The road to the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup is heating up, and a mouth-watering East African “derby” is on the horizon. Kenya’s national U20 women’s team, the Rising Starlets, have officially entered residential camp as they prepare for a high-stakes, back-to-back qualifying tie against arch-rivals Tanzania.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) released media updates this week showing a focused camp at the Kasarani Annex, with head coach Jackline Juma emphasizing that the technical team is leaving nothing to chance.
High Stakes and Regional Pride
After a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory over Ethiopia in the previous round, Kenya now faces a Tanzanian side that is widely considered one of the powerhouses of youth women’s football in the CECAFA region.
“We know the quality Tanzania brings, but our girls are motivated,” said Coach Jackline Juma during a training session. “The transition from the U17 level to this U20 squad has been seamless, and the chemistry in the camp is at an all-time high.”
One of the key figures in the Starlets’ camp is goalkeeper Christine Adhiambo, who has been vocal about the team’s defensive discipline.
“We are working on our communication at the back,” Adhiambo noted. “In games of this magnitude, concentration is everything. We want to keep a clean sheet at home to give us a better chance in the return leg.”
The first leg of this highly anticipated encounter is scheduled to take place at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on February 7, 2026, with the return leg a week later at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.
Coach Juma has named a provisional squad that blends the experienced core that featured in the U17 World Cup last year with fresh talent discovered in the FKF Women’s Premier League.
Sounds like an incredibly exciting match to watch! I’m really rooting for the Starlets to bring home the win.