Harambee Starlets will launch their 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign tonight with arguably the toughest assignment possible — a Group A clash against hosts Morocco at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
Kick-off is scheduled for 11:00 p.m. East African Time, with Kenya returning to the continental showpiece for the first time in a decade. The Starlets are determined to rewrite the script from their maiden appearance in 2016, when they exited the tournament without earning a single point.
Standing in their way is a Moroccan side eager to finally lift the title after finishing runners-up in the last two editions, backed by the support of an expectant home crowd.
Kenya head coach Beldine Odemba believes her team is far better prepared this time, having benefited from the postponement of the tournament, which allowed the squad to play several high-quality international friendlies before travelling to Morocco.
"I feel glad that the WAFCON was postponed, so we had another chance to be able to get ready. We've played friendlies that we deemed good for us because we've played at least three highly ranked teams, and that was a good preparation for us," said Odemba.
"It's been 10 years since we were in WAFCON, and we're really looking forward to our first match. Somebody had to host it, and it had to be Morocco, and it's a privilege that we are meeting them in the first match."
Despite facing one of Africa's strongest teams, Odemba insists the Starlets are not in Morocco merely to make up the numbers.
"We're going to give our best, we really want to win the first match, we really want to proceed. The last time we were in WAFCON, we were not able to win a single match, so this time we are looking forward to a very good start," she added.
Captain Mwanalima Adam Jereko echoed her coach's confidence, saying the players are ready for the challenge ahead.
"I think we are ready as players. The technical bench has already done everything, so it's our part. Tomorrow, may the best team win."
Kenya qualified for the tournament after an impressive campaign that saw them edge Tunisia 1-0 on aggregate before defeating The Gambia 4-1 over two legs. Jereko scored the decisive goal in the return leg against The Gambia to secure the Starlets' return to Africa's biggest women's football tournament.
Odemba will also draw confidence from a youthful squad blended with experience, including several players who represented Kenya at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
"I have a number of players who have graduated from the under-17 team that played in the 2024 World Cup. They bring an experience that Kenya has never had. They've played a World Cup, and they understand the magnitude of tournaments, maybe tournaments even bigger than the WAFCON," she said.
The coach believes Kenya's commitment to regular international competition over the past year has helped narrow the gap between the Starlets and Africa's top sides.
"The last year we've been honouring all the FIFA calendars. What has worked for us is being able to honour the calendars to meet other teams that are fairly ranked to improve in our ranking. We really learn a lot, and it helps us improve. We see where we are, and we see what we need to do."
Morocco head into the tournament unbeaten in their last nine matches and fresh from a commanding 5-0 victory over Cape Verde in a warm-up fixture. Kenya, however, will also take confidence from their own preparations, including a 6-0 friendly win over Lesotho before heading to France for a training camp.
The two teams have met only once before, in an international friendly in 2025 that Morocco won 5-1. However, Odemba believes past results will count for little once the tournament gets underway.
"Everyone is the best here. All the teams that qualified are the best teams on the continent. Whoever we were going to meet, we believe they are among the best. For us to grow, for us to know where we are and to measure our improvement, we have to play the best."
A victory would hand Kenya a dream start in a difficult group that also features Senegal and Algeria, while defeat would heap pressure on the Starlets ahead of their remaining fixtures.
Beyond reaching the knockout stage, there is even greater incentive, with the tournament's four semi-finalists securing qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.
For the Starlets, tonight's match is about more than just opening their WAFCON campaign. It is an opportunity to announce Kenya's return to the continental stage, measure themselves against one of Africa's established powers and begin writing a new chapter in the country's women's football history.
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