Farouk Shikhalo during a Harambee Stars training session/HARAMBEESTARSGoalkeeper Farouk Shikalo has called on his Harambee Stars teammates to uphold high training standards and strengthen unity as Kenya ramps up preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The experienced stopper stressed that Kenya’s success at the continental tournament will hinge less on external factors and more on tactical discipline, mental resilience, and cohesion within the squad.
Now playing for Saint George SC, Shikalo said competition for national team places has intensified, with players fully aware of the significance of AFCON 2027, which Kenya will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
“The intensity in camp is very high because every player understands what AFCON 2027 means for the country,” he said. “We are working on tactical systems, improving defensive organisation and strengthening communication on the pitch. Preparation is extremely important if you want to compete with the best teams in Africa.”
Shikalo, a former Kenyan Premier League Golden Glove winner, believes the Harambee Stars are steadily shaping a clearer football identity under head coach Benni McCarthy.
He pointed to recent African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaigns as a key factor in improving tactical understanding and boosting the confidence of locally based players.
“The CHAN experience helped many local players grow mentally and tactically,” he said. “It allowed us to test different playing styles and improve understanding within the team. You can now see young players expressing themselves confidently during training and matches.”
The goalkeeper also highlighted the importance of senior players guiding younger teammates as pressure builds ahead of qualification and the main tournament.
He noted that experienced squad members must help shield emerging players from external expectations while keeping them focused on performance.
“There is a good balance between experienced players and young talent in camp,” he added. “As senior players, our responsibility is to help the younger boys remain calm and focused. Hosting a major tournament comes with pressure and mental preparation will be very important.”
Kenya is set to begin its AFCON 2027 qualifying journey later this year, with preparations already in full swing. The Harambee Stars will use a high-profile June tour of Central Asia as a key build-up phase.
McCarthy’s side will face Kyrgyzstan on June 3 and Palestine on June 6, with the matches expected to test new foreign-based call-ups and refine squad chemistry ahead of competitive fixtures.
After the June friendlies, attention will shift to the official qualification campaign in September. Despite already qualifying automatically as co-hosts, Kenya will still participate fully in Group D to gain competitive sharpness.
They have been drawn against former African champions South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea, with their campaign starting at home against Eritrea on September 23 before an away trip to Guinea on September 27.
The qualifiers continue in November with a demanding double-header against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
Shikalo said these matches will be crucial in building a strong tactical identity well before the tournament kicks off on home soil in 2027.
