Benni McCarthy has named his 23-man squad for the FIFA Series in Rwanda — and it reads less like a friendly roster and more like an audition tape for the biggest tournament Kenya has ever hosted.
When the Football Kenya Federation released the squad list on Thursday evening, the immediate reaction across Kenyan football circles was predictable: who’s in, who’s out, and why. But look closer, and this squad tells a much bigger story. This is McCarthy building something specific — and the choices reveal exactly where he thinks Harambee Stars need to be by June 2027.
Kenya open against Estonia on March 27 at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium. Their second match, on March 30, pits them against either hosts Rwanda or Grenada, depending on results. Three games. Three different footballing cultures. And for McCarthy, three chances to stress-test combinations before the AFCON clock really starts ticking.
The European Recruitment Drive Is Real
The headline story isn’t a single name — it’s a pattern. McCarthy and his staff recently toured Europe to identify players with Kenyan heritage eligible for the national team, and the results of that recruitment drive are now sitting in this squad list.
Zak Vyner, the Wrexham centre-back who has been here before (a passport issue denied him a debut in 2024), finally gets another crack. Clarke Oduor of Grimsby Town, born in Kenya but raised in England, returns after a lengthy absence. And then there’s Zech Obiero, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder at Tranmere Rovers on loan from Leyton Orient, who could pull on a Harambee Stars shirt for the first time.
Three England-based players in one squad. That’s not coincidence — that’s policy. McCarthy is casting the net wide because he knows AFCON 2027 on home soil demands a squad deeper and more versatile than anything Kenya has assembled before.
The Attack Is Stacked — And Olunga Isn’t Alone Anymore
For years, Kenya’s attacking plan started and ended with Michael Olunga. Score, or don’t. But look at the forward line McCarthy has assembled for Kigali: Austine Odhiambo (Nejmeh, Lebanon), William Lenkupae, Job Ochieng (Real Sociedad’s youth setup), Mohammed Bajaber (Simba FC), Obiero, Oduor, Ryan Ogam (Wolfsberger), and Lawrence Okoth (SJK Seinajoki) — all surrounding the captain.
That’s nine attacking options. McCarthy clearly wants alternatives, not passengers. Bajaber’s inclusion is particularly notable — the Simba FC playmaker hasn’t featured for Kenya since March 2025 after an injury in June derailed his season. If he’s fit, he’s the kind of creative talent who can unlock defences that sit deep against Olunga.
Job Ochieng, attached to Real Sociedad, represents the next generation knocking at the door. At 20, this is his chance to show he belongs at senior level.
The Midfield Question McCarthy Needs to Answer
The midfield is where this squad gets interesting — and where the absences speak loudest.
Timothy Ouma, who was a fixture in Kenya’s World Cup qualifying campaign, is nowhere to be seen. He’s back playing for Lech Poznan after a disciplinary freeze-out earlier this year, but McCarthy hasn’t brought him along. That’s a statement.
Who’s in? Alpha Onyango, Gor Mahia’s engine room. Duke Abuya, who’s been delivering at Yanga in Tanzania. Richard Odada, who earns a recall after being dropped for the last four matches — his run of games at Romania’s UTA Arad clearly helped his case. Chris Erambo of Tusker FC provides local league representation, and Manzur Suleiman of Stade de Reims brings Ligue 1 pedigree, even if he’s competing for minutes at club level.
It’s a midfield built for control, not chaos. McCarthy seems to be moving away from the transition-heavy approach of the World Cup qualifiers toward something more possession-oriented — which makes sense when you’re hosting a continental tournament and will be expected to dominate the ball.
Defence: The Sichenje Blow and the Vyner Opportunity
Collins Sichenje’s move to Charlton Athletic in January looked like perfect timing for Kenya — a defender stepping up to the English Championship right before AFCON preparations intensify. But an injury a couple of weeks ago has ruled him out. That’s a blow.
It does, however, open the door wider for Vyner. The Wrexham man plays at the same level Sichenje just moved into, and if he can establish himself now, Kenya suddenly have two Championship-level centre-backs to call on by 2027. Sylvester Owino and Frank Odhiambo — both Gor Mahia — provide the local knowledge and physicality that McCarthy trusts, while Rooney Onyango (Sogndal, Norway) adds another European-based option.
Between the sticks, Byrne Omondi has established himself as McCarthy’s first choice at Gor Mahia. Brian Bwire at Polokwane City in South Africa and Ian Otieno at Richards Bay FC give him two experienced alternatives.
The Bigger Picture: 467 Days to AFCON
Here’s the number that matters: Kenya co-hosts the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations from June 19 to July 18, 2027. That’s roughly 15 months away. This FIFA Series is one of a shrinking number of international windows McCarthy has to build a squad that won’t embarrass the country on its biggest stage.
The squad for Kigali suggests he’s thinking in layers. A core of trusted players (Olunga, Onyango, Odhiambo, Omondi) forms the spine. European-based recruits (Vyner, Oduor, Obiero, Ogam) add depth and tactical flexibility. And returning players like Odada and Bajaber fill specific gaps that the coach clearly identified.
Estonia, in particular, offers something Kenya rarely get in friendlies — a compact, disciplined European side ranked in the 120s by FIFA, the kind of team that will sit in a low block and force Kenya to break them down. That’s exactly the challenge Kenya will face in AFCON group stages if they draw a defensively organised North or West African side.
The Ones Who Missed Out
Every squad announcement creates debates, and this one is no different.
Moses Shumah, who has 14 goals in the Zambian top flight this season for Power Dynamos, was overlooked despite being Kenya’s most prolific striker outside of Olunga. Joe Waithira, the FKF Premier League’s current top scorer with 12 goals, didn’t get the call either. And Boniface Muchiri, an Ulinzi Stars winger who has been one of McCarthy’s regulars, misses out.
Whether these omissions are tactical, fitness-related, or simply a case of limited slots, they point to one thing: competition for places is real. And that, more than any single selection, might be the best news for Kenyan football heading into 2027.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Byrne Omondi (Gor Mahia), Brian Bwire (Polokwane City), Ian Otieno (Richards Bay FC)
Defenders: Frank Odhiambo (Gor Mahia), Abud Omar (Kenya Police), Sylvester Owino (Gor Mahia), Zak Vyner (Wrexham), Rooney Onyango (Sogndal), Daniel Sakari (Kenya Police)
Midfielders: Alpha Onyango (Gor Mahia), Duke Abuya (Yanga), Richard Odada (FC UTA Arad), Chris Erambo (Tusker FC), Manzur Suleiman (Stade de Reims)
Forwards: Austine Odhiambo (Nejmeh), William Lenkupae (Unattached), Job Ochieng (Real Sociedad), Mohammed Bajaber (Simba FC), Zech Obiero (Tranmere Rovers), Clarke Oduor (Grimsby Town), Michael Olunga (Al-Arabi), Ryan Ogam (Wolfsberger), Lawrence Okoth (SJK Seinajoki)
Match Schedule:
- Kenya vs Estonia — March 27, 6:00 PM, Amahoro Stadium, Kigali
- Kenya vs Rwanda/Grenada — March 30, Amahoro Stadium, Kigali
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