Harambee Stars Sells Out Nyayo Stadium for World Cup Qualifier After Benni McCarthy’s Arrival

A panoramic view of the Nyayo National Stadium as of May 25, 2020
A panoramic view of the Nyayo National Stadium as of May 25, 2020
Capital Group

Harambee Stars has sold out the 30,000-seat Nyanyo National Stadium for Sunday's World Cup Qualifier. 

The game between Kenya and Gabon is the first home game for the Harambee Stars in nearly 18 months and will be the first home game under the South African tactician Benni McCarthy.

According to Tikiti, all regular, very important person (VIP), and very very important person (VVIP) tickets, as well as parking slots, are all sold out. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has also confirmed the tickets are sold out.

Tickets were available with prices set at Ksh300 for regular, Ksh1,000 for VIP, Ksh10,000 for VVIP, and Ksh300 for car parking fee.

Harambee Stars players during an AFCON qualifier match against Namibia on Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Harambee Stars players during an AFCON qualifier match against Namibia on Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The match comes after a dramatic 3-3 comeback draw against Gambia in Ivory Coast on Thursday night.

“Kenya’s Harambee Stars are back on home soil after two years! Join us at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, March 23, from 4 PM for this World Cup qualifier,” Tikiti’s statement reads.

Fans were urged to purchase their tickets early before Saturday, March 22 at 4pm as no physical tickets were available for sale.

No physical tickets will be sold, so fans were advised to buy theirs online in advance to avoid the last-minute inconvenience.

The organisers had emphasised that only digital tickets would be accepted to ensure a smooth and secure entry process.

This comes months after South African football legend and Manchester United coach Benni McCarthy was appointed as Harambe Stars coach on March 3 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

At the moment Harambee Stars is fourth in Group F alongside Ivory Coast, Gabon, Burundi, Gambia, and the Seychelles.  Kenya is on six points, one point behind third-place neighbour Burundi, with Ivory Coast and Gabon leading the group with 13 and 12 points, respectively. 

There are five games left. Only group winners have direct qualification to the World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico in 2026. Four second-best teams qualify for the knockout stage.

Harambee Stars crowned champions of the Four Nations tournament held in Lilongwe, Malawi after beating Zimbabwe 3-1 on March 26, 2024
Harambee Stars crowned champions of the Four Nations tournament held in Lilongwe, Malawi after beating Zimbabwe 3-1 on March 26, 2024
Photo
Harambee Stars