Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has publicly expressed frustration over unpaid salaries and work permit delays affecting the team's preparation for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. McCarthy revealed that he and his foreign technical staff have gone months without pay and have operated without Kenyan work permits for 18 months. This has forced them to leave the country immediately after every camp. The situation has created tension within the team, with players also expressing discontent over unpaid allowances.
The crisis came to a head in Nairobi when players staged a training boycott ahead of Saturday's match against Eritrea. Squad members expressed growing frustration after traveling for multiple international camps without receiving agreed allowances. Some players have reportedly accumulated back pay owed for fixtures dating back to matches against Senegal and Lesotho. McCarthy empathized with the squad's stance, noting that financial unreliability was directly harming team morale.
McCarthy, who was appointed in March 2025 to lead the senior men's national team, exposed deep administrative oversights within the national team setup. He revealed that despite serving for a year and a half, neither he nor his foreign backroom staff have been issued official Kenyan work permits. This bureaucratic lapse has forced the coaching unit to depart Kenya immediately after every international window to avoid overstaying or operating as undocumented workers.
The administrative dysfunction erupts at a critical moment for the national team, threatening to derail preparations just days before Kenya kicks off its 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium. McCarthy backed his players following a training boycott over unpaid allowances, with some accumulating over four to five international camps. He noted that financial unreliability was directly harming team morale and pushing top players to decline call-ups under the guise of minor injuries.
The situation has created friction when attempting to integrate overseas-based talent, such as Wrexham defender Zak Vyner, who has remained reluctant to commit to the national setup due to past administrative experiences. McCarthy added that operating without the requisite documentation created immense personal discomfort, forcing him to leave Kenya immediately after every camp to avoid being questioned by authorities.
Following McCarthy's public remarks, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) issued a statement clarifying that it is working alongside the Ministry of Sports and Directorate of Immigration Services to resolve the permit delays and financial arrears. FKF confirmed that an initial batch of outstanding funds for previous assignments had been released by the Ministry and was expected to reflect in player accounts imminently.
The Harambee Stars technical bench hopes off-field matters will be resolved quickly so the squad can refocus on securing three points at Nyayo Stadium this weekend. While Kenya automatically qualifies for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, the current qualifying series in Group D—which includes Eritrea, Guinea, and South Africa—remains vital for competitive preparation and FIFA ranking points.
Key points
- Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy criticizes FKF over unpaid salaries and work permit delays
- Players express discontent over unpaid allowances, leading to a training boycott
- FKF works to resolve permit delays and financial arrears with Ministry of Sports and Directorate of Immigration Services
