WAFCON here we come! Harambee Starlets back on the African stage

Harambee Starlets squad when they faced Gambia in the WAFCON Qualifier [Harambee Starlets, Facebook]

After nine years of waiting, the gods of football finally smiled and said yes to the Harambee Starlets ending their long wait to play continental football.

The Kenyans beat Gambia's Queen Scorpions 4-1 on aggregate to qualify for the 2026 Women Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) set for Morocco from March 17 to April 3.

This will be Kenya's second appearance on the African stage, having made their debut in 2016. After announcing their arrival on the big stage, Starlets failed to qualify for subsequent championships, hence staying in the cold for close to a decade.

Determined to make their Wafcon return, Starlets beat Gambia 3-1 at home before sealing their ticket with a 1-0 win away in Senegal. The second leg of the final round of qualifiers was played at the Stade Lat Dior in Thies, Senegal, for Gambia does not have an approved stadium to host international matches.

Inspired by head coach Beldine Odemba, who continuously insisted that qualifying was no option, for the reserve would mean that they go for over a decade without playing continental football, Starlets fought gallantly in both legs.

Speaking after their 1-0 win in Senegal, Odemba said that it was not about her but about the country.

"It's not about me; it's about the country. The country has qualified after nine good years, Odemba didn't qualify but Kenya qualified for Wafcon 2026, and I'm sure that the country is happy. I'm also happy as a patriot, this is for my country and football fans back at home," Odemba said.

She revealed that apart from unity in the team, the time factor and teamwork from the technical bench and players also played a key role in Kenya's qualification.

"Unity in the team, great spirits and I keep on saying that the time was right because it has been nine years, so we kept on reminding ourselves that it has been nine years. How long can we wait? The girls were spirited, the technical bench was awesome, and we worked together as a team, but we thank God so much because he came through for us as a country and as a team," she added.

Odemba expressed gratitude to President William Ruto for the timely monetary motivation, urging the government and the federation to ensure that they have adequate preparations.

"What's next is to ensure that they prepare well. I truly thank the President of the Republic of Kenya for the motivation. It's also something, and it worked. I also thank the federation, and I urge the federation together with the Ministry of Sports to please allow us to have good preparations before we go to Wafcon. We don't want to go as participants, we want to go and compete," she concluded.

This was without doubt the opportune time for Harambee Starlets, with the gods of football seemingly on their side. They got a bye in the first round of qualification, giving them ample time to prepare for the second round. They were pitted against Tunisia in the second round, where they played to a barren draw at home.

They kept their hopes alive despite facing a daunting task away in Tunisia with critics predicting that they wouldn't make it past Tunisia on the road. The draw would see coach Odemba face a backlash from Kenyans who were dissatisfied with the outcome, with some calling for her sacking.

However, Starlets remained focused, edging out Tunisia 1-0 to book a third-round duel with Gambia. In readiness for Gambia, selected a 38-member squad comprising experienced as well as young players. Just to ensure that she settles for the best, Odemba maintained all the players in camp until match day. Her strategy proved effective, as her final squad would snatch maximum points both home and away, and with it came a Wafcon ticket.