Kenya will launch their campaign against Estonia on March 27th, at 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 Harambee Stars under coach Benni McCarthy to test themselves against opponents from different confederations.
This comes at a crucial time as Harambee Stars continue preparations for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (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.
This edition of the 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.
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.
Know more about 2026 FIFA Series
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.
It 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: 2023-2027.
Its purpose 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.
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.
Eleven FIFA Member Associations will host the series, with Rwanda staging two groups. Nine groups will feature men’s national teams and three will involve women’s national teams, with all six confederations represented.
The Series brings together teams with a wide range of competitive profiles, from established international sides to emerging football nations, reinforcing FIFA’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable global football development.
All FIFA Series 2026 matches will be broadcast and made available to a global audience, increasing access for fans worldwide and enhancing visibility for participating national teams.
FIFA Series format
According to the FIFA website, while all matches are international friendlies, the Participating Member Associations (PMAs) have agreed on varied competition formats – either semi-finals and a final, or pre-arranged fixtures.
Any match that ends in a draw will go straight to penalty shoot-out, with no extra time. In each group, regardless of format, one Member Association will emerge as group victors.
FIFA has endorsed this participant-led approach, as it enhances the competitive edge of these fixtures, makes them more engaging for fans, and provides a valuable sporting opportunity for all teams involved.
The FIFA Series Rwanda B will take place in Kigali, and will involve Aruba (CONCACAF), Liechtenstein (UEFA), Macau (AFC), and Tanzania (CAF).
The FIFA Series Kazakhstan will take place in Astana on 25 and 28 March, and will involve the hosts Kazakhstan (UEFA), Comoros (CAF), Kuwait (AFC) and Namibia (CAF).
Kenya fixtures
Kenya vs Estonia (March 27 | 6PM | Amahoro Stadium)
Winner M1 vs Winner M2 (March 30 | 9PM | Amahoro Stadium)
Loser M1 vs Loser M2 (March 30 | 6PM | Amahoro Stadium)
