Kenya appoint ex-Bafana forward McCarthy as coach

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Kenya on Monday confirmed former Manchester United first-team coach Benni McCarthy as the east African country’s new coach on a two-year deal.

It is the 47-year-old’s first coaching role at international level after stints at Cape Town City and AmaZulu, and most recently as an assistant at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag.

“After a rigorous selection process, we are confident that Benni McCarthy is the right person to lead our national team forward,” said Football Kenya Federation (FKF) chief Hussein Mohammed.

The all-time top scorer for Bafana Bafana, McCarthy is replacing Turkish coach Engin Firat, who resigned in December after Kenya failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

McCarthy said he felt “absolutely privileged” at the appointment, and promised to turn around Kenya’s lacklustre recent performances.

Kenya are currently fourth in their 2026 World Cup qualifying group, and 108th in the FIFA rankings.

They will play Gambia and Gabon later this month as they attempt to stay in contention for a place at next year’s World Cup.

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images

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