Harambee Stars are already guaranteed participation in the 2027 edition by virtue of being the co-host nation alongside Uganda, and Tanzania.
Despite their qualification, Kenya is participating in the 2027 AFCON qualification campaign and played two matches in the opening round in October.
Kenya drew 1-1 against Eritrea in their matchday one, before losing 1-0 against Guinea away in Conakry in matchday two.
The former Manchester United assistant coach has stated that winning the AFCON will be an impossible task for Kenya right now because the team lacks the resources and depth to match continental powerhouses.
Kenya is a very small nation
“Even if you were to pay me millions and millions of dollars to win the AFCON, I don’t think Kenya has the resources and a team strong enough to compete with Morocco, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Senegal,” said the South African legend.
“Those are powerhouses. Guinea can also compete for the AFCON title, we know they have fantastic players. Those are the powerhouses in African football.
“So, for us to think that Kenya could win the AFCON, it is not impossible, but it is highly likely that we will not make it.”
McCarthy added: “Kenya is a very small nation when it comes to football. We’re not the biggest nation. When you have teams like South Africa and Guinea, who have so many players, who play in the top leagues in the world.
“Borussia Dortmund, for example, have players who play in the French league. And then you have Kenya. You know, we are a very humble team.
“You know, but if people are expecting me to beat Bafana, to beat Morocco, to beat Senegal, it’s very hard; it’s a very impossible task because of the players that those countries have and the leagues that they play for and the players that we have in Kenya.”
McCarthy continued: “If people are expecting me to beat Bafana, to beat Morocco, to beat Senegal, it’s very hard; it’s a very impossible task because of the players that those countries have and the leagues that they play for and the players that we have in Kenya.”
McCarthy points at league delay
McCarthy further believes the delay to start the 2026/27 SportPesa Premier League will affect Kenya’s performance at AFCON because most of the players will lack match fitness.
“People are calling for Kenyan players, but the league has not even started,” explained McCarthy, whose Kenyan side drew 0-0 against Rwanda in a friendly after the AFCON qualifiers. “None of the players in Kenya has played a single league match.
“Hopefully, by the time AFCON comes with all the matches, all the experience that we've achieved, then that would have given us a little bit of a bigger platform to compete at the highest level.”
Kenya has participated in the Africa Cup of Nations six times, making them one of the more experienced East African teams in the competition. Despite this, Kenya has never advanced past the group stages of a single AFCON.
The six times include (1972, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2004, and 2019). Their first-ever AFCON victory was a 3-0 result against Burkina Faso in 2004.
Kenya achieved a silver medal at the 1987 All Africa Games hosted in Nairobi, their best-ever result in a continental competition.