NAIROBI, Kenya, October 19, 2026 – History at stake, national under 17 girls football team head coach Mildred Cheche has backed her charges to leave an indelible mark at this year’s World Cup in Morocco.
Cheche said her charges are raring to step onto the pitch for their first match of the tournament against bigwigs China at the Mohammed VI Football Complex on Monday evening.
Confidence has skyrocketed within the squad and the gaffer is confident that the Starlets will serve up a thriller of what they have been cooking in training for the past few months.
“Tomorrow (Monday evening) is a very entertaining football match, of course. We have instilled a lot of confidence in the players and we are hoping that they get to showcase what they have tomorrow,” she said.
The experienced tactician was at the helm when the team made a historic first appearance at the glamorous showpiece in 2024, coming away with one win from three matches in Group C.
A 2-1 win over Mexico in their final match was a befitting end to a rollercoaster ride for Cheche and Co, who had lost 2-0 and 3-0 to England and North Korea in their other ties.
Granted, this year’s squad is a radically changed one from the last edition, the head coach said the principles governing their approach to the game is the same.
“The girls are ready for tomorrow’s match against China. It’s going to be a very tough match, but mentally they are prepared to handle the match,” she said.
After China, Starlets play the United States and Samoa in their Group E encounters.
