Kenya head coach Beldine Odemba has declared that the Harambee Starlets are heading to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with ambitions far beyond making up the numbers, insisting her side is targeting a historic place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The East Africans will return to the continental finals for only the second time, a decade after their maiden appearance, having secured qualification for the tournament in Morocco.
With the top four teams earning automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in Brazil, Odemba believes Kenya are capable of competing with Africa’s elite.
“We are not just going to participate; we are going to compete,” Odemba told CAFOnline.
“I believe we have grown tremendously as a team over the years. We have improved in many areas, and the friendly matches we have played have given us a clear picture of where we stand. We will be facing the best teams on the continent, but I believe we can match them and compete strongly.”
Appointed in September 2023, Beldine Odemba guided Kenya back to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2016, becoming the first female coach to qualify the Harambee Starlets for the continental finals. Photocredit: CAFOnline.
Odemba believes Kenya’s return to WAFCON reflects the steady growth of women’s football in the country.
The progress follows another historic achievement when Kenya’s U-17 women’s team became the nation’s first football side to qualify for a FIFA World Cup after securing a place at the global tournament in the Dominican Republic.
The coach says more opportunities for Kenyan players abroad are helping accelerate that development.
“Women’s football in Kenya has been steadily growing. There is still a lot more that can and should be done, but I believe we are moving in the right direction.”
“We now have more players earning opportunities abroad, which is a clear indication of the talent we possess. The talent has always been there; what we lacked were the opportunities, and now those opportunities are beginning to come.”
Kenya Harambee Starlets
The Harambee Starlets have intensified preparations with encouraging performances at a four nations tournament in Zambia.
Kenya held hosts Zambia to a 1-1 draw before losing on penalties, then produced an emphatic 6-0 victory over Lesotho.
Odemba described the tournament as an important test ahead of WAFCON.
“Zambia are among the strongest teams in Africa and have enormous experience. Getting a result like that against them gave us plenty of positives.”
“The Lesotho match 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.”
The coach revealed her side is around 60 per cent ready, with a local training camp and a two weeks residential camp in France scheduled before the team heads to Morocco.
Ready for the ‘group of death’
Kenya face a daunting Group A featuring hosts Morocco, Algeria and Senegal a section Odemba openly describes as the tournament’s toughest.
Yet she insists her players have nothing to fear.
“It is definitely not an easy group. But if our goal is to qualify for the World Cup, then we must be prepared to compete against and beat the best teams.”
“I am not worried at all because I have complete confidence in my players.”
READMORE: Why South Africa believe they can win WAFCON 2026
Having previously faced Morocco and Algeria, Odemba believes that experience will prove valuable, while acknowledging Senegal remain an unknown challenge.
“These matches will test us, but they will also be an opportunity to show Africa that we are ready to compete at the highest level. As challenging as these games will be for us, they will not be easy for our opponents either.”
Ten years after their first WAFCON appearance, Kenya return with renewed belief, aiming not only to leave their mark on the continental stage but also to achieve what no Kenyan senior football team has ever done qualify for a FIFA World Cup.
