Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat has criticized Kenya for neglecting sports infrastructure, resulting in the country having to face the shame of playing home matches in Malawi next month. Firat described Kenya’s lack of a CAF and FIFA-approved stadium as a long-standing issue that is now severely impacting the country.
Kenya will host Burundi and Ivory Coast in Malawi for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to the lack of a stadium that meets international standards. Both Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums, which are currently under renovation, still do not meet the necessary criteria.
This decision has sparked complaints among Kenyans. Firat acknowledges that this situation will deprive his players of crucial home support in the upcoming matches, stating that the country is suffering the consequences of years of neglect in building stadiums and proper football infrastructure.
“From the first day I came here, I talked about infrastructure and said, ‘Look, if you don’t have it, forget it.’ Do you think having a stadium now solves everything? Nothing is solved,” Firat told the media on Wednesday.
“As long as we don’t have good training fields—we currently don’t even have one international field for training—I tell the truth, but nobody helps me out. So now, how different is the situation that we don’t have a stadium to play in?
“We have the AFCON coming up, but this problem remains. It is not a problem for today or tomorrow; we have to build something for the future of the country.”
Firat did commend Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba for his efforts to improve the state of sports infrastructure in the country and for being open to suggestions.
“Now, we have a Sports Minister who wants to change things and comes with ideas. I have someone whom I can tell my problems to, and he listens and looks for solutions,” added the Turkish coach.
“It is not possible to create new good players if you do not have the infrastructure. You cannot play well if you don’t have a good field. It is something I have been talking about for one-and-a-half years.”
Firat expressed his disappointment that his players will greatly miss the support of the 12th man in the June 7 and 11 games set to be played at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, noting that it could affect the results.
“I wish my players could play in front of the fans, but why can’t we? Don’t ask me this question; ask yourselves, everyone in Kenya,” said Firat.
“This is not something that happened now; what happened in the last 50 years? It is a mistake made over the last 50 years that we don’t have the infrastructure.
“We are disappointed because our fans are the real power when we need them. If the game is going 50-50, then the fans are the ones who push us, but we have been missing this for one-and-a-half years.”
This will be the first time Kenya will be hosting their home matches in another country in a competitive fixture.
