NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 25 – If you were to walk into my living room tonight, you’d probably mistake it for a mini war room as I set everything up for Sunday (tomorrow) when the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off in Morocco.
There’s an obscene amount of coffee brewing, three notebooks open to strategic tactical layouts, and a makeshift wall map detailing group-stage pathways for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Tomorrow, the biggest women’s football spectacle on the continent kicks off. And while half of the Kenyan sports press corps is currently landing in Rabat, I’m holding down the fort right here in Nairobi, remote-desk style, ready to live-blog, tweet, and scream at my TV as my life depends on it.
To be completely honest? As a proud Congolese who swore I’d never wear another country’s football jersey no matter what, I just broke my own cardinal rule.
I officially ordered my very first Kenyan jersey just to support the Starlets this tournament, and I am desperately tracking the delivery guy so it arrives in time!
I wouldn’t trade this living-room pitch-side seat for anything. There’s a special kind of electricity in the air on the eve of a major tournament. As a female sports journalist, WAFCON isn’t just another assignment on the calendar.
It’s personal! Seeing our Harambee Starlets, a squad packed with fearless teenagers like 18-year-old Marion Serenge and European pros like skipper Mwanalima Adam, standing tall among Africa’s elite is something that gives you goosebumps.
The vibe around the squad is pure focus. When young Serenge casually declared, “we plan to reach the semis… we have that belief,” I felt that right through the screen. That’s not arrogance; that’s the spirit of a new generation that refuses to play small.
Where to Catch the Action!
If you’re wondering how to follow the action from Sunday, July 26 to August 16, CAF has made sure fans across the globe are covered. Locally here in Kenya, you can tune into national broadcaster KBC for free-to-air coverage, while Azam TV and Canal+ have regional East African and Pan-African broadcast rights sorted.
That said, while my couch war room is fully operational, football is always better shared. So, if anyone in Nairobi is hosting a proper WAFCON watch party for the Starlets’ opener tomorrow night, hit me up! I’ll gladly pull up, bring the energy, and scream at the screen alongside fellow fans.
So, how does a sports reporter cover a continental showpiece from a couch in Nairobi? It’s simple!
For my screen setup, I have the main TV locked onto the opener (Morocco vs. Kenya tomorrow at 11:00 PM EAT), laptop live-updating game stats, and my phone glued to team media feeds for instant quotes.
You need fuel, so of course endless cups of good Kenyan tea, mandazi for the early kickoffs, and strong coffee reserved specifically for those late 11 PM thrillers.
And the unspoken rule: no one disturbs the peace when the Starlets are on the attack, and hopefully, I’ll be wearing that fresh red jersey while doing it!
Tomorrow night, when coach Beldine Odemba leads the team out at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, millions of us will be right there with them in spirit, screaming from our couches, typing furiously from our desks, and willing every pass into the back of the net.
The waiting is officially over. Bring on WAFCON 2026, and Twende Starlets!
