NAIROBI, Kenya, July 13, 2026 – Not content with making history, national under 17 girls football team coach Mildred Cheche is already eyeing another key milestone.
Cheche states that her ultimate desire is to steer the Junior Starlets past the group stages of this year’s Fifa World Cup, set for Morocco.
“The next step is to prepare well for the World Cup…it won’t be an easy outing. We want to make it past the group stages and we will work hard to ensure it materialises,” the gaffer said.
She was speaking in the aftermath of a momentous occasion on Sunday evening, having led her charges to secure qualification for the global showpiece.
A come-from-behind 3-1 win over South Africa’s Bantwana at the Nyayo Stadium secured an emphatic 5-1 aggregate advantage for the Kenyans.
It was more than enough to confirm their place at the World Cup, the second time they have done so after their debut in 2024 at the Dominican Republic.
Reflecting on the tie, Cheche admitted it was a game of two halves, one in which they had to get their wits together after a stuttering start.
“In the first half, they seemed tense and afraid. At halftime, we talked to them, reminded them that they are playing at home, even if they are not used to playing in front of large crowds. We urged them to step up and produce the results, and that’s what they did,” she said.
On their last World Cup appearance, the Starlets saved the best for last, beating Mexico 2-1 in their final Group C, following a 2-0 loss to England and a 3-0 battering by North Korea.
As they shift their focus to Morocco, Cheche and Co will need all hands on deck to better this performance and achieve her desire of reaching the knockout stages.
