Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy says his staff have not been paid and is calling for FIFA and CAF to intervene, just days before facing his native South Africa.
Benni McCarthy is saying it plainly: Kenya’s staff are not being paid. Days before the return match against South Africa, scheduled for 17 November 2026 in Group D, the head coach is calling for FIFA and CAF to step in, according to Bzsgxs/JRS, citing Sports Broadcast of 10 November. “The authorities concerned must pay,” he said.
Bonuses outstanding since September
The issue of arrears is nothing new. Also according to Bzsgxs/JRS, the Kenyan players considered going on strike in September, before the match against Eritrea, over unpaid bonuses. McCarthy says he persuaded them to train and play.
On the trip to Guinea, most of the players eventually received their bonuses under pressure exerted on the federation and the Ministry of Sports, according to the same source.
The coach is holding his line: “The staff have received no salary. But at the end of the day, my job is to take Kenya to a better position than when I arrived,” he said, as quoted by Bzsgxs/JRS.
A native country that knows him well
On the pitch, the fixture has a special flavour for McCarthy: he is South Africa’s all-time top scorer, with 31 goals, according to Foot-Africa. On the other side, striker Lyle Foster has 10 goals for South Africa.
The first leg ended 2-2 in Johannesburg, in front of 32,000 spectators. Ryan Ogam, a striker at RFC Liège, equalised in the 90th minute for Kenya, according to La Meuse via Mapressedujour.
In comments reported by Foot-Africa, McCarthy offers a tactical observation: “Listen, it’s not just the case in South Africa, it’s a global phenomenon. When you look at modern football, most teams now play with inverted wingers.”
FIFA and CAF called upon
By calling on the continental and world governing bodies for help, the head coach is stepping outside the purely sporting frame. His statement, reported by Bzsgxs/JRS, adds to the pressure already exerted on the federation and the Ministry of Sports to secure the bonuses.
The return match Kenya – South Africa, counting towards Matchday 4 of Group D, is scheduled for 17 November 2026, according to Qiumiwu.