Kenya’s national football team, Harambee Stars, will face the Ivory Coast on Tuesday, October 14, in the final round of the CAF Group F qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match will be played at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, with kickoff scheduled for 10 PM East Africa Time (19:00 UTC).
How to Watch the Match in Kenya
The match will be broadcast live on KBC Channel 1, Kenya’s national broadcaster. Coverage begins shortly before kickoff.
Viewers across the country can also access the game via the KBC official livestream, which is compatible with mobile and desktop devices.
International viewers can watch the game on ESPN+, which holds rights to CAF World Cup qualifiers in select regions.
The match is also listed on FIFA+, available in supported countries such as the UK, Canada, and Australia. A VPN may be required for access outside those regions.
Group Standings and Stakes
Ivory Coast leads CAF Group F with 23 points from 9 matches, having won 7 and drawn 2, scoring 22 goals and conceding none.
A win against Kenya will secure their automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Gabon trails closely with 22 points and will face Burundi in their final match.
Ivory Coast must win to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Kenya sits third in the group with 12 points, having won 3, drawn 3, and lost 3. The team has scored 18 goals and conceded 11.
While Kenya is mathematically out of contention for qualification, a strong result against Ivory Coast could improve their FIFA ranking and influence future tournament seedings.
Gambia and Burundi are tied at 10 points each, while Seychelles remain bottom of the group with 0 points, having lost all nine matches and conceded 46 goals.
Kenya vs Ivory Coast: Head-to-Head Record
Kenya and the Ivory Coast have met only once in an official international competition.
The match took place on June 11, 2024, during the first leg of the CAF Group F qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The fixture was hosted at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi, due to Kenya’s lack of a CAF-accredited home venue at the time. The match ended in a 0–0 draw, with both teams failing to convert chances.
Ivory Coast dominated possession and registered more shots on target, but Kenya’s defensive setup held firm throughout the 90 minutes.
The result was considered a tactical success for Kenya, which was facing the reigning African champions.
Kenya recently defeated Seychelles 5–0 and drew 1–1 with Madagascar.
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Ivory Coast beat Burundi 1–0 and Seychelles 7–0 in their last two outings.
Word from Both Teams
Kenya enters the match under head coach Benni McCarthy, aiming to close their World Cup qualifying campaign with a competitive performance.
Benni McCarthy emphasized discipline and belief ahead of the match.
“We know the quality Ivory Coast brings, but we’ve prepared well. The boys are focused, and we want to finish the campaign with pride.”
Captain Michael Olunga, Harambee Stars’ leading scorer with 6 goals in 9 matches, added,
“We know what’s at stake. Ivory Coast is a strong side, but we’ve shown we can match top teams. We’re here to play our game and finish the campaign with pride.”
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On his part, Ivory Coast coach Emerse Faé acknowledged Kenya’s resilience.
“They held us in Nairobi. We expect a physical and organized opponent. Our focus is on securing qualification with a performance that reflects our standards.”
Faé’s side has maintained a perfect defensive record throughout the qualifiers and is expected to field a full-strength squad.
Kenya, meanwhile, has shown attacking promise but struggled with consistency in midfield and defense.
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I didn’t watch, THOSE WHO watched how did it end