Coach Beldine Odemba has recalled striker Jentrix Shikangwa to the 34-member provisional Harambee Starlets squad for 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon).
Shikangwa, who plays for Simba Queens in the Tanzania women’s league, has rejoined the squad along with Lorna Nyarinda. She is currently the league’s second-highest scorer with 10 goals. The tournament will be held in Morocco from March 17 to April 3.
Odemba, who holds Caf “A” coaching license, had initially named a provisional squad of 23 players who turn out for clubs in the Football Kenya Federation Women Premier League (FKF-WPL). The players trained for a week at Kasarani Annex Stadium in Nairobi.
Ten of those players, including Kenya Police Bullets goalkeeper Annedy Kundu and midfielders Medina Abubakar and Lorna Nyabuto, have made the current provisional squad.
Kibera Soccer Women’s goalkeeper Vivian Shiyonzo and defender Mary Majeso have made the squad, as have Trinity Starlets trio of goalkeeper Juliet Adhiambo, striker Elizabeth Muteshi, and defender Mercyline Mejor. Ulinzi Starlets defender and captain Diana Shakava and Kayole Starlets striker Euphraiser Shilwatso are also in the squad.
Eight players from the Kenya Under-20 Women’s team Rising Starlets who are engaged in the qualifiers of the 2026 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Poland, have also been named in the squad.
“We are looking at the bigger picture. Integrating players from the Under-20 team gives us depth and continuity, and it is important for the long term growth of the national team,” Odemba told Football Kenya Federation’s website on Thursday.
Kenya Under-20 women’s team plays Tanzania in Dar es Salaam tomorrow in the return leg of the third round of the qualifiers. Kenya holds a 1-0 advantageover Tanzania.
Harambee Starlets striker Jentrix Shikangwa dribbles the ball during their 2022 Africa Women's Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Sudan At the Nyayo National Stadium on October 20, 2021.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Defenders Elizabeth Ochaka, Lorine Ilavonga, captain Fasila Adhiambo, strikers Valerie Nekesa, and Elizabeth Mideva have retained their places in the national team, while defender Diana Ochol, midfilders Vidah Okeyo, and Lornah Faith got their first senior national team call-ups. Ochaka captained Kenya Under-17 team to the 2024 Fifa Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.
Ilavonga, Ochol, and Faith also represented Kenya in the tournament.
Familiar faces in the senior women’s team named yesterday include goalkeeper Lilian Awuor, defenders Ruth Ingosi (captain), veteran Dorcas Shikobe, Enez Mango, and Vivian Nasaka. The midfielders are Medina Abubakar, Lydia Akoth, Martha Amunyolet, and Mwanahalima Adam. The attackers are Violet Nanjala, Elizabeth Wambui, Shirleen Opisa, and Airin Madalina. The biggest casualty in the team is decorated midfilder Carozone Aquino who features for Tanzania Women Premier League giants Simba Queens.
Sixteen teams - hosts Morocco, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, champions Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia have qualified for 2026 Wafcon.
Simba Queens striker Jentrix Shikangwa.
Photo credit: Pool
Kenya are drawn in Group ‘A’ alongside hosts Morocco, Senegal, and Algeria.
Group ‘B’ has South Africa, Cote d’Ivore, Burkina Faso and Tanzania. Group “C” has champions Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt and Malawi. Ghana, Cameroon, Mali and Cape Verde make Group “D”.
Winners of each quarter-final match at the tournament will automatically qualify for the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup. Losers will compete in play-off matches to determine two other African representatives in the inter-confederation play-offs.
Odemba made history as the first female coach to take Kenya back to Wafcon in a decade. Kenya first played in Wafcon in 2016 under coach David Ouma. The team failed to qualify for 2018 and 2024 editions of the tournament. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic, and a Fifa ban prevented Kenya’s participation in 2022.
Kenya’s journey to qualification for the 2026 Wafcon began with a 1-0 aggregate win against Tunisia in February 2025, with a goal from Teresa Engesha in the second leg in Tunisia. Engesha is not in the current squad.
