South Africa Hosts Kenya as McCarthy Returns in AFCON Qualifier

What changed

Kenya face South Africa at 7 p.m. today at Johannesburg’s Orlando Stadium in Matchday 3 of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

South Africa lead Group D with six points after beating Guinea and Eritrea. Kenya have one point, following a draw with Eritrea and a defeat by Guinea. The return fixture is set for November 17 at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium.

Why it matters

This is already a steep table for Kenya. South Africa sit 48th in the FIFA rankings, while Kenya are 114th, and the hosts have won their first two group matches. Guinea are also on six points after beating Eritrea 2-1 in Conakry.

For Benni McCarthy, the match adds a personal edge: Kenya’s coach returns to face South African opposition. His team are also chasing their first victory over Bafana Bafana after friendly defeats in 2011 and 2012, by 2-1 and 2-0 respectively.

A Kenyan win would immediately change the mood around a campaign that has started with one draw and one loss. A defeat would leave the Stars with still more ground to recover before South Africa return to Nairobi on November 17. The result and any change in the group standings remain unknown until the match is played.