Harambee Starlets to Boost WAFCON 2026 Preparations with Zambia Four-Nations Tourney

Kenya's national women's football team, the Harambee Starlets, will travel to Zambia in June for a Four Nations Tournament as they intensify their preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The invitational tournament, hosted in Lusaka, will feature Kenya, hosts Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Burkina Faso. All participating nations will use the event to sharpen their squads for upcoming international competitions.

‎According to the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings, Zambia are ranked 64th, Burkina Faso 118th, Zimbabwe 127th, while Kenya sit 128th globally.

This marks another chance for the Harambee Starlets to measure themselves against strong opposition, following their participation in the FIFA Series held in Kenya this past April.

In that competition, Kenya secured a 2-0 victory over India in the semi-finals before falling 2-0 to Australia in the final.

Head coach Beldine Odemba highlighted the value of the April tournament, noting it was the team's first experience against a non-African side.

"I am glad the girls are learning, and they are learning really fast. We have never played a team outside Africa, and we are happy that we played against a big team, and the girls gave their best. We got numerous chances, and now we really know that we need to work on our chances," Beldine Odemba said.

The coach expressed growing confidence in her squad's development as they build towards the continental championship.

"As a coach, as a technical bench, we are very confident with the team we have. We shall go to WAFCON and perform well," she added.

"I am impressed with the whole team, not only the centre-backs, but the whole team. They played as a team, they gave their best, and so far, we feel we have built a team ready for the WAFCON."

Odemba also praised the FIFA Series for providing a clear benchmark of the team's progress. "The FIFA Series has enabled us to see where we are, to see how we are, to see what we are to work on, and I am really proud of the girls."

Kenya is scheduled to kick off its campaign in Lusaka against Zimbabwe on June 6, followed by a match against Zambia on June 9. The full format of the tournament is yet to be confirmed by the organisers.

This tournament is a key part of the Starlets' journey to the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco. The event will mark Kenya's second appearance at the finals, a decade after their debut in 2016. The WAFCON tournament is scheduled to take place from July 25 to August 16, 2026.

‎Fixtures

‎June 6, 2026

Kenya vs Zimbabwe

Zambia vs Burkina Faso

June 9, 2026

Zambia vs Kenya

Zimbabwe vs Burkina Faso