The women’s side will open their quest for glory at 1:00 PM EAT, while the men will step onto the pitch later at 9:30 PM.  The 2025 Hockey Africa Cup of Nations kicks off today in Ismailia, Egypt, with both Kenya men’s and women’s national teams set to begin their campaigns.

The women’s side will open their quest for glory at 1:00 PM East African Time, while the men will step onto the pitch later at 9:30 PM in a high-stakes opener against hosts Egypt.

In other opening fixtures, the men’s category will feature Ghana facing Nigeria at 11:00 AM and South Africa meeting Zambia at 3:00 PM, while the women’s fixtures will see Ghana take on Egypt at 5:00 PM.

For Kenya, this tournament represents both a continuation of progress and a test of resilience. The men’s national team, coached by Michael Malungu, will be aiming to improve on their fourth-place finish in the 2022 edition, where they narrowly lost 4–2 to Nigeria in the third-place playoff.

The Kenyan squad features a blend of experienced players and exciting new talents — including Vincent Wesonga, Mathias Gularire, Brian Azeze and Linton Nayombe, who earned their first senior call-up after representing Kenya at the U21 Africa qualifiers in Namibia earlier this year.

The women’s team, on the other hand, will look to replicate or even better their bronze medal finish from 2022, when they edged Zimbabwe 3–1 in post-match shootouts.

Both sides have had a busy few months of preparation — a process that Malungu says has been both challenging and rewarding.

“The preparations have been good so far, the boys are ready for the task ahead,” said Malungu ahead of the team’s departure. “Hockey, unlike other sports, is more of an amateur sport here in Kenya, so we don’t have the privilege of having the best of preparations. But we’ve made the most of what we have.”

As the tournament begins, both Kenyan teams know the magnitude of the task ahead — facing Africa’s hockey giants such as South Africa, Egypt, and Ghana.

For the women, early momentum will be crucial as they navigate a demanding fixture list, while the men’s side will have to contend with the home advantage Egypt will enjoy in the late-night opener.

Day 1 fixtures:

Men:

Ghana vs Nigeria – 11am

South Africa vs Zambia – 3pm

Kenya vs Egypt – 9.30pm

Women:

Kenya vs Nigeria – 1pm

Ghana vs Egypt – 5pm

Source: Mozzartsport.co.ke | 11 Oct. 2025