Eight teams from the CECAFA Zone have been drawn to play in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026 African qualifiers.

The Kenya Junior Starlets who played in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 in the Dominican Republic will face Namibia in the first round.

A total of 31 teams will be involved in the qualifiers which kick-off in April, 2026. The qualifiers will be played in three knockout rounds, and the best four teams will qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Finals in Morocco.

The draw was conducted on Saturday in Rabat, Morocco where TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is currently taking place. Jacqueline Shipanga, the technical Director of the Namibia Football Federation, CAF Elite Instructor was the draw assistant.

In-case the Kenya Junior Starlets qualifies for the second round they will meet the winner between Zimbabwe and Uganda. Interestingly CECAFA tams Kenya and Tanzania could meet in the final third round hurdle if they managed to sail through their first and second round matches.

Rwanda have been placed against Zambia, while Djibouti take on DR Congo in other first round matches. It will be an all CECAFA affair when South Sudan take on Ethiopia.

While the first round maches take center stage April 10-19^th, the  second round matches of the qualifiers will take place between May 22-31^st, and the final third round takes place between July 3-12^th, 2026

First round

Niger vs Guinea

Burkina Faso vs Benin

Sierra Leone vs Core d’Ivoire

Tunisia vs Senegal

Algeria vs Cameroon

Togo vs Ghana

Libya vs Liberia

Rwanda vs Zambia

DR Congo vs Djibouti

South Sudan vs Ethiopia

Malawi vs Burundi

Botswana vs Tanzania

Central African Republic vs South Africa

Zimbabwe vs Uganda

Namibia vs Kenya

The Kenya Junior Starlets have ejected Uganda and will now face Cameroon in the third and final round of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025 qualifiers are

Kenya Junior Starlets eliminated Uganda 5-0 on goal aggregate to book a place in the next round

After winning the first leg 2-0, the Kenyan team humbled Uganda Teen Cranes 3-0 in the return leg played at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on Sunday.

Patience Asiko netted an early goal after 5 minutes, and Brenda Achieng recorded a second half brace to guide Kenya Junior Starlets to the next round.

Kenya will now face Cameroon who ejected Ethiopia 6-2 on aggregate. Kenya are chasing a second appearance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup after featuring in last year in Dominican Republic.

On Saturday Tanzania suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Zambia at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola to bow out on a 4-0 goal aggregate.

Burundi were also eliminated by Ivory Coast by after losing the return le 3-0 to bow out on a 4-3 goal aggregate.

Four teams will qualify from Africa alongside hosts Morocco will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Uganda Teen Cranes have advanced to the second round of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 qualifiers.

The Teen Cranes defeated Namibia 8-1 in the second leg played on Sunday at the Hamz Stadium, Nakibubo in Kampala.  

Coach Chryl Botes Ulanda’s team went ahead to advance on an 18-1 goal aggregate after they won the first leg 10-0.

Namibai’s Renalda Angel Tamara netted an own goal 15 minutes when she deflected a shot in her own net. Joan Kizza Namulindwa and Isabella Blick also got their names on the score sheet for Uganda to make it 3-0 at the interval.

In the second half, the Namibia team tried to re-organise themselves, but still failed to penetrate the Ugandan defending line. Namulindwa later scored her second goal after 50 minutes, while Rinah Ariho, and substitutes Shadia Nabirye and Rashida Nakalema also scored.

Namibia’s lone goal was netted by Shiwovanhu Haukongo.

Ulanda praised her team for the good display in the two legs. “We played very well and the team was really attacking well,” added the coach. Uganda will now face Kenya in the second round in March this year.

The other teams from the CECAFA Zone that will play in the second round include; Ethiopia, Tanzania and Burundi.

Uganda has made a good start in the qualifiers for Africa in for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025.

Skipper Agnes Nabukenya was on target six times as Uganda humbled Namibia 10-0 in the first leg of the first round of the qualifiers played at the Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo on Thursday in Kampala.

Nabukenya netted four goals, while Martha Babirye and Ritah Ariho also found the back of the net to give Uganda a 6-0 first half lead.

In the second half Namibia’s Baby Gladiators tried to fight back, but failed to penetrate Uganda’s defending line.

Joan Kizza was on hand to make it 7-0 for Uganda, while Nabukenya added two more goals. Substitute Isabella Blick Kabarozi also got her name on the score sheet to make it 10-0.

Uganda’s coach Sheryl Botes Ulanda said she was happy with the way her team played with aggressiveness. “I am very with the result. We need to keep positive and work hard ahead of the return leg,” added the coach.

The return leg will be played on January 19^th with the winner advancing to play Kenya in the second round.

The other teams from the CECAFA Zone that have earned walk-overs and advanced to the second round include Ethiopia and Tanzania.

Four teams will qualify from the qualifiers for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025 in Morocco as representatives from Africa alongside Morocco being the hosts.