Harambee Stars final squad for Gabon, Seychelles assignments named

By Peter Ochieng

National soccer team, Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat on Tuesday named Kenya's final squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Gabon and Seychelles respectively.

Gor Mahia defender Dennis Ng’ang’a made the final 24-man-squad after replacing Joseph Okumu, who sustained a knock in his last match for his club.

Gor Mahia striker Benson Omalla also made it to the final squad, probably informed by the 'noise' made by fans when he was left out of previous national team assignments, despite being top scorer in Kenya's top tier Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League.

Haniff Wesonga and Nabi Kibunguchy who recently earned their maiden call-ups to the national team, also made the final cut.

Here is the final squad:

Goalkeepers: Patrick Matasi, Joseph Ochuka, Ian Otieno

Defenders: Nabi Kibunguchy, Haniff Wesonga, Daniel Sakari, Dennis Ng'ang'a, Johnstone Omurwa, Abud Omar, Amos Nondi, Eric Ouma 'Marcelo'

Midfielders: Ayub Masika Timbe, Alfred Scriven, Duke Abuya, Rooney Onyango, Duncan Otieno, Richard Odada, Kenneth Muguna, Anthony Teddy Akumu, Timothy Ouma, Eric Johanna

Forwards: Masud Juma, Michael Ogada Olunga, Benson Omala

The team departs to Gabon on Wednesday, 15th November, 2023, at 8am, and is expected to arrive at 1pm East African Time (EAT).

Kenya will face Gabon in the first of the qualifiers at the Stade de la Rénovation de Franceville starting at 7pm EAT.

The team will then depart to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Friday ahead of the second match of the qualifiers against Seychelles, slated for Monday, November 20, 2023, at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan.

Kenya has been drawn in Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Burundi and Seychelles.