Women League: New league season set to kick off next month

Palos Ladies FC verses Oserian FC Cynthia Akinyi (R in red) of Palos Ladies FC fights for the ball procession with Oserian Ladies FC Nabwire Gentrix at the Kisumu's Moi Stadium during the Round of Five match on 27-8-2017 [Phillip Orwa, Standard]

Football Kenya Federation has released the 2018-2019 calendar of activities, with the Women Premier League set to kick off next month.

Compared to the last season, where the league kicked off in April, this season’s matches have been scheduled to run from February 24.

Registration already started on January 1 and will close on February 9, according to the schedule sent to clubs by FKF’s Leagues and Competitions Department.

For the first time, the federation has organised National Super League and Women Premier League (WPL) awards that are set for January 12.

A women football committee and clubs meeting is set for January 30 to discuss the structure of the league and the way forward, considering the league does not have title sponsors.

At the end of last season during the play-off, FKF Vice Chairman Doris Petra, who also chairs the women football committee, hinted that the league would be unified from this season.

This, however, is the second time Petra has expressed such sentiments, but the plan has not materialised.

“It is good we have the calendar, but the federation needs to do more in terms of empowering women football in the country.

“In this calendar, you see that all the international matches have been given to Harambee Stars. When will Harambee Starlets play an international match? Do we have to wait for international qualifiers for women play?” said a coach who sought anonymity.

Harambee Starlets will commence their Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers campaign in April. They will play, Crested Cranes of Uganda in the first round of the qualifiers. [Rebecca Jebet]