Harambee Stars’ preparations for future international assignments will continue against Lesotho after the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) confirmed changes to the team’s June FIFA window programme.

Kenya had initially arranged friendly matches against Kyrgyzstan and Palestine, but both fixtures have since been called off, forcing a revision of the national team’s plans. According to FKF, logistical hurdles surrounding the original arrangements made it impossible for the matches to proceed as scheduled.

The national team was expected to open the international window against Kyrgyzstan before taking on Palestine three days later. However, attention has now shifted to a two-match series against Lesotho, with both games set to be played in South Africa.

The fixtures will take place at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, offering head coach Benni McCarthy another opportunity to assess his squad as he continues building towards upcoming continental competitions.

The first match is scheduled for June 4, with the return fixture set for June 7. Both encounters will kick off at 4 PM East African Time.

The revised programme comes just days after McCarthy unveiled a squad featuring several new faces, including a number of promising young players from the Kenyan diaspora. The Lesotho friendlies are expected to provide valuable game time for those seeking to impress and secure long-term roles within the national team setup.

For the technical bench, the June window represents more than just two friendly matches. It is another important stage in the team’s development as Kenya intensifies preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, a tournament the country will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

The upcoming tests also arrive against the backdrop of the recently concluded AFCON 2027 qualifying draw. Kenya has been placed in Group D alongside South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea, setting up a challenging path to qualification.

Based on the latest FIFA rankings, South Africa enter the campaign as the highest-ranked side in the group at 60th globally, followed by Guinea in 80th position. Kenya currently sits 111th, while Eritrea is ranked 184th.

With competitive qualifiers drawing closer, the two meetings against Lesotho will offer McCarthy and his staff a chance to evaluate tactical options, strengthen team chemistry and continue identifying players capable of helping the Harambee Stars compete successfully on the continental stage.