The tournament, set to take place in June and July next year, will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania - marking the first time in AFCON history that three countries will share hosting duties. It will also be the first edition in five decades to be held in the CECAFA region, since Ethiopia hosted in 1976.
Nicholas Musonye, chairman of the AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee, emphasised the importance of thorough preparation and government support to help Harambee Stars go beyond mere participation.
"We will discuss with the Football Kenya Federation president on how the team will be prepared. As the LOC, we are concerned about the success of Harambee Stars," Musonye told Sporty FM, as reported by Africanfootball.com.
"AFCON is big, and we want our team to prepare well. We want the government to support our national team preparations so that we have the best team to contest and be in contention for winning, not just participating. If the team stretches all the way to the semi-finals, it will make this competition very exciting."
Kenya's historical best at the AFCON remains a fourth-place finish in 1972, and Musonye hopes McCarthy, who guided the team to the CHAN 2025 quarter-finals, can surpass that milestone on home soil.
"A semi-final place would stretch the competition to a level where everyone would be happy about it. Our target is to reach the semi-finals in the Africa Cup of Nations, and from there, we can plan how to reach the final," Musonye added.
With the weight of expectation on his shoulders, McCarthy will need tactical acumen and strong squad preparation to meet Kenya's historic ambitions in front of a home crowd.
Kenyan football is the country's most popular sport, but attendance is highly inconsistent, with strong turnouts only for major fixtures while routine league matches attract limited crowds.
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