NAIROBI, Kenya, February 23, 2026 – National men’s football team, Harambee Stars, will face Estonia and either Rwanda or Grenada in two international friendlies, late next month in Kigali.
Benni McCarthy’s side will first square up to Estonia at the Amahoro Stadium on March 27 before facing either Rwanda or Grenada, three days later – should they defeat the European side.
The friendlies are part of FIFA Series 2026, a tournament introduced by the global governing body to accelerate development of men and women’s national football teams.
Matches will feature 48 teams drawn from across 11 Fifa member federations who will be pooled across 12 groups.
The tournament, piloted in 2024 following approval in 2022, will consist of nine groups comprising men’s teams, with the others featuring women’s teams.
McCarthy will be looking to exploit the two friendlies to continue his preparations for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which Kenya will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
Their last competitive action was in November where they suffered an embarrassing 8-0 drubbing by the Teranga Lions of Senegal in an international friendly in Turkey.
In a statement, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) said the matches will be a welcome opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition.
“The FIFA Series presents a unique opportunity for Harambee Stars to test themselves against opponents from different confederations, offering meaningful international exposure as the team continues to build cohesion and competitive sharpness,” the federation said.
