Kenya U-23 coach Kimani names 39 for Côte d'Ivoire tie; first leg at Nyayo on 11 November

Kenya's under-23 coach Anthony Kimani has named a 39-man provisional squad for the second-round, two-legged qualifier against Côte d'Ivoire for the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) announced on 31 October.

The Emerging Stars, as the under-23 side is known, host the first leg at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on Wednesday 11 November at 3pm. They then travel to Abidjan for the return leg at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny on Tuesday 17 November, kicking off at 10pm East Africa Time. The winner goes through to the third and final qualifying round, with a place at the 2027 finals at stake.

The U-23 AFCON is also Africa's qualifying competition for the men's football tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Egypt, the hosts, have qualified automatically for the eight-team finals, and 42 nations are playing three qualifying rounds between September 2026 and March 2027 for the other seven places, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said when it published the qualifying draw on 27 August. The first round paired 28 teams in 14 two-legged ties, and the draw set Côte d'Ivoire against the winner of the East African tie between Kenya and Tanzania.

Kenya won that tie 5-4 on aggregate. They beat Tanzania 4-1 in the first leg at Nyayo on 28 September, with goals from Paul Osama in the opening minute, Lawrence Okoth in first-half stoppage time, Kevin Wangaya in the 50th minute and Kelly Madada in the 74th, The Standard reported. Tanzania scored from a penalty at 3-0.

In the return leg at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on 6 October, Tanzania won 3-1. Shekhan Hamis put the hosts ahead, Kenya drew level, and Seleman Mwalimu scored twice. All four of Kenya's first-leg scorers are in the new squad.

The provisional list has four goalkeepers, 10 defenders, 12 midfielders and 13 forwards.

Four of the 39 also appear in the 36-man provisional squad that senior coach Benni McCarthy named for the Harambee Stars, which the FKF published on 29 October: goalkeeper Caleb Kramer, Aldrine Kibet, Wangaya and Okoth. Kibet and Wangaya are listed as midfielders in the under-23 squad and as forwards in the senior one.

The Harambee Stars play South Africa twice in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The first leg is away on Friday 13 November and the return is at Nyayo on Tuesday 17 November at 7pm East Africa Time, the same day as the under-23 return leg in Abidjan.

The full under-23 provisional squad:

Goalkeepers: Caleb Kramer, Collins Omondi, Kevin Oduor, Bernard Jairo.

Defenders: Ian Omondi, Joseph Bate, Jackson Imbiakha, Robinson Musungu, Collins Ochieng, Baron Ochieng, Price Musebe, Wyclliffe Awiko, Bilal Otieno, Telena Ochieng.

Midfielders: Aldrine Kibet, Kevin Wangaya, Kelly Madada, Andres Odhiambo, Irad Mshindi, Humphrey Aroko, Oliver Majaka, Zachary Nyakwara, Glen Githinji, Ateek Omar, Jack Steel, Mark Kithome.

Forwards: Brooklyn Kazungu, Lawrence Okoth, Paul Osama, Jeremy Bisau, Syphas Otieno, Stephen Omondi, Dan Omalla, Emmanuel Osoro, Collins Okello, Henry Omollo, Colin Akeno, Javan Ochieng, Hassan Beja.

CAF has scheduled the third round's first legs for 22 March 2027 and the return legs for 30 March 2027.