Kenya’s national men’s football team, the Harambee Stars, has slipped two spots in the latest FIFA world rankings.
As of September 18, 2025, Kenya dropped two spots to sit at position 111, down from position 109. Earlier in July, Kenya had climbed two places, moving up to 109th, but recent results have seen the team fall back. Within the Confederation of African Football (CAF) region, Kenya now ranks 28th, behind East African rivals Uganda (82nd) and Tanzania (107th).
The top ten African teams are led by the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosts Morocco, who hold 11th place globally. They are followed by Senegal (18th), Egypt (35th), Algeria (38th), Ivory Coast (44th), Nigeria (45th), Tunisia (46th), Cameroon (52nd), South Africa (55th), and Mali (56th).
Notably, Madagascar—the runners-up in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) who eliminated Kenya in the quarterfinals last month—have jumped seven places to 107th globally and 25th in Africa, surpassing Kenya in the rankings.
The latest FIFA rankings also saw Argentina drop two places, while Spain surged to the top spot, followed by France in second place. England remains steady at fourth, with Brazil slipping to sixth behind Portugal.
Rounding out the top ten are the Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia, and Italy. Germany fell three spots to 12th. In North America, Mexico leads at 14th, followed by the USA (16th), Canada (26th), and Panama, which achieved its highest-ever ranking at 29th.
Harambee Stars’ Performance in 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Kenya’s drop in rankings reflects its mixed results in last month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The Harambee Stars suffered a 3-1 defeat to Gambia but rebounded with a commanding 5-0 victory over Seychelles.
However, the results left the country sitting at fifth in Group F with 9 points from 2 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses in 8 games.
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Ivory Coast leads the group with 20 points, followed by Gabon with 19 points in second place and Gambia third with 10 points. Burundi has 10 points, while Seychelles has no points.
With the current standings, Kenya will not feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The upcoming tournament will be the first to include 48 teams, expanded from the traditional 32. Africa will have nine direct slots allocated, but Kenya will not be among the nations representing the continent.
2026 FIFA World Cup Overview
The tournament is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be jointly hosted by 16 cities across three North American countries. The United States will serve as the primary host, with Canada and Mexico acting as auxiliary hosts.
This will mark the first World Cup hosted by three nations and the first to feature the expanded 48-team format. The United 2026 bid triumphed over Morocco’s bid during the final vote at the 68th FIFA Congress held in Moscow.
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It will be the first World Cup since 2002 to be hosted by more than one nation. Mexico, having previously hosted the 1970 and 1986 tournaments, will become the first country to host or co-host the men’s World Cup three times.
The United States last hosted the men’s World Cup in 1994, while this will be Canada’s first-time hosting or co-hosting the tournament.
The event will also return to its traditional northern summer schedule after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was held in November and December.
While Kenya failed to qualify for the World Cup, coach Benni McCarthy remains focused on building a competitive squad ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
The Harambee Stars will conclude their qualifying campaign with two away matches against Burundi and the Ivory Coast in October.
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