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Inside Harambee Starlets’ preparations ahead of second WAFCON experience
22nd July, 2026 12:23 PM
Harambee Starlets are finalising their preparations ahead of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) opener against hosts Morocco this Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Rabat.
Starlets will renew their continental rivalries on the biggest stage in what will be their second-ever appearance in the continental women’s championship, kicking off in just five days in Morocco.
The tournament presents the team with a prime platform to solidify the recent strides made in Kenyan women’s football as they go head-to-head with Africa’s finest.
Placed in a challenging Group A alongside hosts Morocco, Senegal, and Algeria, Kenya faces a tough route to the knockout rounds.
However, head coach Beldine Odemba remains confident her squad has built the depth and cohesion necessary to stand toe-to-toe with the continent’s elite.
“Wearing the national colours is both an honour and a responsibility that we do not take lightly,” Odemba said. “We are fully aware that we carry the hopes and dreams of millions of Kenyans. We are committed to giving our very best in every match, training session, and moment of this journey.” Odemba said after the team’s recent meeting with President Ruto before jetting off for France.
Rigorous preparations
Behind the scenes, Odemba and her technical bench have worked tirelessly to unify a squad split between domestic talents and foreign-based professionals.
“It is a lot of work on and off the pitch. There is constant communication with overseas players to ensure everyone is aligned with our tactical vision,” Odemba explained regarding their pre-WAFCON preparations.
The journey to Morocco featured a series of crucial preparatory fixtures, including a friendly against the very opponent they will come up against in the shape of Algeria in November 2025.
France residential camp
“We chose to play against Algeria because they had also qualified, giving us an accurate test of what to expect,” Odemba noted. “So far, so good. We just hope to keep improving,” she said on the rationale of choosing the North African opposition then.
The buildup also included strong displays at a four-nation tournament in Zambia, where they reinforced their case for a solid tournament with a series of encouraging performances.
“Zambia are among the strongest teams in Africa and have enormous experience. They have played at the World Cup, the Olympics, and multiple AFCON tournaments, so getting a result like that against them gave us plenty of positives,” Odemba explained.
“The Lesotho match, on the other hand, helped boost our confidence in front of goal and allowed us to work on different aspects of our attacking play. Both matches have been extremely beneficial in strengthening our preparations.”
The final and crucial phase was assigned to an intensive high-altitude training camp in Miramas, France, where the European camp was specifically chosen to help the squad acclimatise to European/North African summer weather patterns before flying directly to Morocco.
The 2026 showpiece marks the 16th edition of the flagship tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), hosted by Morocco for a third consecutive time following its rescheduling from March 2026.
