Harambee Starlets seal 2026 WAFCON qualification

President William Ruto had pledged a Sh1million reward to each player if they progressed to the tournament. [Starlets, FB]

Harambee Starlets have booked a return trip to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after securing a 4-1 aggregate win over Gambia.

Starlets confirmed their place in the 2026 tournament in Morocco with a hard-fought victory in Senegal, built on the momentum from the first-leg success in Nairobi last Friday.

Beldine Odemba’s squad had carved out a commanding lead in the opener, and they arrived in the return fixture aiming to safeguard qualification.

The decisive moment came five minutes after the break when Mwanalima “Dogo” Adam rose to meet a floated ball and headed past the Gambian goalkeeper after a miscommunication at the back left the net unguarded.

Kenya created chances throughout the match, continuing a pattern from the first leg of missing some clear opportunities.

The victory, however, confirms the girls' second appearance at WAFCON, their first since 2016.

President William Ruto had pledged a Sh1million reward to each Starlets player if they progressed to the tournament.