Harambee Stars Have Dropped From 109 To 111 in FIFA Rankings

Kenya’s Harambee Stars have slipped in the latest FIFA world rankings despite cruising past Seychelles with a resounding 5-0 victory in their recent 2026 World Cup qualifier.

The emphatic win against one of Africa’s lowest-ranked teams did little to cushion Kenya from a drop in the standings. It was a mixed international break for Jonathan McKinstry’s side, who came into September riding high after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN). That momentum, however, was quickly dampened.

Harambee Stars endured a humbling 3-1 home defeat to The Gambia, who ran riot in the first half with three goals inside the opening 38 minutes. Despite Michael Olunga and Ryan Ogam each netting a brace in the rout of Seychelles, and Collins Sichenje adding another, the victory carried little weight because their opponents sit 203rd out of 210 nations on the FIFA list.

Gambia Loss Proves Costly

Thursday’s FIFA update confirmed Kenya’s fall from position 109 to 111 globally. In contrast, The Gambia, buoyed by wins over Kenya and Burundi, climbed eight places to 115.

Kenya now has a chance for redemption when they face the Ivory Coast and Burundi in the next round of World Cup qualifiers. Positive results against those stronger opponents could significantly improve their ranking.

A crucial factor hurting the Stars’ standing is that their impressive CHAN 2024 campaign did not count toward FIFA’s evaluation, since the tournament isn’t recognized as part of the official ranking system.

Global Standings Shift

On the global front, Spain has reclaimed top spot after moving up one place. France sit second, while Argentina slipped two places to third. England remains steady in fourth, and Portugal climbed into fifth, pushing Brazil out of the top five.

For Africa, Morocco continues to lead the continent, now placed 11th in the world after gaining one spot. Senegal follow at 18th, with Egypt in 35th. Algeria sits at 28th globally, while the Ivory Coast, one of Kenya’s upcoming opponents, is ranked 44th.

Despite their recent setback, the Harambee Stars still have everything to play for. Strong performances in their next fixtures could turn the disappointment of this month into a platform for climbing back up the rankings.