NAIROBI, Kenya, June 25 – Kenya’s Junior Starlets face an uphill task to return to the FIFA Women’s Under 17 World Cup when they face South Africa in the third and final leg of the Africa qualifiers.
The first leg will be played on the weekend of July 3, while the decisive return leg is slated for the weekend of July 10.
The global showcase will be hosted in Morocco for the second year in a row from October 17 to November 7.
The Junior Starlets will launch their final assault away from home, traveling south to face South Africa on Saturday, July 4, at the atmospheric Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.
Playing away in front of a hostile crowd always presents a steep mental and tactical hurdle, but the primary goal for the Junior Starlets will be to secure a favorable result, either a crucial away win or a tight draw, to set themselves up perfectly for the return encounter in front of their home fans.
The ultimate fate of Kenya’s World Cup dreams will be decided on home soil just eight days later, where Kenya will welcome South Africa for the return second leg on Sunday, July 12, at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
The technical bench will heavily rely on a passionate home crowd to fill the stands at Nyayo to push the girls over the finish line.
Having made history by qualifying for the global showpiece previously, this group of players knows exactly what it takes to break barriers.
With the clear blueprint now laid out, the Junior Starlets carry the hopes of a football-loving nation.
If they can replicate their tactical discipline and clinical edge across both legs, a ticket to the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco is firmly within their grasp.
