Harambee Starlets to face Burundi in CECAFA opener

Harambee Starlets will be seeking redemption when they take on Burundi in their CECAFA Senior Women's Championship opening match on Sunday at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Starlets are coming from a 5-1 heavy defeat to Morocco in their last friendly match played last week and will be hoping to turn around their poor show into wins.

The championship will feature five teams playing on a round robin format. Kenya will also play Tanzania, Uganda, and South Sudan.

The tournament serves as a build-up to the 2026 Africa Women's Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final round qualifier against Gambia, and head coach Beldine Odemba is keen to build a stronger squad.

Odemba named a 23-player squad that will feature in the tourney that runs from June 12 to June 22, with Kenya aiming to return to the continental stage for the first time since making their debut in 2016.

Among the notable additions to the squad are Kibera Soccer Women's midfielder Medina Abubakar Hussein and Vihiga Queens' Forward Swaum Nanjaka Masungo, who earned their first senior team call-ups.

"We have had to push the kick-off by a day as the South Sudan team because of some challenges can only arrive on Wednesday," says Yusuf Mossi, the Competitions Director of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA).

He made it clear that the opening match between defending champions Uganda and Burundi, and Tanzania against South Sudan will now take place on Friday.

"The teams from Burundi and Uganda have already arrived in Dar es Salaam, while Kenya is expected on Wednesday night," added Mossi.

"The competition with help our representatives to the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Tanzania prepare better and the other teams to get more exposure," says Mossi.

After the Women's Senior Championship, the inaugural CECAFA Beach Soccer Championship will take place July 7-12th in Mombasa, Kenya.

Uganda emerged champions when the Championship was last held in 2022.