AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: Kenya has been roped in as a replacement for South Africa in the forthcoming Hero Intercontinental Cup after the South African Football Federation in a letter to All India Football Federation expressed their inability to participate in the four-nation tournament.

Besides Kenya from the CAF region, the Hero Intercontinental Cup which will kick-off at the Mumbai Football Arena on June 1 will also have representation in the form of New Zealand from the Oceania region, and Chinese Taipei from the AFC region.

The Kenyan squad boasts of a number of players who play across various professional premier leagues in Europe and other parts of the world.

The tournament which will be telecast live on Star Sports is being organised to strengthen India’s preparation for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, our second qualification to the Continental Championship in 8 years and fourth overall, the last being in Doha 2011.

The Indian National Team which has been on an upsurge over the last couple of years are currently ranked 97 (as per April 2018 FIFA Rankings) and were on an unbeaten run for 12 official matches for a span which extended from June 2016 to November 2017.