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Kenya are preparing for a two-legged second-round tie against the West Africans, with the first leg scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, at Nyayo National Stadium before travelling to Abidjan for the return match on Tuesday, November 17.

The Emerging Stars head coach Anthony Kimani has raised concerns over fixture congestion ahead of Kenya's 2027 U23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Côte d'Ivoire, with several players expected to return to their clubs for league assignments this weekend.

Kenya are preparing for a two-legged second-round tie against the West Africans, with the first leg scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, at Nyayo National Stadium before travelling to Abidjan for the return match on Tuesday, November 17.

Kimani says preparations have started well, with the players who have reported to camp showing a positive attitude and quickly adapting to the technical team's instructions.

"The mood in camp is really good. It's very positive. All the players who have joined us so far have put their best foot forward. They've trained really well and taken instructions very quickly. We've had two very good and solid sessions, and we are looking forward to more," Kimani said.

The coach believes the encounter against Côte d'Ivoire will provide a valuable test for his players, who are looking to establish themselves at the international level.

He challenged the team to embrace the difficult assignment, insisting that facing strong opposition is necessary if Kenya are to compete among the best sides on the continent.

"If we want to be the best, we've got to play against the best and beat them as well, not just play against them. I think it's going to be a good test for our players," he added.

Kimani also believes the timing of the qualifiers presents a better situation than their previous meeting with Tanzania, as the domestic league is now underway.

The coach noted that the FKF Premier League has reached match week five, allowing locally based players to build match fitness and sharpness through regular competitive action.

However, the ongoing league season has also created a scheduling challenge for the national team, with clubs expected to resume their league commitments over the weekend of November 7 and 8.

Kimani fears that players who feature for the full 90 minutes, particularly those travelling to away fixtures, may struggle to recover adequately before the first leg against Côte d'Ivoire just three days later.

"That poses a very unique challenge for us because the league matches over the coming weekend are still on. We are probably going to lose a lot of these players because they have to rejoin their respective clubs and honour their fixtures on Saturday and Sunday," he explained.

"A lot of these players will probably clock 90 minutes on Sunday, and if you look at the fact that we play Côte d'Ivoire on the 11th, they will not have enough time to fully recover and give us the sort of performance we expect."

The coach further pointed to the travelling involved, with some clubs scheduled to play in Mombasa, Kakamega and Embu, adding to the physical demands on the players.

He revealed that the technical bench was engaging the relevant parties to explore the possibility of rescheduling some league fixtures to give the national team more time to prepare.

Kimani, however, remains encouraged by the competition within the squad, saying the players who have featured in the training matches have shown determination to earn places in the team.

He also confirmed that some foreign-based players had yet to join the camp, including Aldrin Kibet, who plays for Spanish side Celta Vigo, alongside several other players expected to link up with the squad.

The Emerging Stars will be hoping to overcome Côte d'Ivoire and move closer to qualifying for the 2027 U23 AFCON, with the competition also serving as the qualification pathway for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Kenya will need a strong performance over the two legs to keep their qualification hopes alive against a side expected to provide a stern test.