‘I would like to play Tanzania’ - McCarthy fuels Kenya vs Tanzania banter
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Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 10.09.25. | 09:34
The banter was heightened further during the recently concluded 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) that was co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has added a bit of extra spice to the Kenya-Tanzania friendly fire by daring the East African nation to a duel.
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The two neighbouring countries have been engaging in a superiority football banter, especially on social media, with each side claiming to be better than the other in football.
The banter was heightened further during the recently concluded 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) that was co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
McCarthy, who remained coy on the banter during CHAN, has now fully gone in to offer a solution to the battle after being asked about Harambee Stars' future plans.
“We can ask the federation to speak to FIFA and maybe give us a little boost to have a mini tournament where we would like to invite Tanzania," said McCarthy during his post-match press conference after the win over Seychelles.
While McCarthy would like the tournament to include other host nations, he was clear on which one he is interested in the most.
“I would like to play against Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and all the neighbouring teams - We break bread on the football pitch, but Tanzania first,”
During CHAN, the two nations had a chance to meet in the quarter finals if one could top their group while the other finished second, but that did not happen.
Kenya who at some point looked destined to finish second in Group A, managed to secure top spot in Group A with a final group match win over Zambia.
However, both teams were eliminated in the quarter finals despite finishing on top of their respective groups.
In the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Harambee Stars redeemed themselves from the 3-1 loss to The Gambia on Friday, 5 September by securing a massive, 5-0 win over Seychelles in a dead rubber clash on Tuesday, 9 September at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Harambee Stars will be back in action in October with away matches against Burundi and Ivory Coast on Wednesday, 8 and Saturday, 11 October, respectively.
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