Harambee Stars Climb Two Places in Latest FIFA Rankings

Kenya’s national football team, the Harambee Stars, have inched upward in the latest FIFA World Rankings, rising two places from 111th to 109th, according to the update released today.

The improvement comes after Kenya’s two most recent outings — a 1–0 win over Burundi and a 3–0 loss to Côte d’Ivoire in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The next update of the global rankings will be published on 21 November 2025.

Regionally, Tanzania have retained their position at 107th, while Uganda, the highest-ranked East African side, slipped one spot from 82nd to 83rd.

Kenya began the year ranked 108th, but has struggled to maintain consistency in 2025, with mixed results across both competitive and friendly matches. The team has not broken into the top 100 since September 2017, when they were ranked 88th — before a steady decline set in.

The country’s worst-ever ranking came in July 2007, when Kenya dropped to 137th. Ironically, that slump became the launchpad for one of the nation’s brightest football eras, as the Stars soared to their all-time best ranking of 68th in December 2008 under coach Francis Kimanzi. That golden spell featured famous victories over Namibia, Guinea, and Zimbabwe, and a crucial away draw in Harare that capped a remarkable resurgence.

Under current head coach Benni McCarthy, appointed in March 2025, the Harambee Stars have shown flashes of progress. The South African legend has been widely praised for restoring belief and enthusiasm within the squad, particularly following a spirited run during the CHAN 2024 tournament.

However, CHAN fixtures carry limited weight in FIFA’s ranking system, which means even Kenya’s strong performances — including three wins, a draw, and a narrow post-match penalty loss — had minimal impact on their points tally.

McCarthy’s tenure began with Kenya ranked 108th, but early mixed results — including a draw with Gambia and a loss to Gabon — saw the Stars fall to 111th. A subsequent win and draw against Chad in FIFA friendlies lifted them slightly before the 3–1 defeat to Gambia in World Cup qualifying, which carried heavy ranking consequences despite a dominant 5–0 victory over Seychelles shortly after.

The latest ranking update, therefore, reflects a modest rebound for the Harambee Stars — one that suggests progress, but not yet stability, under McCarthy’s leadership.

With another ranking update due in November, Kenyan fans will be hoping that consistent performances in upcoming fixtures can push the national team closer to re-entering the top 100 — a milestone they haven’t touched in eight years.