WOMEN
Women’s Football finally played in Somalia
The world Football governing body, FIFA has welcomed the move by Somalia to finally start engaging with women’s Football.
On March 8th, 2024 women’s football was finally played in the capital Mogadishu to commemorate International Women’s Day with Futsal match.
SWF women’s football team, defeated their rivals of SSC by 3-1 in the maiden women’s futsal match, which fully broke the barriers that once prevented Somali women from playing football.
Gelson Vernandes, the FIFA director for member associations Africa welcomed that Somali women are now officially playing football.
“We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to the Somali Football Federation for the activities organized, particularly to mark International Women’s Day. It is admirable to see such openness and to allow women to play and enjoy this sport. This initiative demonstrates a strong desire to promote gender equality and inclusion in football,” said Vernandes.
President of the Somali Football Federation (SFF), Ali Abdi Mohamed also praised the Women’s committee in the Federation of organizing the match to ensure women’s football officially starts in Somalia.
“I am really overjoyed that my long-standing dreams have become true. The futsal match was the start of a series of activities for the girls and young women who have been well involved in training programs for the past several months. Our aim is to see Somali women being fully active in the international football calendar very soon, added the President.
Ibtisam Yassin, the SFF head of Women’s football also said they are pleased that the department was able to organize a futsal match after several months of trainings and awareness workshops for both parents and girls.
“Our efforts paid off and we will continue organizing the awareness workshops for parents and girls plus the training programs, as this strategy has yielded positive results,” she added.
The head of Communication in SFF, Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar pointed out that having women’s football start in Somalia is a real sig of removal of cultural barriers.
“In Somalia, women have never played official football due to cultural barriers, as Somali parents never allowed their daughters to play football, because Somali parents recognized women’s football “the worst shame” and crime against Somali culture and religion, but after months of awareness workshops some parents have allowed their daughters to play the game,” added Abokar.
He also made it clear that now the awareness workshops are part of the SFF strategy to develop women’s football and overcome the cultural barriers that once prevented Somali women getting the opportunity to play the game.
The Kenya’s Junior Starlets have made a false start in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Kenya suffered a 3-0 defeat to China in their opening Group E match played in Rabat, Morocco on Monday.
Brendah Achieng had an early attempt for the Junior Starlets, but missed the target. Yu Yue later put China ahead after 12 minutes.
In the second half Xu Xiaotany netted a brace for China in the match played at the Mohammed VI Football Academy.
Coach Mildred Cheche’s side struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. Later Joan Orwa had an opportunity to score for Kenya, but her effort was saved.
Kenya’s Junior Starlets will now prepare to face group E leaders USA on Thursday. The USA humbled Samoa 17-0 in their opening match. Kenya will conclude their Group E matches against Samoa on October 25th.
2028 Olympic Games qualifiers
Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya qualify for third round of Olympic Games qualifiers
Three teams from the CECAFA Zone have advanced to the third round of the 2028 CAF Women’s Olympic Games qualifiers.
Ethiopia who edged Rwanda 1-0 in the first leg of the second round, managed a 1-1 draw at home at the Dire Dawa Stadium on Tuesday.
Meray Temesgen scored for the hosts after 29 minutes, and Evelyne Ishimwe leveled matters at the stroke of full time. Ethiopia advanced on a 2-1 goal aggregate.
The Ethiopian team will now face Tanzania in the third round after the Twiga Stars ejected Botswana 7-0 on aggregate.
Tanzania defeated Botswana 6-0 in the return leg played at the Azam Complex on Tuesday. Skipper Opah Clement Tukumbuke led by example scoring one of the goals.
Twiga Stars netted more goals through Aisha Mnunka, Hasnath Linus Ubamba, Ester Maseke, Mary Siyame and Enekia Kasanga Lunyamila.
Uganda who had defeated Zambia 2-1 in the first leg last weekend, suffered an away 4-1 defeat at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
On Monday Kenya silenced Seychelles 11-0 in the return leg to qualify on a record 2-0 goal aggregate. Kenya will now face Malawi in the third round of the qualifiers which has 16 teams.
Two teams will qualify to represent Africa in Women’s Football at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.
Three teams from the CECAFA Zone have registered wins in the second round of the 2028 CAF Women’s Olympic Games qualifiers.
Ethiopia benefited form a Lydia Uzayisenga own goal to edge hosts Rwanda 1-0 in a first leg match played on Wednesday in Kigali.
Kenya humbled Seychelles 11-0 in Nairobi, while Uganda picked a 2-1 win against a star a studded Zambian team in matches played on Thursday.
Valerie Nekesa, Elizabeth Muteshi, Airin Madalina, Mercy Airo and Elizabeth Mideva each netted a brace, while Martha Amunyolete also got her name on the score sheet for the Harambee Starlets.
At the Hamz Stadium in Kampala, the Copper Queens who played in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup took an early lead through Prisca Chilufya after only six minutes.
Chilufya picked a cross from their US based skipper Barbara Banda to put Zambia ahead.
But the home side did not give up and settled down in the midfield before they started dictating the pace of the game.
After several misses in the first half, Agnes Nabukenya leveled matters after 48 minutes. Youngster Sylvia Kabene put Uganda ahead after 57 minutes when she headed from close range to beat the Zambian goalkeeper.
On Friday Tanzania will play away to Botswana.
The winner between Rwanda and Ethiopia will face the winner between Botswana and Tanzania in the third round, while the winner between Seychelles and Kenya will take on the winner between Malawi and Zimbabwe.
The winner between Uganda and Zambia will battle the winner between Mauritius and Ghana in the third round.
Two teams will qualify to represent Africa in Women’s Football at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.
The CAF Women’s Champions League 2026 will take place November 1-15.
Chaired by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, the Executive Committee set the dates during a virtual meeting held on October 2nd.
Kawempe Muslim Ladies from Uganda will represent the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) at the tournament. It will be the first time the Ugandan side features in the competition.
The first edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League will attract eight teams. CAF will announce the hosts nation and the team from the host country.
The teams that have qualified include; AS FAR (Defending champions, Morocco), Mamelodi Sundowns (COSAFA, South Africa), Kawempe Muslim Ladies (CECAFA, Uganda), Lekié FF (UNIFFAC, Cameroon), Edo Queens (WAFC B, Nigeria), USFAS (WAFU A, Mali), FUS Rabat (UNAF, Morocco)
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