On the same day, Nyayo National Stadium will host a Group F clash between The Gambia and Burundi, set to kick off at 10:00 pm under floodlights.

Kenya’s campaign has so far produced one victory, a resounding 5-0 triumph over Seychelles, alongside three draws against Burundi (1-1), Ivory Coast (0-0), and Gambia (3-3).

African champions

The East Africans encountered setbacks in back-to-back 2-1 defeats to Gabon, both home and away, and now against Gambia.

After the Seychelles tie, Kenya will next regroup for an away clash against Burundi on Monday, October 6, 2025.

The clash will see Kenya face its neighbours, Burundi, in the return leg after the two battled to a 1-1 draw in the first-leg meeting.

The national team will then conclude its campaign with a trip to Abidjan to face the reigning African champions, Ivory Coast, on Monday, September 13, 2025.