Kenya’s under-20 national football team, the Rising Stars, eyes the top slot in CECAFA tournament kicking off tomorrow in Tanzania to qualify for continental campaign.
The team head coach Salim Babu announced his final 20-man squad challenge, optimistic they will secure victory in the under-20 champions to secure a spot in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Kenya has never qualified for a continental place in youth tournaments, and Babu says he is determined to see Rising Stars make history.
“To qualify for AFCON, we have to win CECAFA, and we will win. The morale is high, and we promise a good result,” Babu said.
The top two finishers at the CECAFA U20 Championships will qualify for the Continental contest.
Coach Salim Babu.
Among the final squad are 11 players who participated in the 2023 CECAFA U18 Boys Championship.
The Championships, contested by nine teams, will also double up as a qualifier for next year’s U20 AFCON which doubles up as a qualifier for the FIFA U20 World Cup.
Drawn into a competitive Group A, Kenya will face hosts Tanzania, Rwanda, Sudan, and Djibouti.
Notable names include Amos Wanjala, Tyron Kariuki, Aldrine Kibet, and Ibrahim Wanzala.
Additionally, Hassan Beja and William Gitamu earned their spots after featuring in the 2024 COSAFA tournament.
New faces to the national team include Kelly Madada, Lawrence Okoth, Jackson Imbiakha, Phabian Sheldon, and Rodgers Obusu, who make their debut in national team colors.
