The national team, Harambee Stars, on Monday completed the FIFA Series in Rwanda with a convincing 3–0 win against Grenada. The result capped off their campaign on a positive note.
The victory ensured that they finished third in the standings, behind Rwanda and Estonia, who secured first and second place respectively, marking a respectable outcome for the team in the tournament.
The Kenyan team suffered a disappointing performance against Estonia on Friday, losing 5-4 on penalties after a hard-fought 1-1 draw in regulation. Harambee Stars put up a spirited performance in the encounter but were ultimately defeated in the shootout, denying them a higher spot in the tournament standings.
Despite the setback, coach Benni McCarthy was pleased with some parts of the team’s performance, saying that a number of players stood out with strong individual performances. His statements highlighted certain positives for the squad to build on moving ahead, even as they work to resolve the weaknesses revealed in the game.
Harambee Stars end the series on a positive note building a momentum on the team and in preparation for the upcoming AFCON 2027 hosted in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. With such kind of tournaments, it will ensure that teams are ready for any upcoming tournaments.
The Fifa Series
According to the world governing body FIFA, the FIFA Series 2026 brings together national teams with a wide range of competitive profiles, reinforcing the development-driven design of the initiative.
The purpose of the FIFA Series is to facilitate meaningful international friendly matches between national teams from different confederations that would not normally compete against one another, thereby supporting football development both on and off the pitch.
Host Nations for the Series
Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan hosted the men’s edition of the FIFA Series. While Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Thailand and Kenya will host the women’s event.
While all matches are international friendly, the Participating Member Associations (PMAs) agreed on a variety of competitive forms, including semi-finals and finals or pre-arranged fixtures.
Matches that ends in a draw proceeds directly to a penalty shootout, with no extra time. In each group, regardless of format, one Member Association will emerge as the group winner. FIFA has embraced this participant-led method since it improves the competitiveness of these matches, makes them more interesting for fans, and gives a meaningful athletic opportunity for all teams engaged.
FIFA Women’s Series
Kenya has been chosen to host the 2026 FIFA Women’s Series competition, providing an excellent opportunity for the country to demonstrate its growing status in women’s football.
Kenya’s national women’s team, the Harambee Starlets, will compete against Australia, India, and Malawi, forming a diverse group of international opponents. Matches are scheduled to take place from April 11 to April 15, 2026, at the Nyayo National Stadium, providing a valuable platform for the hosts to test themselves against quality opposition on home soil.
Hosting the FIFA Women’s Series gives Kenya the opportunity to improve critical aspects of football development beyond match performance.
For Harambee Starlets, the series represents a valuable opportunity to compete against various opposition and gain more international experience.
