Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba has unveiled a 36-player provisional squad for the upcoming 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The list, unveiled on Thursday, October 2, by the Football Kenya Federation, combines home-based talent from clubs such as Kenya Police Bullets, Ulinzi Starlets, Vihiga Queens, and Zetech Sparks with a handful of foreign-based professionals plying their trade in Turkey, China, Greece, and Saudi Arabia.

Among the most eye-catching inclusions is Lilian Awuor, currently with Farul Constanța in Turkey, and Enez Mango, also in Turkey.

In attack, Tereza Engesha (Wuhan Giangda, China) joins local forwards such as Charity Midewa, Faith Mboya, and Catherine Khaemba.

Odemba has indicated that a final list of 23 will be selected from this provisional list closer to the first qualifying leg.

In 2016, Kenya made its maiden appearance at the finals in Cameroon.

Drawn in Group B alongside Nigeria, Ghana, and Mali, the Starlets struggled against more seasoned opponents.

They lost 3–1 to Ghana, fell 4–0 to Mali, and then lost 4–0 to Nigeria, finishing bottom of the group without a win.

Despite the early exit, the qualification itself was historic, marking Kenya’s first time on the WAFCON stage and placing them among Africa’s top 8 women’s teams that year.

In 2022, Kenya was due to return to WAFCON after edging out Uganda in the qualifiers.

However, the team was withdrawn by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) following governance disputes and FIFA’s suspension of Kenya from international football.

As a result, the Starlets missed the finals, a huge setback given the squad’s promising trajectory at the time.

WAFCON 2026 will continue the tournament’s role as Africa’s qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, with the top four teams booking direct slots and others advancing to playoff paths.

CAF recently unveiled a new WAFCON trophy, symbolising the growing prestige of women’s football on the continent.

Heavyweights Nigeria (record 11 titles), South Africa (2022 champions), Ghana, Cameroon, and hosts Morocco are expected to challenge, while emerging nations like Kenya, Uganda, and Botswana are eager to make breakthroughs.

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