2026 WAFCON qualifiers Harambee Starlets vs Gambia ended with Kenya celebrating a 4-1 aggregate triumph and a long awaited return to the continental stage for the first time since 2016. A composed 1-0 away victory in Thiès, Senegal, on Tuesday, 28 October, added to the 3-1 first leg win in Nairobi and sealed a place at WAFCON 2026 in Morocco.
It was not just a result, it was the release of a near decade of yearning. The final whistle at Stade Lat Dior felt like a curtain rising, revealing a group that has grown in steel and belief, and a fan base that has stayed stubbornly hopeful.
How Kenya sealed qualification
The job began at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, 24 October, where Kenya outplayed The Gambia 3-1 in the first leg. Goals from Mwanalima Adam, Fasila Adhiambo, and youngster Shaylene Opisa gave Beldine Odemba’s team a cushion and, more importantly, confidence.
In the return leg, moved to Senegal since The Gambia does not have a Caf approved home venue, Kenya executed with maturity. Early in the second half, Elizabeth Wambui launched a long ball into the box, the hosts hesitated, and Mwanalima Adam stole in to head into an empty net. The moment gave the Starlets all the breathing space they needed and underlined a recurring theme in this run, Kenya’s sharpness when it matters most.
Behind the forwards, the defensive core stayed calm. Goalkeeper Lilian Awuor dealt cleanly with the efforts that reached her and the back line, led by captain Ruth Ingosi, kept the danger in front of them. The 4-1 aggregate was not just convincing, it was deserved.
Key moments in Thiès
The second leg began in a cagey rhythm, Kenya sitting in a low block and The Gambia probing without committing too many numbers. The first real scare came from a set piece, a free kick hoisted into the Kenyan area that drew a goal bound header, only for the goalkeeper to flick wide with a vital fingertip touch.
Kenya’s first look arrived via tidy work on the right, Wambui to the byline and a cutback that Shaylene Opisa sliced inches wide. Later, a left sided free kick from Martha Amunyolet, struck with purpose, forced Mary Gomez into a save at the expense of a corner.
The physical edge sharpened as frustration crept in for the hosts, and Sarah Jarju went into the book for a late tackle on Ingosi. After the restart, Kenya’s persistence paid off with Adam’s header following Wambui’s lofted pass, a simple finish born from pressure and patience.
The Gambia threw bodies forward and had half chances, including a weak header from Mariama Cham that drifted harmlessly. Kenya managed an injury setback when Violet Nanjala, on as a substitute, had to be replaced by Leah Cherotich, yet the structure held. Near the end, Adhiambo tried to clip a second over the stranded goalkeeper but her effort landed on the roof of the net, then a spilled free kick at the other end was smothered before it could cause damage.
The tactical thread of this campaign
Across two legs, Odemba’s blueprint looked clear, patience out of possession, punchy transitions, and faith in the group. She weathered criticism during the journey but stuck to her principles. Earlier in qualifying, Kenya eliminated Tunisia on a 1-0 aggregate, a tight contest edged by an early away goal in Sousse, and that resilience carried into the Gambia tie.
Odemba’s post match tone was humble and collective. It is not about me, it is about the country, she said, underscoring a message that this is Kenya’s achievement, built on unity, great spirit, and the lessons of waiting nearly a decade for another shot.
Voices from a proud nation
The reaction across Kenya captured the scope of the moment. Fans and officials lined up to salute the team and the coach who led them here.
“Beldine is a true testament of what women can do when they are empowered. After 10 years, it was a woman coach who overcame some of the best teams on the continent to take us to WAFCON. Her strategy and team set up over the two legs was excellent,” said Maimuna Omar.
“I am really happy for Beldine. Her rise from an understudy in men’s football to a powerhouse in women’s football is impressive. The work at Kenya Police Bullets and with the national team is great,” said Emily Amimo.
“There is a general rise in the growth of women’s football in the country. We had the U17 team qualify for the World Cup, and now the senior team is back to WAFCON after 10 years,” posted Elizabeth Wasio.
“The goalkeeper, Lilian Awuor, was the best player in our qualification journey. Dogo, Mwanalima Adam, was above the rest in midfield, and Corazone Aquino’s experience came in handy. The new members, like Kamama, Fasila Adhiambo, also played their part,” said Edwin Kipkoech.
President William Ruto added his voice with a warm congratulatory note and a pledge he intends to honor. Warm congratulations to our brilliant Harambee Starlets, he wrote, hailing discipline, talent, and unity, and promising to do his part as the team marches toward Morocco.
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The money on the table
Good football brings good fortune, and the Starlets will feel the lift. President Ruto confirmed each player will receive KSh 1 million for winning away and qualifying, a promise delivered in his message after the second leg. This comes in addition to KSh 10 million already given to the team after the first leg victory in Nairobi, a tangible signal of support to a squad that keeps delivering.
There is more in sight at WAFCON 2026. CAF’s prize structure, from the previous cycle, shows the scale of opportunity. The winner was awarded USD 1 million, the runners up received half that, and even teams that finished fourth in their groups earned payouts, Kenya is guaranteed a minimum should that structure remain. Crucially, this prize money is remitted to the federation, which then decides on its allocation.
- Potential earnings begin with the presidential bonus, KSh 1 million per player,
- additional motivation includes the earlier KSh 10 million team bonus after the first leg,
- CAF prize money awaits in Morocco, with a minimum payout for group participants.
Coach Odemba’s blueprint and plea
Odemba framed qualification as a starting line, not a finish. We do not want to go as participants, we want to go and compete, she said, urging the Football Kenya Federation and the Ministry of Sports to provide solid pre tournament preparations. Camps, quality friendlies, and continuity will set the tone for Morocco.
Her watchwords are unity and time. The coach spoke of the great spirit in the team, of the nine year wait that sharpened focus, and of a technical bench that pulled in one direction. It reads like a culture shift, the kind of foundation that often matters as much as any tactical tweak.
Why this return matters
Kenya’s comeback to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations resonates beyond the scoreboard. It validates years of work by players who balanced club commitments and national duty, administrators who kept the program moving, and fans who never stopped believing. It also sits alongside wider gains in the women’s game, from youth milestones to improved visibility for the senior side.
The route to Morocco carried its own hard edges. Tunisia away required discipline and composure, and The Gambia demanded patience across 180 minutes. The Starlets met each ask. In Nairobi, they played with freedom, in Senegal, they managed risk, and in both, they trusted their strengths, especially the pace and timing of Adam, the supply of Wambui, and the safe hands of Awuor.
What comes next
Dates are set, WAFCON 2026 will run from 17 March to 3 April in Morocco. Between now and then, Kenya’s target is simple and demanding, prepare well enough to carry this momentum onto a bigger stage. Opponents will be stronger and margins thinner, yet the core that got the job done looks ready for the next climb.
The Starlets have put Kenya back on the continental map. The celebrations are justified, the rewards are welcome, and the work starts now. With thoughtful planning, the same unity that powered qualification, and a nation behind them, Kenya can
