Nairobi — National football team Harambee Stars arrived in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Tuesday night ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match against The Gambia on Thursday.

Gambia are playing their home matches in neighboring Ivory Coast as none of their home pitches have been certified by CAF.

Stars left the country Tuesday morning, with only three players expected to link up with them in Abidjan. Coach Benni McCarthy will only have a day of training with his entire squad before the match.

The tactician had three days of training with a group of local based players last week, but only four of them have made the final travelling squad.

He will have his first upclose opportunity with the entire squad, including the foreign based stars, on Wednesday, on the last session before Thursday night's game.

Kenya is placed fourth in Group F with five points, five behind leaders Ivory Coast. They play fifth placed Gambia away in Abidjan this Thursday, before welcoming Gabon at home on Sunday, their first home fixture in four years.

Gambia is coached by Irishman Jonathan McKinstry, who spent two years with Kenyan champions Gor Mahia and led them to the FKF Premier League title before he departed.