Nairobi, January 30 2026 — Scottish-based striker Jonah Ayunga is dreaming big, and his sights are firmly set on the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. With Kenya co-hosting the tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania, Ayunga sees a home-stage AFCON as a career-defining moment he is determined to earn.
From Delayed Debut to Renewed Ambition
Ayunga’s international journey has been anything but straightforward. First called up in 2018 after a move from Dorchester Town to Brighton & Hove Albion, the Brighton academy graduate endured nearly eight years before finally making his Harambee Stars debut. That long wait, shaped by passport snags and cancelled camps, only sharpened his hunger to wear the national shirt again.
Club Form Fuels National Hope
Now 28 and flourishing at St Mirren in Scotland — where he recently lifted the Scottish League Cup — Ayunga believes consistent club performances are his ticket back into the national fold. “I need to make sure I am doing well enough at club level to get selected and take my chances when I am out there,” he told Bridport News. His resurgence north of the border has reignited his international prospects and his confidence.
A Personal and National Opportunity
Born in England to a Kenyan father and English mother, Ayunga has already earned nine caps for the Harambee Stars. Kenya’s absence from the 2025 tournament in Morocco only adds fuel to his determination. The trio of hosts — Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania — gained valuable experience staging the 2024 African Nations Championship, and Ayunga wants to be part of the story when AFCON returns to East Africa.
Eyes on the Prize
Reflecting on his comeback, Ayunga said the journey back into the squad has been “incredible.” He now sees himself as a genuine contender for AFCON 2027 selection and is focused on staying in form and seizing every opportunity. “It would definitely be a career highlight to be out there playing in that,” he said, already picturing the roar of home crowds and the chance to shine on Africa’s biggest stage.
