Why Kenya skipped AFCON beach soccer qualifiers

Kenya was unable to participate in this year’s beach soccer AFCON qualifiers owing to delayed notification by organisers and sports suspension in the country, according to beach soccer committee chairman Gabriel Mghendi.

Mghendi said they were informed in the last minutes and the Government had suspended all sports activities in the country at the time to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Those factors gave them little chance to assemble a team.

“We received the invite very late and as we know sports are suspended in the country thus we had no option than to decline,” said Mghendi

The FKF Coast National Executive Member has insisted that plans for a beach soccer league, which were halted by the prevailing suspension of all sports activities, are still on.

Through the league, Mghendi stated that they will produce a strong national team to participate in different competitions.

“Our plans are still on course, we just wait for the presidential directive to resume sports before we embark on it.”

Tanzania edged out Burundi in the two legged qualifiers to book their ticket with Uganda given a walk-over after their opponents Ghana pulled out in the last minutes.

The Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled for 23-29 May in Senegal and will act as the qualifier to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2021, which will be played in Russia in August 2021.