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Kenya’s Harambee Stars has suffered a huge blow after four key players led by defender Joseph Okumu were ruled out of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixtures against Burundi and Ivory Coast in June.

On Monday, head coach Engin Firat named a provisional squad of 25 local-based players to start preparations for the two crucial matches slated for Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi on June 7 and 11 respectively.

Firat confirmed to People Sports the unavailability of Okumu, who features for Ligue 1 side Reims FC, striker Masoud Juma, defender Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma, who plays for Ekstraklasa club Rakow Częstochowa and Zambian-based Dennis Nganga.

According to the Turkish tactician, Okumu is nursing a knee injury picked while on club duty, Juma is out recuperating after undergoing surgery to repair his tendon and will miss action for two months, Ouma is out injured while Nganga is down with a bout of malaria.

“We may have to navigate the two fixtures minus Okumu, Juma, Ouma and Nganga,” Firat told People Sports. “The four are among my key players but we will have to plan without them, especially Masoud (Juma), who is technically out for the two matches, he picked a tendon injury that was operated on and must now miss action for the next two months.”

The former Kariobangi Sharks striker was in the thick of things when Kenya kicked off their Group F campaign of the qualifiers, scoring in the 2-1 defeat against Gabon at Stade de Franceville on November 16, 2023. Juma kept his scoring form as Kenya recovered to beat Seychelles 5-0. He scored a brace during the matchday two fixture at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Ivory Coast and set up lead striker Michael Olunga, who also scored two before substitute Benson Omalla wrapped up the huge win.

Meanwhile, Firat has explained his decision to hand a debut call to youngster Tobias Knost, who features for SV Verl in Germany. “Tobias (Knost) is a very versatile player, very good at the right back position and I can also use him in both full-back positions, he will be a great addition to the team,” explained Firat.

He added: “John (Ochieng) is also a good call, he has proved his worth already in Zambia where he plays for Zanaco and it is the reason I brought him on board, we want to make sure that every player with qualities for the national team is allowed to play and represent the team,”

Harambee Stars currently sits third out of six in Group F of the qualifiers, having picked up three points from the opening two matches against the Panthers and the Islanders. Only the top team in the group, which comprises Ivory Coast, Gabon, Burundi, the Gambia, Seychelles, and Kenya, will qualify for the 48-team World Cup, which will be played across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Four of the best runners-up from the nine groups will also get a lifeline in a playoff that will determine CAF’s representative in the Inter-confederation playoffs involving six teams, which will decide the last two FIFA World Cup berths.