Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga is optimistic that the team will get positives from their second-to-last match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in Group F against Burundi on Thursday, October 9, 2025.

Speaking on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, as the Benni McCarthy-led charges jetted out for Burundi, Olunga said even though the fixtures against Burundi and the Ivory Coast do not carry any significance in the World Cup quest, they present another opportunity for the team to rebuild. He also noted that some of the players in the camp are fatigued, as they left on Tuesday shortly after landing in the country from club duties abroad.

”Most of us are still fatigued, but the feeling is positive; every player is ready for the assignments ahead. Of course, it is another opportunity to play away; we have been playing most of our games at home, and we have had good support from the fans,” Olunga said.

“This presents another opportunity to test ourselves outside the country and within the country and see how we can perform away from home. It is also another chance to rebuild the squad and get exposure at this level, even though the fixtures for us are dead rubber clashes, but we still want to have a positive impact on the last two games,” he added.

Harambee Stars squad

Meanwhile, Harambee Stars head coach McCarthy has unveiled a 24-man squad for Kenya’s final 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Burundi on October 9 and the Ivory Coast on October 14, with both fixtures to be played outside Kenya. Kenya currently sits fourth in Group F with nine points from eight games, aiming to end the campaign positively despite slim prospects of qualification.

Goalkeepers: Faruk Shikhalo (Bandari FC), Brian Bwire (Polokwane City), and Byrne Omondi (Gor Mahia).

Defenders: Okwaro (Nairobi United), Vincent Harper (Walsall), Sylvester Owijno (Gor Mahia), Alphonse Omjia (E.S. Du Sahel), Collins Sichenje (Vojvodina), Michael Kibwage (Gor Mahia), Ronney Onyango (Sogndal), Abud Omar (Kenya Police), and Daniel Sakari (Kenya Police).

Midfielders: Alpha Onyango (Gor Mahia), Duke Abuya (Yanga), Timothy Ouma (Lech Poznan), Ben Stanley (Gor Mahia), Marvin Nabwire (Kenya Police), and Austine Odhiambo (Gor Mahia). Wingers include William Lenkupae (VPS), Job Ochieng (Real Sociedad), and Boniface Muchiri (Ulinzi Stars).

Strikers: Michael Olunga (Al-Arabi), Ryan Ogam (Wolfsberger AC) and Lawrence Okoth (SJK Seinajoki).