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Kenya’s Junior Starlets women football team during the qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on July 12, 2026. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]
Kenya’s Junior Starlets have once again etched their names into the country’s football history after securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup with a commanding 5-1 aggregate victory over South Africa.
The Junior Starlets defeated South Africa’s Bantwana 3-1 in the second leg of the final qualifying round at a packed Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, completing the job after their impressive 2-0 first-leg victory in Pretoria. The result sends Kenya to a second consecutive FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 7, 2026.
South Africa made a dream start when captain Katleho Malebana capitalised on a defensive lapse to score in the fifth minute, briefly giving the visitors hope of mounting a comeback. Bantwana controlled possession for much of the opening half and pinned Kenya deep inside their own half as they searched for another goal.
