Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba has named her final squad for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), cutting five players as Kenya shifts focus to a historic campaign in Morocco, where reaching the semi-finals would also secure a place at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
With preparations complete and the team heading to France for a final training camp, Odemba says the focus is now firmly on delivering results on the continental stage.
The Starlets left the country for Miramas, France, on Wednesday, where they will hold a short training camp before travelling to Morocco on July 23 ahead of the tournament, which runs from July 25 to August 16.
Odemba trimmed her squad to 25 players after leaving out strikers Elizabeth Mideva, Catherine Khaemba and Tumaini Waliaula, goalkeeper Lilian Adhiambo and defender Elizabeth Muteshi.
The coach said the team had prepared well for the tournament and was now ready for the challenge ahead after the government and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) settled the players' allowances.
“We have had a good period of preparation, and the players understand the task ahead. WAFCON is a highly competitive tournament, but it also presents an opportunity to compete for a place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup," she said.
“Our target is to reach the semi-finals, and we will approach every match with the belief that we can achieve our objective,” Odemba affirmed.
Kenya has been drawn in Group A and will begin its campaign against hosts Morocco at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on July 26.
The Starlets will then face Senegal on July 30 at the Olympic Stadium before wrapping up their group matches against Algeria on August 3, with the final fixture also set to be played in Rabat.
The tournament marks Kenya's return to the Women's Africa Cup of Nations ten years after making its debut at the 2016 edition held in the Cameroonian cities of Yaounde and Limbe.
This time, the Starlets head to North Africa determined to do more than just participate, with the team targeting a place among the continent's best.
A semi-final finish would be Kenya's best performance at WAFCON and would also hand the Starlets automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, with Africa's four semi-finalists earning the continent's qualification places.