Harambee Starlets to Begin WAFCON 2026 Journey with Two Key Friendlies

Harambee Starlets coach Beldine Odemba has detailed the preparations ahead of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2026 in Morocco.

Harambee Starlets’ return to the continental stage marks a monumental moment for Kenyan football, ending a nine-year absence from the flagship women's tournament, having last featured in 2016.

Harambee Starlets booked their ticket following a commanding performance in the final round of qualifiers against Gambia.

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After a convincing 3-1 victory in the first leg in Nairobi, the team, led by coach Beldine Odemba, clinched qualification with a disciplined 1-0 win away, completing a dominant 4-1 aggregate triumph. The winning goal in the decisive return fixture came from the skilful Mwanahalima Adam.

Speaking after being awarded as the SJAK coach of the month of August, Beldine Odemba explained that the federation has placed the Harambee Starlets in their plans as they look to prove a point in Morocco.

Beldine Odemba pointed out that they will be up against Zambia in friendly matches before planning the way forward.

“So far, so good, we have the FIFA window and the federation has already assured that we have a good friendly for that,” Beldine Odemba shared.

“We shall play against Zambia in two friendly matches, and we shall travel there for that as we prepare for this. After that, we haven’t discussed the way forward, but we shall know how we are going to prepare for the tournament well.”

Beldine Odemba has now set her sights even higher, aiming for a successful outing in Morocco that could pave the way for a historic first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup appearance in 2027.

While Harambee Starlets have qualified for WAFCON 2026, their specific group stage opponents are not yet known. The draw procedure, including the seeding of the 16 qualified teams, will determine the composition of the four groups closer to the tournament date.

Powerhouses Nigeria, South Africa (Defending Champions), Ghana, and Cameroon have made the cut. Other countries that have qualified include Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Malawi, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia.