The CECAFA Four Nations Tournament kicks off today at Karatu Stadium in Arusha, Tanzania, with Harambee Stars opening their campaign against arch-rivals Uganda from 3:00 PM (EAT). The regional mini-tournament is a vital part of Kenya’s final preparations for the upcoming TotalEnergies CHAN 2024, set to kick off in August.
Initially slated to feature South Sudan, the tournament will now include Senegal, who replaced the Bright Stars after a late withdrawal.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, head coach Benni McCarthy underlined the importance of the competition, saying:
“It is a good tournament to gauge our preparedness for CHAN. We are going to face formidable opponents and that will clearly show us what is working and what needs to be fixed.”
McCarthy also confirmed the final 25-man squad for the CECAFA event, making adjustments following the departure of two key forwards ; Moses Shumah, the FKF Premier League top scorer, and Emmanuel Osoro who recently completed transfers to Zambian giants Power Dynamos, rendering them ineligible for the home-based players’ tournament.
In their place, Rangers striker Felix Mboya and Shabana FC’s Austin Odongo have been handed late call-ups, joining the camp as Kenya looks to build rhythm and tactical cohesion ahead of CHAN.
With the tournament running until July 27, Kenya will hope to use this competitive platform to fine-tune its squad, establish chemistry, and assess match readiness before the continental showdown begins.
Here’s the Harambee Stars fixture for the CECAFA Four Nations Tournament:
