The Harambee Stars will take part in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers even though Kenya has been confirmed as a co-host of the tournament. This follows the official draw held on May 19.
The draw for the PAMOJA 2027 AFCON qualifiers placed Kenya in Group D alongside Eritrea, Guinea and South Africa. Co-hosts Uganda and Tanzania were also drawn into separate groups.
The Confederation of African Football requires host nations to enter the qualifiers to maintain competitive balance and match fitness. Kenya cannot be eliminated from AFCON 2027 regardless of results, yet all fixtures will count as official competitive matches.
In groups with a host nation, only the top non-host team qualifies on standings. The qualifiers run across three FIFA windows: September to October 2026, November 2026 and March 2027. The finals are scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027.