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Kenya Football National team Harambee Stars are set to face Russia in an International Friendly match on October 16, 2023.

Football Kenya Federation has officially confirmed that the match is scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkey, and is part of Kenya’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Harambee Stars opponents banned

This friendly encounter with Russia occurs during a period when the nation has faced bans from FIFA and UEFA competitions.

The ban was imposed in February 2022 due to the Russian Government’s invasion of Ukraine. Consequently, Russia was excluded from participating in the World Cup in Qatar, and the ban extension also meant exclusion from the UEFA Nations League and Euro 2024.

Russian clubs were further prohibited from participating in European competitions like the Champions League. However, UEFA recently made an exception by partially lifting the ban on Russia’s under-17 teams, citing the need to avoid punishing children for decisions made by adults.

Despite these bans, the Russia National Team has engaged in several friendly matches against various opponents, including Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Iraq, and Qatar.

Harambee Stars off a ban

As for Harambee Stars, they are entering this match following the lifting of their FIFA suspension and recent participation in matches against Iran, a four-nation tournament in Mauritius, as well as games against Qatar and South Sudan.

Looking ahead, Harambee Stars will return to International competitive action in November for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

They have been placed in Group F, alongside Seychelles, Burundi, Gambia, Gabon, and Côte d’Ivoire. The first leg of these qualifiers is scheduled to be played from November 13 to November 21, 2023.

In this competition, the group winners will secure direct qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, the four best runners-up from the groups will advance to the CAF Play-Off tournament, where the ultimate victor will earn a coveted spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This marks the return of the Kenyan national team to CAF and FIFA competitions after a year-long FIFA suspension.