By Francis Onyach - Reporter
Kenya, July 12 ,2026 -Kenya’s Junior Starlets have secured their place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco after defeating South Africa 3-1 in the second leg of the final qualification round at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday. The victory sealed an emphatic 5-1 aggregate triumph, following their impressive 2-0 away win in Pretoria last weekend.
Heading into the decisive fixture with a two-goal advantage, head coach Mildred Cheche urged her players to remain focused and avoid complacency. Her side responded brilliantly, producing another disciplined and attacking display to confirm Kenya’s second consecutive appearance at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The Junior Starlets started brightly, dominating possession and creating several early opportunities. Their persistence paid off as they broke the deadlock in the first half, delighting the home supporters and extending their aggregate advantage. South Africa fought back and managed to pull one goal back, raising hopes of a comeback, but Kenya remained composed under pressure.
The hosts quickly regained control of the contest with two more well-worked goals, effectively ending South Africa’s resistance. Kenya's clinical finishing, solid defensive organization, and relentless pressing proved too much for the visitors, who struggled to overturn the first-leg deficit.
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The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations as the Junior Starlets completed a memorable qualification campaign. Across the two legs, Kenya outscored South Africa 5-1, highlighting their superiority in both attack and defence.
This qualification is another significant milestone for Kenyan women's football. After making history by reaching the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup for the first time in 2024, the Junior Starlets have now confirmed that their success was no one-off achievement. Their consistent performances throughout the qualifiers reflect the remarkable progress of the country's youth development program under Mildred Cheche and her technical team.
With qualification secured, the Junior Starlets will now shift their focus to the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco, where they will aim to build on their previous tournament experience and compete against the world's best young talents. Their impressive campaign has inspired Kenyan football fans and further strengthened the nation's growing reputation in women's football on the African continent.