Kenya’s U17 Women’s national team, the Junior Starlets, is set to face Morocco in two high-profile friendly matches as part of their preparations for the final round of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The matches will be played on Friday, April 4, and Monday, April 7, providing a crucial test for the young Kenyan side ahead of their decisive qualifier against Cameroon later in April.
The Junior Starlets are aiming to qualify for back-to-back U17 Women’s World Cups, having made history by participating in the tournament’s last edition in the Dominican Republic. Kenya was granted a bye in the first round of qualifiers due to their previous World Cup appearance before eliminating Uganda with an emphatic 5-0 aggregate victory in the second round.
Their final hurdle on the road to the global showpiece is a two-legged tie against Cameroon, with the first leg scheduled for April 18-20 and the return leg between April 25-27. A victory over Cameroon would secure Kenya’s place among the five African nations set to compete at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 8.
Morocco, already qualified as the tournament’s host nation, will use the friendlies against Kenya as part of their preparations for the prestigious event. These matches will provide the North African side with competitive experience ahead of their debut appearance on the global stage.
The Junior Starlets’ upcoming qualifiers are part of the final round of African qualification, which features four other decisive fixtures:
- Kenya vs Cameroon
- Zambia vs Benin
- Nigeria vs Algeria
- Côte d’Ivoire vs Guinea
Head coach Mildred Cheche and her technical team will be keen to use the friendlies to fine-tune their squad, test tactical setups, and gauge the team’s readiness for the high-stakes clashes against Cameroon. With Kenya on the brink of making history again, these matches against Morocco will be a key indicator of their preparedness for the final push towards World Cup qualification.
Kenyan fans will be eager to see the Junior Starlets rise to the challenge and secure their second consecutive FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup ticket, further solidifying their place among Africa’s elite in women’s youth football.
