The Kenya national team, Harambee Stars, have reportedly refused to train ahead of Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Eritrea, with players demanding that concerns over their welfare and travel arrangements are addressed.
The squad, which assembled on Tuesday, is understood to want a meeting with President William Ruto or officials from the Sports Ministry before returning to training.
The players are unhappy about several issues, including accommodation, flight arrangements and allowances that remain unpaid. They want the outstanding matters resolved before continuing preparations for the upcoming AFCON qualifier.
The dispute has emerged just days before Kenya’s meeting with Eritrea, putting pressure on the team’s preparations for the important fixture.
The players are demanding the immediate payment of allowances they say are still outstanding. These include money relating to friendly matches against Lesotho in June, as well as games against Senegal and Equatorial Guinea played in Turkey in November 2025.
Accommodation is another major concern for the squad. The players are seeking improved hotel facilities for both home and away assignments, pointing to previous stays in what they consider to have been substandard accommodation.
They are also calling for changes to the team’s travel arrangements. According to the concerns raised by the players, recent journeys have involved budget flights and lengthy layovers, which they want replaced with better arrangements and fewer prolonged stopovers.
The players have made clear that they want the issues dealt with before they resume training.
Their demands centre on four main areas: better accommodation during assignments, improved travel arrangements, settlement of all outstanding allowances, and a meeting with either President Ruto or representatives of the Sports Ministry.
The call for talks with senior government officials reflects the players’ desire to have their welfare and logistical concerns addressed directly.
The squad’s decision not to train comes at a significant point in preparations for Saturday’s match against Eritrea. With the AFCON qualifier only days away, the unresolved dispute has interrupted the team’s preparations.
The players are seeking assurances that the issues affecting them will be addressed and have indicated that they will return to training once their concerns are resolved.
The situation therefore leaves Kenya’s preparations for the Eritrea fixture under pressure, with the squad yet to resume training following its arrival and assembly on Tuesday.
The immediate focus is now on whether an agreement can be reached over the players’ demands, allowing preparations for Saturday’s AFCON qualifier to continue.
The dispute involves both financial and logistical concerns, with the players seeking payment of allowances from previous international fixtures alongside improved accommodation and travel arrangements for future assignments.
Kenya’s players are ultimately asking for their concerns to be addressed before they return to the training ground, with Saturday’s Eritrea match approaching and the team yet to resume preparations.
