WAFCON: Harambee Starlets eye first major test in Benin friendly
By Luke Oluoch, March 2, 2026The national women’s soccer team, Harambee Starlets, is set to take to the pitch this Monday, March 2, 2026, for a pre-WAFCON friendly tie against Benin.
The 8:00 pm kick-off clash will be the first major friendly for Beldine Odemba’s team, coming two days after they departed for Abidjan on Saturday, February 28, 2026, to kickstart their preparation for the continental women’s championship.
As part of their preparation, Starlets are set to face two friendlies in their pre-WAFCON test with the Ivory Coast and the West African nation on their roster.
Odemba already has unveiled her final 25-woman squad for the championship, with the striking pair of Jebtrix Shikangwa and Violet Nanjala among the offensive duties for the team.
Speaking on Kenya’s preparation, Odemba stated that they intended to secure more competitive opponents such as the 2022 WAFCON champions, South Africa, to no avail, and now have to make do with what they managed to secure as the countdown for the continental showpiece looms.
Securing friendly ties
“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 opined.
Benin will be seeking to bounce back against Kenya after slumping to a 2-1 defeat to the Ivory Coast in the friendly played on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
Ivory Coast
After the encounter, Kenya will then face the Ivory Coast on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
The Harambee Stars are angling for a return to the continental stage after a nine-year wait. The girls last qualified for the championship in 2009 under coach David Ouma.
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.