Kenya’s Junior Starlets continued their remarkable rise by qualifying for the 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating South Africa 3-1 in Nairobi to complete a commanding 5-1 aggregate victory.
Roared on by a capacity crowd at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, the young Kenyans built on their 2-0 first-leg advantage before finishing the job in emphatic fashion to secure one of Africa’s five places at the tournament, which will be hosted by Morocco from 17 October to 7 November.
The game kicked off with a minute's silence for South Africa’s World Cup midfielder Jayden Adams, who died on Saturday.
Kenya will now join Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia as Africa’s representatives at the 10th edition of the global finals.
The Junior Starlets have been drawn into a daunting Group D alongside Japan, France and Venezuela.
This is the second time Kenya has qualified for the tournament, on both occasions under coach Mildred Cheche, who is the first Kenyan to lead a team to two FIFA World Cup tournaments. They made their debut in 2024 but missed the 2025 edition.
Investment in sports
Celebrations erupted across Nyayo National Stadium following the final whistle, with players, supporters and officials marking another milestone for Kenya, which is making progress in football in recent years.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, was at the stadium, while President William Ruto joined the celebrations via a video call, congratulating the players and coaching staff on the achievement.
Kenya Football Federation President Hussein Mohamed hailed the qualification.
“To the government, your investment in sports, facilities, facilitation and morale has played a key role in this historic qualification to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup,” Hussein wrote on social media.
Progression to seniors
“This is more than football. It is proof that when we support our girls, they deliver for Kenya. The flag is going to the world stage. Let’s go make history.”
In 2024, the team became the first Kenyan side, men’s or women’s, to qualify for a FIFA World Cup before making even more history by defeating Mexico 2-1 in the Dominican Republic, registering the country’s first-ever victory at a FIFA World Cup.
Several members of that pioneering Under-17 squad, including Valerie Nekesa, Elizabeth Ochaka, defender Lorine Ilavonga, and forwards Lorna Faith, Marion Serenge and Pearl Olesi, have already graduated into the senior Harambee Starlets set-up.
Their progression has helped Kenya qualify for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, marking the senior team’s return to the continental finals for the first time since 2016.
