Nairobi, Kenya | September 10, 2026

Kenya’s Rising Stars are stepping up preparations for the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, with head coach Gilbert Selebwa naming his final squad for the regional tournament in Tanzania.

The CECAFA U20 AFCON qualifiers are scheduled to take place at the renovated Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam from September 15 to 24. Nine teams from across the region are expected to compete, with two qualification places available for the 2027 U20 AFCON in Ghana.

Kenya has been drawn in Group C alongside South Sudan and Burundi. The Rising Stars will aim to top the group and advance to the knockout stage, with the three group winners and the best second-placed team progressing to the semifinals.

Selebwa’s squad features a mix of school-based players and footballers from local and foreign clubs, reflecting Kenya’s efforts to strengthen its youth football development pathway.

Several players who previously represented Kenya at U17 level have also moved into the U20 setup. They include Raphael Omondi, Eugine Belety, Trevor Nasasiro, Yusuf Ahmed, Armstrong Omondi, Brighton Nacheri and Julius Ochieng.

The tournament will provide Kenya’s emerging players with an opportunity to gain international experience while competing for a place at the continental championship.

With only two places at the 2027 U20 AFCON available to the CECAFA region, the Rising Stars will need to negotiate the group stage and semifinal successfully to secure one of the qualification spots.

Kenya will now turn its attention to Tanzania, where Selebwa and his squad are set to begin their campaign against South Sudan and Burundi as they target a return to the continental stage.