After a decade of near misses and heartbreak, the Harambee Starlets qualify for WAFCON 2026 with a 4-1 aggregate win over The Gambia, a result that has unleashed a wave of joy across Kenya and reset the compass of the women’s game. It is a return crafted through unity, resilience and a belief that refused to fade.
How Kenya got it done
Kenya laid the platform at Nyayo Stadium on Friday 24 October with a 3-1 victory in the first leg of the final qualifying round. After Gambia captain Fatoumata Kanteh struck early, the Starlets answered through Mwanalima Adam, Fasila Adhiambo and youngster Shaylene Opisa to seize control of the tie.
The decisive second leg on Tuesday 28 October was staged at the Stade Lat Dior in Thies, Senegal, where Gambia were hosting due to stadium standards back home. There, it was the experienced Adam who pounced in the 56th minute, heading into an empty net after a defensive mix up to secure a 1-0 win and a commanding 4-1 aggregate, a moment that underscored Kenya’s composure away from home.
The road from Tunis to Thies
This qualification run began with a gritty success against Tunisia, a 1-0 aggregate triumph achieved with a vital away win. Tereza Engesha’s early goal made the difference in that tie, proof that the Starlets could handle tight margins and tense moments on foreign soil.
That foundation mattered when the stakes rose against The Gambia. Over two legs, Kenya were better in both penalty areas and in the details in between, a growth that has been evident since their narrow miss in the 2024 qualifiers where they fell to Botswana in the final round, a result that sharpened focus rather than dampened ambition.
Odemba’s message and the recipe for success
Head coach Beldine Odemba has worn criticism and expectation with a calm certainty. After sealing qualification, she downplayed personal acclaim. “It is not about me, it is about the country”, she said, adding that Kenya had qualified and that the joy belongs to football fans across the nation.
“Unity in the team, great spirit and also the time of waiting. It has been nine years, so we kept reminding ourselves that it has been nine years, how long can we wait?”
Odemba’s reflections revealed the core of the Starlets’ surge. The squad leaned on togetherness and a relentless spirit, and when decisions were questioned, the coach stayed true to her selections and structure, a stance that has now been validated by the biggest reward, a stage in Morocco next year.
With that return secured, Odemba issued a heartfelt plea to the Football Kenya Federation and the Ministry of Sports. She urged for robust pre-tournament plans to ensure Kenya do not travel merely to participate but to compete. “Please allow us to have good preparations before we go to WAFCON”, she said, a clear call that echoes through every successful campaign.
The players who rose to the moment
In a collective effort, several names stood out in both the qualifiers and the Gambia tie. Goalkeeper Lilian Awuor drew particular praise from supporters for calm handling and crucial saves, the kind of assurance that steadies a team, especially away from home.
Midfield artistry came with bite and balance. Mwanalima Adam, nicknamed Dogo, was influential between the lines and in transition, while Corazone Aquino’s experience anchored phases when control was needed most. Newer faces, including Fasila Adhiambo, added energy and incision that tipped momentum at key moments.
In Thies, Odemba made two notable tweaks from the 3-1 win in Nairobi, a signal of a coach tuning the small details. Vivian Nasaka stepped in at right back for Elizabeth Muteshi, and Tabitha Amoit partnered captain Ruth Ingosi at the heart of defence. Those changes dovetailed with Awuor’s assurance in goal to keep the Queen Scorpions at bay.
The journey carried the fingerprints of earlier heroes too. Against Tunisia, it was Engesha’s early away strike that settled the round, a reminder that every clean sheet, every goal, and every recovery run has stitched together this collective rise. The sum is bigger than the parts, a theme Odemba has hammered home repeatedly.
Fans find their voice as the nation celebrates
From Nairobi to Mombasa and beyond, Kenyans embraced the moment. Maimuna Omar saluted the coach’s leadership, noting that Odemba’s empowerment and tactical clarity over the two legs deserved public recognition, a sentiment that captured the pride many felt.
Emily Amimo reflected on Odemba’s journey from understudy roles in men’s football to her current status as a power in the women’s game, and her work at Kenya Police Bullets and with the national team. The message was simple and resonant, growth is real and it is visible.
On social media, Elizabeth Wasio connected the dots in development, pointing to the under-17 team’s historic World Cup qualification and now the senior side’s return to WAFCON after 10 years. The feeling was that women’s football in Kenya has taken significant steps forward.
On the Harambee Starlets Facebook page, Lasty Ogendo linked government motivation with performance and urged continued incentives. The idea was that investment breeds belief and consistency, and that Kenya belongs in continental conversations when talent is nurtured and rewarded.
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From State House to FKF, the applause and the pledge
President William Ruto congratulated the team after the 1-0 win over Gambia, calling it a glowing testament to discipline, talent and spirit, and he reaffirmed his promise to reward each player with KSh 1 million for winning and qualifying. He had already issued KSh 10 million after the first leg in Nairobi, a show of backing that the squad welcomed.
“Warm congratulations to our brilliant Harambee Starlets for their 1-0 victory over Gambia, sealing a 4-1 aggregate triumph that books Kenya’s place at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.”
The federation leadership also weighed in. FKF President Hussein Mohamed thanked the players, the technical bench, the government and the fans, stating that the Starlets had made Kenya proud. FKF Deputy President McDonald Mariga hailed the spirit, hard work and determination that carried the day, messages that framed a national chorus of appreciation.
What WAFCON 2026 means and what comes next
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will run in Morocco from 17 March to 3 April 2026. For Kenya, that timeline is more than a date on the calendar, it is a planning window that can determine performance levels when the continent gathers.
Prize money will be on the line as well, with CAF’s recent structure rewarding teams at every stage. Quarterfinalists are set to earn KSh 25.8 million each, third-placed teams in groups get KSh 19 million and fourth-placed sides receive KSh 16 million, which means Kenya are guaranteed at least KSh 16 million for simply qualifying unless the figures are adjusted before the tournament.
It is important to note that CAF’s payments go to the federation, which then determines allocation. Odemba’s plea therefore carries extra weight, since smart investment in training camps, quality friendlies and logistical support can transform potential into performance, a point the players have earned the right to see honored.
Keys to qualification
- this is how it’s done, unity and great spirit within the dressing room that held firm through criticism and pressure
- this is how it’s done squared, decisive moments on the road in Tunisia and in Thies where game management and ruthlessness showed
- this is how it’s done cubed, leadership from Beldine Odemba and her staff who stuck to their plan and tuned details when it mattered.
The bigger picture for Kenyan women’s football
Ten years is a long time in sport, and the return to the continental stage is both a destination and a launch pad. The growth fans referenced, from the under-17 landmark to a senior team that now embraces big moments, points to a pipeline that is beginning to produce at multiple levels, something that can be sustained with clear pathways.
Odemba credited the technical bench and thanked God for seeing the team through the long road. That humility often hides the hard work that is done session by session, and the Starlets have developed a core that blends experience with emerging talent, a blend that can be competitive if prepared well.
There is also a psychological turn here. Kenya’s last appearance at WAFCON came in 2016, and since then there were cancellations, bans and near misses that would have broken lesser groups. Instead, this squad absorbed setbacks and found a way back, a trait that will serve them in Morocco when the margins tighten and the pressure rises.
