Kenya is preparing to face Cameroon in Group J of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers this month. This is a crucial stage in the qualification process, with the two sides set to play two matches over three days—games that will likely determine the group’s final standings. Kenya needs at least four points from these encounters to secure a qualification spot.
Both countries currently sit at the top of the group, with Kenya ahead on goals scored—two compared to Cameroon’s one—but tied on four points with a +1 goal difference. The top two teams will qualify directly for AFCON, while the other countries in the group, Zimbabwe and Namibia, will battle to stay in contention.
Cameroon’s name is derived from the Wouri River, which Portuguese explorers in the 15th century renamed Rio dos Camarões ("River of Prawns"). Meanwhile, Kenya supposedly got its name from Mt. Kirinyaga, which the Kamba people called “Kinyaa”—meaning ostrich—because the snowcapped mountain resembled the bird. So, this match is between "prawns" and "ostriches," though both teams now refer to themselves as the Indomitable Lions and Harambee Stars, respectively.
Cameroon is a Francophone country, but it was first a German protectorate until World War I. After the war, the territory was divided into French and British protectorates, with the British taking the area bordering Nigeria. In 1961, a referendum led to the northern part of the British protectorate joining Nigeria, while the southern part opted to remain with Francophone Cameroon. Economically, Kenya’s GDP ranks seventh in Africa, while Cameroon sits at fifteenth. About 60% of Cameroonians live in urban areas, compared to 30% of Kenyans. On the football field, however, Cameroon consistently outranks Kenya.
During the 1990 World Cup qualifiers for Italy, the eight highest-ranked teams in Africa, according to FIFA, included Ivory Coast, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Zaire. These teams bypassed the first round of qualifiers. Cameroon went on to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. For the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, Cameroon is ranked ninth in Africa, while Kenya is 26th, reflecting a decline in Kenya’s football standing on the continent.
Kenya first faced Cameroon in the 1972 AFCON, which was hosted by Cameroon. Kenya drew 1-1 with Togo and Mali but lost 2-1 to the hosts in the opening match. Jonathan Niva, who was both captain and coach, scored Kenya’s consolation goal—also Kenya’s first-ever AFCON goal.
Kenya hosted Cameroon on July 1, 1984, in Nairobi, losing 3-1. That same year, Cameroon won their first AFCON title in Ivory Coast after defeating Nigeria 3-1 in the final. In 1986, Cameroon lost the AFCON final to Egypt in Cairo via post-match penalties. The two sides met again in the 1987 All Africa Games, where they played to a thrilling 3-3 draw, though Kenya later lost the final to Egypt. Cameroon was coached by Frenchman Claude Le Roy, while Kenya’s technical bench was led by Reinhard Fabisch.
In the 1988 AFCON, hosted by Morocco, Kenya was grouped with Cameroon, Nigeria, and Egypt. The Harambee Stars faced Cameroon on March 20, with the match ending in a scoreless draw. Cameroon and Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage, while Kenya and Egypt were eliminated. The teams met again in the 1990 AFCON in Algeria, where Kenya lost 2-0 to Cameroon.
Kenya and Cameroon were placed in Group 5 of the 1998 AFCON qualifiers, alongside Gabon and Namibia. Kenya held the Indomitable Lions—who boasted players like Misse Misse, Alphonse Tchami, Pierre Wome, Jeremi Njitap, Raymond Kalla, Solomon Olembe, and Marc-Vivien Foé—to a 0-0 draw in Nairobi. It was a formidable Cameroonian side, but Harambee Stars, under the late Reinhard Fabisch, stood their ground, with notable performances from Francis Onyiso, Seif Mutie, Ken Simiyu, and others.
