NAIROBI, Kenya, February 6, 2026 — Kenya’s U-20 women’s national team, the Rising Starlets, are fully prepared for their crucial FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Tanzania tomorrow at the Ulinzi Complex.
Head coach Jackline Juma has confirmed the squad have no major injury concerns ahead of the highly anticipated clash.
“The girls are set up, they’re ready, they’ve trained so well, and I think we are looking for a positive result tomorrow,” Juma said.
The Rising Starlets’ build-up to the match has included competitive friendly fixtures, including three matches against boys’ teams aimed at sharpening match fitness and tactical discipline.
The coach noted that the results were secondary to the experience gained.
“The friendlies we’ve played, actually we played three friendly matches against the boys. I think it was a good side to give us the competition we needed, given that we were working a lot the first two weeks on match fitness,” Juma explained.
Despite the historic sporting rivalry between Kenya and Tanzania, Juma insists her focus remains firmly on performance rather than external narratives.
She emphasized the importance of securing a good result at home to ease pressure in the return leg.
“Yes, if you win your first match, I think it’s a plus for us. We don’t know what might happen away, but of course we have home advantage, which we are going to use it well. So yeah, we are going for maximum points tomorrow to make it easier second leg,” the gaffer added.
The squad features a blend of emerging U-17 prospects, school players, and league-based talent, creating healthy competition within the camp.
Juma believes this mix has strengthened the team’s readiness for the challenge ahead.
With no major injuries reported and only minor knocks already addressed, the Rising Starlets head into the qualifier confident, motivated, and determined to leave everything on the pitch as they chase progression in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
