Former Man United coach to lead Kenya to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers
A former Man United coach a legend of South African football has been appointed as the new head coach of Kenya ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Official reports have now confirmed the appointment of a former Man United coach and a South African football legend as the new head coach of Kenya ahead of the 2026 world cup qualifiers.
Following their failure to secure a spot at AFCON 2025, Kenya has upped the ante ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with the appointment of the Bafana Bafana of South Africa football legend, Benni McCarthy who also worked as a member of Erik Ten Hag's coaching staff during his time at Man United as the new head coach of the Harambee Stars.
The official announcement of his appointment was confirmed in a press conference accompained by an interview in the late hours of Monday, March 4, 2025.
Speaking on his appointment McCarthy said, "I am delighted to be here, and I proud to have taken this challenge with a national team which has a lot of potential."
Who is Kenya's new coach Benni McCarthy?
Benni McCarthy enjoyed a distinguished football career as a forward for he Bafana Bafana of South Africa. He began his professional journey with Seven Stars before moving to Ajax Amsterdam, where he won the Eredivisie title in 1997-98.
After a challenging spell at Celta Vigo, he flourished at FC Porto under José Mourinho, playing a key role in their 2004 UEFA Champions League triumph. McCarthy later joined Blackburn Rovers, becoming their top scorer in his debut Premier League season. He had a brief stint at West Ham United before returning to South Africa to play for Orlando Pirates, where he finished his career in 2013.
On the international stage, McCarthy was a vital player for South Africa, earning 79 caps and scoring 31 goals, making him the national team's all-time top scorer. He was the top scorer in the 1998 African Nations Cup and played pivotal roles in South Africa's 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup campaigns.
How many clubs or countries as Kenya's new head coach Benni McCarthy managed?
Kenya's new head coach Benni McCarthy has managed two clubs in South Africa in the position of head manager. Benni has however held the roles of Assistant coach with a club in Belgium and worked as a member of Erik Ten Hag's coaching staff during his time at Man United.
List of clubs Benni McCarthy was involved in coaching
Here are the clubs Kenya's new boss, Benni McCarthy actively paticipated in managing throughout his coaching career:
- Sint-Truiden (Belgium) - Assistant Coach (2015)
- Cape Town City (South Africa) - Head Coach (2017–2019)
- AmaZulu (South Africa) - Head Coach (2020–2022)
- Manchester United (England) - Part of Erik ten Hag's Coaching Staff (2022–2025)
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