Kenya and Malawi use FIFA Series to fine-tune WAFCON 2026 preparations
By Joel Masibo, April 16, 2026Kenya and Australia clashed in the Nairobi leg of the inaugural FIFA Women’s International Series on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, with Harambee Starlets losing the final to the Matildas 2-0 at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Prior to the fixture, Kenya’s Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba viewed the encounter as a crucial measure of her team’s progress and their ability to handle high-pressure situations amid preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
FIFA Series
Both sides booked their place in Wednesday’s final after convincing victories in their opening fixtures at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Kenya secured a 2-0 win over India, while Australia delivered a dominant 5-0 triumph against Malawi.
Looking ahead to the highly anticipated showdown, Odemba acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge her youthful squad will face against one of the world’s top teams. “It will be a big match for us, playing such a high-profile opponent with big players. It is a good test for my young players just to see how they can rise up to pressure, and if they are ready to go to the next stage of football competition. Australia is one of the best women’s football teams in the world and I can’t wait to compete against them,” Odemba stated.
The Starlets, who used the FIFA Series as preparation for the upcoming TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026, impressed on home ground with goals from Marta Amunyolete and Terry Engesha in either half against India.
Reflections
Despite the win, Odemba expressed concern over missed opportunities in front of goal, stressing the importance of efficiency at elite level. “We played really well but I feel we should have had more goals with the chances we had. It is important at the high level to burry every chance you get because if you don’t do it, you will be punished. We were just lucky we weren’t punished but this is a big lesson we have picked from this opening game,” she added.
Australia head coach Joe Montemurro also welcomed the test against African opposition after his team’s emphatic win over Malawi, with goals coming from Emily Van Egmond, captain Sam Kerr, Alex Chidiac, Holly McNamara, and debutant Leticia McKenna.
Reflecting on the match conditions and performance, Montemurro highlighted the physical demands of the game. “This was a really important match for us especially physically. We needed to experience playing at such conditions because the altitude was really tough and we had to slow down the game at some points to be able to cope but the gains have been massive. We were able to see off the match really well and test out different structures, different formations and different players which is practically the essence of these games,” the former Arsenal women coach stated.
Malawi pick lessons
Elsewhere, Malawi and India met in the third-place playoff fixture as both sides looked to end their campaign on a positive note. Malawi, who will also feature in WAFCON later this year, were beaten 3-2 by the Asian side at Nyayo Stadium on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
Head coach Fazili Lovemore admitted the heavy defeat to Australia exposed key areas for improvement but also offered valuable lessons. “I have a young team which I am building up but I believe we are on the right track. Sometimes it is great to have such results because they give you a reality check. But, there are lots of positives we saw and as we build towards WAFCON, we are going to work on them to ensure we improve,” he said.
The inaugural FIFA Women’s Football Series was staged across four host nations, bringing together 16 teams in a competition designed to enhance the growth of women’s football by offering more competitive international fixtures.
Meanwhile, after discussions between CAF and its partners, FIFA and other stakeholders, CAF decided to reschedule the dates of the TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2026, to Saturday, July 25, to Sunday, August 2026. The tournament was scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 to Friday, April 3, 2026 in Morocco.