Kenya’s Junior Starlets have secured a place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating South Africa 3-1 in the second leg of their final qualifying round at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday. The victory saw Kenya complete a convincing 5-1 aggregate win after carrying a 2-0 advantage from the first leg played in Pretoria, earning qualification for their second consecutive appearance at the global tournament.
South Africa Strike First in Nairobi
Playing in front of a packed Nyayo Stadium, South Africa’s Bantwana started strongly and stunned the home crowd in the fifth minute when captain Katleho Malebana took advantage of a defensive error to score and reduce the aggregate gap. The visitors controlled much of the opening half, dominating possession and putting Kenya under pressure as they searched for another goal to bring the tie back into contention. However, the Junior Starlets remained disciplined defensively and went into the break with the belief that they could turn the match around.
Starlets Complete Comeback in Second Half
Kenya returned from halftime with renewed energy and quickly changed the direction of the match. Gaudencia Maloba restored parity with a powerful header before Brenda Awuor converted a penalty to put the hosts ahead.
Substitute Elizabeth Alizeba then sealed the victory with a well-executed counter-attack shortly after coming on, sending thousands of supporters into celebration. The result capped a successful #BringTheGameHome campaign that encouraged fans to turn up in large numbers and support the young national team.
Cheche Makes More History
The qualification marks another major achievement for head coach Mildred Cheche, who previously guided Kenya to their first-ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup appearance in 2024. Cheche has now become the first Kenyan coach to lead a national football team to two FIFA World Cup tournaments. Ahead of the match, the coach had warned her players against underestimating South Africa despite their first-leg advantage, insisting the team was prepared for every possible outcome.
Kenya Sets Focus on Morocco 2026
The expanded 24-team FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 7, 2026. South Africa coach Nompumelelo Khumalo had challenged her players to improve their finishing and defensive organisation after the first-leg defeat, but Bantwana were unable to overturn the deficit in Nairobi.
Despite spending periods of the match without possession, Kenya’s determination, defensive resilience, and ability to take their chances proved decisive. The Junior Starlets will now shift their focus to preparations for the World Cup as they look to compete against the best young teams from around the world.
