Kenya’s national football team Harambee Stars will kick off their 2025 Mapinduzi Cup campaign against Burkina Faso on Saturday, January 4th, 2025 at 8:15 PM at the Gombani Stadium on Pemba Island.
The tournament offers the Stars an opportunity to fine-tune their squad ahead of CHAN.
Their second match pits them against Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Stars on Tuesday, January 7th, at the same venue. The group stage concludes with a clash against Zanzibar on Friday, January 10th.
The top two teams from the group will proceed to the final, scheduled to take place on Monday, January 13th.
With the Mapinduzi Cup providing a competitive environment, Harambee Stars aim to build momentum and cohesion ahead of CHAN. Fans will be keen to see how the team performs against regional rivals in what promises to be a pivotal tournament for Kenya’s football ambitions.
Meanwhile, the organisers of the Mapinduzi Cup 2025 have announced significant changes to the tournament format following the withdrawal of the Burundi national team.
Initially, the competition was structured into two groups of three teams, but it will now be played on a league basis, featuring one group.
All matches are scheduled to take place at the Gombani Stadium in Pemba.
Speaking to The Citizen, Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF) President Suleiman Jabir revealed that Burundi’s late withdrawal left organisers scrambling to find a replacement. Efforts to bring in South Sudan were unsuccessful, forcing the tournament to shift to a single-group league format.
“We received Burundi’s withdrawal at the last minute, and despite our best efforts to fill the gap, we were unable to secure a replacement. South Sudan, our alternative, also declined to participate,” said Jabir the phone. Jabir confirmed that the tournament’s revised fixture would be released within a few hours.
Despite the changes, the schedule for the final remains unchanged, with the championship match set to take place on January 13 at the Gombani Stadium.
The remaining teams in the competition are Zanzibar Heroes (hosts), Kilimanjaro Stars (Tanzania Mainland), Harambee Stars (Kenya), The Cranes (Uganda), and Burkina Faso. These teams will now compete in a round-robin format, ensuring that each side plays against all the others.
Traditionally, the Mapinduzi Cup has been a platform for top football clubs from East Africa and invited teams to showcase their talent.
However, the 2025 edition introduces a new twist by including national teams.
This change aligns with preparations for the upcoming continental tournaments, as Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda are set to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals and the 2025 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
“This year’s competition offers an excellent opportunity for the competing national teams to prepare for the CHAN tournament,” Jabir explained.
