Harambee Stars could still face Tanzania in the 2024 African Nations Championship after CAF released the official pathways to the final of the competition.
The group stages concluded on Tuesday, August 19, reducing the number of participants from 19 teams to just eight, with all host nations – Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania – qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Initially, there was an outside chance that Kenya could face Tanzania in the quarter-finals, but that prospect was quashed after Benni McCarthy's side overcame the odds to emerge winners of Group A, which featured Morocco, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia.
Kenya's next big challenge will take place on Friday, August 22, when they take on Madagascar at Kasarani Stadium.
Should Harambee Stars beat Madagascar, they will face either Algeria or Sudan, who play in the other quarter-final clash.
Tanzania, meanwhile, have been placed in a separate quarter-final pool ahead of their clash against Morocco. If the Taifa Stars manage to beat the Atlas Lions in the quarters, they will meet either Uganda or Senegal in the semi-final.
Based on how CAF has pooled the teams, the only way Kenya can face Tanzania in CHAN 2024 is if they meet in the final.
Notably, Harambee Stars' game against Madagascar could potentially be the last match played by McCarthy's side in the country, since no semi-final clash will take place in Kenya.
Kasarani Stadium, which hosted all of Kenya's group games, will, however, host the final on August 30.
Uganda, the third East African co-host, will take on Senegal on Saturday, August 23, at Nelson Mandela Stadium. In the other quarter-final, Sudan will face Algeria at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
As far as the Kenya-Madagascar game is concerned, the government confirmed that fan zones would be available for supporters who are unable to access tickets.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya urged fans with tickets to 'fill the stadium', but did not explicitly confirm whether the sanction by CAF limiting access to 27,000 fans was still in place.
