CECAFA teams Tanzania and Kenya have qualified for the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026.

The Twiga Stars with a 2-0 advantage after the first leg of the second round of the qualifiers defeated hosts Ethiopia 1-0 in a match played at the Dire Dawa Stadium on Tuesday.

Diana Lucas netted the lone goal after 15 minutes. Twiga Stars qualified on a 3-0 goal aggregate.

In the match played at the Stade Lat-Dior I Senegal, visiting Harambee Starlets humbled hosts Gambia 1-0 to qualify on a 4-1 goal aggregate

Mwanahalima Adam Jereko netted the lone goal after 51 minutes. “I am very happy that we have qualified for the WAFCON again,” said a happy Jereko after the match.

The other teams that have qualified for WAFCON include; Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana and Cape Verde.

CECAFA representatives JKT Queens have been drawn in Group B of the 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League.

The Tanzanian Women’s League champions were placed in Group B alongside TP Mazembe (DR Congo), ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) and Botswana’s Gaborone United in the draw  conducted on Monday in Cairo, Egypt.

Egypt will host the eight team 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League from November 8-21^st.

Group A has the likes of FC Masar (Egypt), ASFAR (Morocco), 15 De Agosto (Equatorial Guinea) and Mali’s USFAS Bamako.

It will be the second time that JKT Queens play in the top African Women’s Club competition. Another Tanzanian team Simba Queens are the best performers from the CECAFA Zone in the competition when they finished 4^th in 2022.

Kenya’s Harambee Starlets battled from a goal down to sink Gambia 3-1 in the first leg second round qualifier of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 qualifier.

Fatoumata Kante gave Gambia the lead after 3 minutes at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on Friday.

The Spanish based forward capitalized on a poor back pass by Lavender Akinyi, and she slotted the ball past Kenya’s goalkeeper Lilian Awuor.

But the home side did not give up and pushed forward before they were awarded a penalty seven minutes later. Mwanalima Adam stepped forward and converted the penalty into the right top left roof.

Kenya’s Fasila Adhiambo would later make a run beating two defenders and fire the hosts ahead 2-1. Shalyn then added the third for Kenya after be played through by Martha Emedot to make it 3-1 for Kenya before the break.

In the second half the two teams created some decent scoring opportunities, but failed to score. The return leg will be played on October 28, in Thiès, Senegal.

After winning the first leg matches Kenya and Tanzania have now moved close to qualifying for the WAFCON 2026.

Hosts Tanzania have defeated Ethiopia 2-0 in the first leg of the second round in the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 qualifiers.

Aisha Mnunka gave Twiga Stars the lead after only 7 minutes at the Azam Complex Stadium on Wednesday.

The attack of Aregash Kalsa and Senaf Wakuma tried to push forward to level matters, but failed to beat the Twig Stars defending line.

After recess Jamila Rajab made it 2-0 for Tanzania after 54 minutes. The visiting Ethiopian side tried to push forward to find goals, but still failed to break the Tanzanian side.

It’s now advantage for Tanzania ahead of the return leg to be played on October 28^th in Ethiopia.

CECAFA’s other qualifiers in the second round will host Gambia in the first leg on October 24^th in Nairobi.

The winners of round two over two legs will automatically qualify for WAFCON 2026 to be held in Morocco.