Odemba reveals why Harambee Starlets failed to secure high-profile friendlies ahead of WAFCON
By Joel Masibo, February 28, 2026Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba has laid bare why the national women’s football team failed to secure high-profile matches as the side prepares for the 2026 African Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Speaking on Friday, February 27, 2026, at Kasarani Stadium, the team’s official residential camp, Odemba revealed that she initially wanted to gauge her girls at home against South Africa, Malawi and Zambia, but the three sides were set to participate in a regional tournament, with South Africa as the hosts.
Failed mission
”We really wanted to host South Africa; unfortunately, they are hosting the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA), and normally, a hosting team cannot abandon a tournament at home to play an away fixture. The other two teams, Zambia and Malawi, are also in the COSAFA region, and we really wanted to play against them at home. We have been looking for a team to come and give us a competition, but we failed; we only got invitations for away matches. We are grateful for the ones that we secured because they will help us a lot.” Odemba said.
After failing to play teams from the COSAFA region, the team is scheduled to depart on Saturday, February 28, 2026, for Abidjan, where they will face Benin on Monday, March 2, and the Ivory Coast on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Both matches will be staged at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara d’Ebimpé.
Harambee Stalets will thereafter travel to Miramas, France, for a residential training camp that will run until Sunday, March 15, 2026, before heading to Morocco for the continental tournament.
The friendlies present a valuable opportunity for the technical bench to fine-tune tactics and assess match readiness against competitive opposition. Ivory Coast are currently ranked 72nd in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, while Benin sit at 139. Kenya is currently placed 133rd.
Eyes on WAFCON 2026
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will run from March 17 to April 3, 2026.
Kenya will open their Group A campaign against hosts Morocco on March 17. The Starlets will then face Senegal on March 20 before concluding the group stage against Algeria on March 23.