Harambee Starlets will take on Tunisia in the first round of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 qualifiers, following Thursday evening’s draw in Cairo.The tournament will feature 12 nations in the final stage, with the qualifiers drawing participation from 38 African teams.Kenya, who missed the last WAFCON in Morocco after being eliminated by Botswana in the final round of qualifiers, is determined to make a comeback.##NAJAVA_MECA_8566359##Kenya, last took part in the continental show piece in 2016.The previous WAFCON, held in Morocco, broke records for attendance and global TV viewership, underlining the growing popularity of women’s football in Africa.In the U-17 category, Kenya secured a bye to the second round of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers after representing Africa in last year’s edition held in the Dominican Republic.Morocco will host the next FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup from 17 October to 8 November 2025, marking the first time Africa hosts the global event.FKF promises merit-based selection for new Harambee Stars coachIn the previous edition, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia represented Africa. Nigeria reached the quarter-finals, while Kenya and Zambia exited in the group stages.For the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, 28 African nations will vie for five available slots.In the draw conducted by CAF (Confédération Africaine de Football) on Thursday, December 12, 2024 in Cairo, Egypt, Kenya is set to face the winner between Namibia and Uganda in the second round of qualifiers.The journey to Morocco, where the World Cup will be hosted for the first time from October 17 to November 8, 2025, will see Africa fielding five representatives in the global showpiece.The qualifiers will unfold over three rounds. The second-round ties are scheduled for March 7–9, 2025, for the first leg and March 14–16, 2025 for the return leg.Teams advancing to the third and final round will battle it out between April 18–20, 2025(first leg) and April 25–27, 2025 (second leg) for a coveted World Cup ticket.With their sights set on securing a spot in their second consecutive World Cup, the Junior Starlets are eager to capitalize on their momentum and build on their legacy as one of Africa’s rising football powerhouses.Eugene Asike on experience of working with EPL side Brighton & Hove AlbionParticipating Nations in WAFCON 2026 Qualifiers: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo, DR Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
