The FIFA Series will take place in Kigali, Rwanda from March 27, and Kenya have been drawn to face Estonia at the Amahoro Stadium. Harambee Stars’ second match in the mini-tournament will depend on the outcome of the other opening fixture between Rwanda and Grenada.
Under the tournament format, the winner of Match 1 will face the winner of Match 2, while the loser of Match 1 will play the loser of Match 2. The FIFA Series presents a unique opportunity for Kenya to test themselves against opponents from different confederations.
The 2026 FIFA Series will be the second edition of the FIFA Series, an invitational Association football tournament promoted by FIFA that features friendly matches between national teams from different continental confederations.
According to the South African legend, the FIFA Series will provide him with another opportunity to gauge his squad and evaluate players and strategies against international opposition.
‘Chance to compete against the best’
“The FIFA Series gives our team a chance to compete against opponents from different continents in conditions that closely resemble what we will face at major tournaments,” said McCarthy as quoted by The Star.
“It is exactly the type of exposure our players need as we continue to grow and improve.”
The former Manchester United assistant coach added: “These tournaments are not just about what happens during the 90 minutes. Competing against teams with different styles, strengths and football cultures challenges us to adapt and respond in ways we don’t see in domestic competition.”
The FIFA Series comes at a crucial time when Harambee Stars are preparing for the 2027 AFCON in East Africa.
Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will host the 36th edition of the African football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) from June 19 to July 18.
“We are focused on building Harambee Stars in a way that allows us to measure progress and identify areas for improvement,” explained McCarthy. “Every match is an opportunity to test our tactics, integrate new players and strengthen our squad for the challenges ahead.
“We are finalising our selections, but the focus is clear: we want a balanced team capable of learning, testing tactical plans and gaining invaluable international experience.”
The 2027 AFCON will be the first to be hosted by three countries, and the first in five decades to be organised in the CECAFA region, since it was hosted by Ethiopia in 1976.
Harambee Stars must be competitive
This event is part of the Africa Cup of Nations' 70th anniversary, and it will be the last one to be held in odd-numbered years, as CAF announced in December 2025 that AFCON would become a quadrennial tournament from 2028 onwards.
“We look forward to using this platform to test ourselves, gain valuable experience and continue building the team in the right direction. Our goal is to ensure Harambee Stars are competitive when it matters most.”
McCarthy concluded: “We want to make sure every opportunity is maximised and the players come away from these matches better prepared for 2027 AFCON and beyond.”
The Series will feature nine different four-team series taking place across eight host countries during the FIFA window of March 23-31. Initially, nine host countries were announced, including Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan, with New Zealand joining later.
However, Mauritius withdrew from organising their series as their national team will have to compete in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification preliminary round during the same FIFA window in March 2026, so this series was moved to Rwanda, which will host two series, reducing the number of host countries to eight.
The FIFA Series was approved by the FIFA Council in December 2022 and is fully aligned with FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-27.
The 2026 edition of this initiative will feature 48 national teams – representing almost a quarter of FIFA’s 211 Member Associations – competing in 12 groups of four teams each.
