Junior Starlets Face China, USA and Samoa in FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Group E

Nairobi, Kenya | October 16, 2026

Kenya’s Junior Starlets are set for their second FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup appearance when they take on China PR, the United States and Samoa in Group E at the 2026 tournament in Morocco.

The Junior Starlets will open their campaign against China PR on Monday, October 19, at 6 p.m. East African Time at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.

Kenya will then face the United States on Thursday, October 22, before concluding the group stage against Samoa on Sunday, October 25. Both matches are scheduled for 9 p.m. East African Time at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.

The Junior Starlets qualified for the tournament after defeating South Africa 5-1 on aggregate in the final round of African qualifying, securing a second consecutive appearance at the global competition after making their debut at the 2024 edition in the Dominican Republic.

Kenya made history during that debut by recording its first-ever FIFA World Cup victory, beating Mexico 2-1 after earlier defeats to England and North Korea. The Junior Starlets will now aim to build on that experience by progressing beyond the group stage for the first time.

Group E brings together teams with varying levels of experience at the tournament. The United States are making their eighth appearance, China PR their fifth, while Kenya and Samoa are both competing at the finals for the second time.

The United States reached the inaugural final in 2008, while China PR's best performance came in 2025 when they reached the Round of 16. Samoa, meanwhile, made their debut at the 2025 edition and are returning for a second consecutive tournament.

Kenya will be led by head coach Mildred Cheche, who has largely retained the squad that guided the team through qualifying. On October 16, Cheche named her final squad, with Peninah Fostine and Joan Agola among the newcomers who earned places after impressing during the team's preparations.

US-based midfielder Mwanakombo Bakari also joined the squad in Morocco after arriving on October 15, while Faith Boke was left out after failing to recover from an injury in time for the tournament and will continue her rehabilitation.

The Junior Starlets arrived in Morocco on October 8 and have used the early arrival to acclimatise and fine-tune their preparations. Their build-up has included friendly matches against Ghana U17 and Sporting Club Casablanca.

Captain Beverlyne Awuor has previously expressed confidence in the team's preparations, with the Junior Starlets heading to Morocco determined to compete rather than simply participate.

The 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup runs from October 17 to November 7, with 24 teams competing for the title. For Kenya, attention now turns to October 19 and the opening Group E encounter against China PR as the Junior Starlets begin their latest bid to make history on the global stage.