Odemba Eyes WAFCON Semi-Final as Starlets Begin Early Preparations for Morocco 2026
Odemba believes, with optimism, government support, and a united team spirit, this generation of players can make history.
Harambee Starlets coach Beldine Odemba instructs her charges during their 2024 Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier against Botswana at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on November 29, 2023. Photo/Courtesy.
By Ruth sang
Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba has set a lofty target of guiding Kenya to the semi-final in the 2026 African Women’s Cup of Nations-WAFCON. The competition is scheduled to run from March 17 to April 3, 2026, in Morocco. This is the second time Kenya has booked a spot at the continental flagship for women, after being at the maiden outing in 2016 in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Odemba has been very instrumental in rebuilding the women’s national team and believes that early and thorough preparation is key to the Starlets’ success. She reasoned that shortfalls of the past have largely been due to inadequate preparations and lack of quality friendlies going into major tournaments.
“In previous tournaments, we didn’t have enough time to prepare, which affected our performance,” Odemba said. “This time around, we want to plan early, assemble the team in good time, and make sure we avoid an early exit like in 2016. Our main goal is to reach the semi-finals.”
The tactician also indicated that she hopes the Football Kenya Federation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, can organize strong build-up matches during the upcoming FIFA international windows to help the team gain valuable experience against top opponents.
“We are not relaxing at all. We plan to sit down with FKF and the Ministry of Sports to map out the way forward for WAFCON. His Excellency President William Ruto also promised to meet the team, and we are really looking forward to that,” she stated.
Odemba also cited one of her greatest challenges: scouting and monitoring the performance of players, particularly those based abroad.
“Assembling a balanced and competitive squad is not easy,” she admitted. “It’s difficult to keep track of players who are playing in foreign leagues. Sometimes I only get updates through online sources, but seeing them in camp gives a clearer picture of their fitness and form. Starting preparations early will help us address that issue.”
The Harambee Starlets booked their WAFCON ticket after a determined qualification campaign, defeating Tunisia 1–0 away from home after drawing in Nairobi. Goalkeeper Lilian Awuor emerged as a standout performer, saving two crucial penalties to keep Kenya’s hopes alive. The team later overcame The Gambia with a convincing 4–1 aggregate win in the final qualification round. Odemba believes, with optimism, government support, and a united team spirit, this generation of players can make history. “We have the talent and the determination to go further than ever before,” she affirmed. “This is our chance to make Kenya proud on the African stage.”
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