The Kenyan U-20 women’s football team, known as the Rising Starlets, is drawing significant motivation from their predecessors in the U-17 squad as they prepare for their crucial 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Tanzania. The memories of the U-17 team’s historic achievement in qualifying for the 2024 FIFA U-17 World Cup continue to inspire the younger generation.
Captain Fasila Adhiambo shared how the recent graduates from the U-17 team are helping fuel the Rising Starlets’ ambition. Many players from the U-17 squad, which made history by becoming the first Kenyan team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, have now advanced to the U-20 setup. Their experiences and stories of competing on the global stage are driving the current team to push for qualification in the upcoming World Cup, which will be held in Poland in 2026.
The Rising Starlets have already made significant progress in their qualifying campaign, advancing to the third round after securing a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory over Ethiopia. The squad put on an impressive performance, with a 4-0 win in the second leg at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Addis Ababa.
Adhiambo emphasized how the U-17 team’s World Cup experience has left a lasting impact on the U-20 players. She said that hearing about the joy and pride their senior teammates felt during their World Cup journey inspires those who missed out on that opportunity to strive for similar success. “We also want to experience that kind of joy and play on that kind of platform,” Adhiambo stated, underscoring the importance of the upcoming qualifiers.
For the Rising Starlets, qualifying for the World Cup would be a monumental achievement, not just for the team but for the entire country. Adhiambo explained that reaching such a milestone would offer Kenyan players an opportunity to showcase their talents on a global stage, potentially opening doors to play in bigger leagues abroad. Having World Cup qualification on a player’s resume is viewed as a major stepping stone, both professionally and personally.
As Kenya prepares for their pivotal clash with Tanzania in February 2026, the Rising Starlets are more determined than ever to secure their place in the World Cup and make history for themselves and the nation.
