The Harambee Stars have not played at an AFCON tournament since 2019, where they failed to make it out of Group C behind Algeria and Senegal, with just one win over bottom side Tanzania.
McCarthy took charge of the team in March and was unable to steer his team to the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, but they will play in the next edition of the competition as co-hosts, alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
The former AmaZulu and Cape Town City head coach said on Pulse Sports Kenya: "Kenya is an upcoming nation, an East African nation, a sleeping giant, I feel, because the talents that I have seen over this year working in Kenya are immense.
"The progress has been good, but I think what I expect and see achievement-wise since we are the host nation, you want to at least get out of the group stages."
McCarthy added that his side will be able to compete if they are drawn in a favourable AFCON group.
"If we are in a modest group, we can have a fighting chance, and that is the first goal that we want to achieve: get out of the group and have the same impact we had when we played in the CHAN competition," he said.
"That [Round of 16] would be a good starting point, a success for us, but beyond that is anyone's guess. I just want to make a difference. Kenyan football, when you leave there, people would believe more in their football as they do in athletics."
Former Harambee Stars coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee has defended Benni McCarthy amid growing scrutiny of the South African's tenure as Kenya head coach, describing the role as "the most difficult job in the world".
Benni McCarthy's Kenya suffered a 1-0 defeat to Guinea on Thursday as Serhou Guirassy's first goal of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers earned the hosts victory.
Benni McCarthy believes Kenya can frustrate Guinea if they maintain their discipline and avoid mistakes in Thursday's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifier at Stade du 28 Septembre.
Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy believes South Africa's recent coaching change could provide the Harambee Stars with an opportunity when the two teams meet twice during the November international window.
