Kenya will begin their quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with an away game against Gabon at Stade de Franceville on November 13.

According to the full schedule released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Harambee Stars, who are pooled in Group F alongside Seychelles, Burundi, Gambia, Gabon, and Ivory Coast, will then travel away for their matchday two against Seychelles at the Stade Linite on November 20.

Kenya, who will be seeking their first-ever qualification ticket to the global competition, will play their first home game against Burundi on June 3, 2024. The fixture against the Swallows is yet to get a venue as Kenya’s main stadia – Kasarani and Nyayo – have not been cleared by CAF and world governing body FIFA to host international matches. After the Burundi game, Kenya will once again play at home against the Elephants of Ivory Coast for their matchday four on June 10.

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Their matchday five will take them to the Gambia to face the Scorpions under coach Tom Saintfiet, and just like Kenya, Gambia also lacks an approved venue and will use Stade de Marrakech in Morocco for the fixtures on March 17, 2025. After playing against the Scorpions, Kenya’s next match will see them come up against the Panthers in the second-round battle at home on March 24, 2025.

Kenya will then host Gambia for matchday seven on September 1, 2025, before hosting Seychelles once again for matchday eight on September 8, 2025, and then travel to face Burundi’s the Swallows on matchday nine on October 6, 2025, before they wind up their group matches with a trip to face the Elephants on October 13, 2025, at Stade Laurent Pokou.

The qualifiers will be the first competitive matches for Kenya since the country will be making a comeback to the international stage after a year-long ban that locked them out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after FIFA accused the government of third-party interference in the management of football.

In a recent interview, Kenya coach Engin Firat, whose recent two matches in charge, saw Harambee Stars defeat Qatar 2-1 and then suffer a 1-0 defeat against South Sudan, remained confident the East African nation can still make history and qualify from the group for the first time ever.

“I know most of our fans are scared of the big names in our group. Personally, though, I feel we have landed a well-balanced group where each of the teams stands an equal chance to advance to the next stage,” Firat told People Sports after the draw was made, adding: “I’m very positive about our potential in the qualifiers and I strongly believe we have a high probability of making history and going to the next World Cup.”

Kenya fixtures: Gabon vs Kenya – November 13, 2023, Seychelles vs Kenya – November 20, 2023, Kenya vs Burundi – June 3, 2024, Kenya vs Ivory Coast – June 10, 2024, Gambia vs Kenya – March 17, 2025, Kenya vs Gabon – March 24, 2025, Kenya vs Gambia – September 1, 2025, Kenya vs Seychelles – September 8, 2025, Burundi vs Kenya – October 6, 2025 and Ivory Coast vs Kenya – October 13, 2025.