Kenya's Junior Starlets reach Morocco, open U-17 Women's World Cup against China on 19 October

Kenya's under-17 women's team, the Junior Starlets, arrived in Mohammedia, Morocco, on Thursday to finish their preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, The Standard reported on 10 October. They open the tournament against China PR on Monday 19 October.

FIFA's match schedule, dated 9 October, puts Kenya v China PR at 15:00 local time at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, on Pitch 1. Kenya then play the United States on Thursday 22 October at 18:00 on Pitch 3, and Samoa on Sunday 25 October at 18:00 on Pitch 4. FIFA lists all kick-off times as local and subject to change.

The four teams make up Group E. The tournament runs from 17 October to the final on 7 November.

Kenya qualified by beating South Africa 5-1 on aggregate, Eastleigh Voice reported on 14 July. They won 2-0 away in Pretoria and 3-1 at home at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi. This is Kenya's second World Cup, after the 2024 tournament in the Dominican Republic.

In 2024 Kenya lost 2-0 to England and 3-0 to North Korea, then beat Mexico 2-1 for their first World Cup win, according to Eastleigh Voice. Head coach Mildred Cheche said, as quoted by the outlet, that "the girls had some stage fright at the start and played with some fear". The outlet said she wanted the team to get past the group stage this time.

The Standard reported on 10 October that Cheche wants to turn the experience of that debut into a strong run in the knockout rounds. Captain Beverlyne Awuor is expected to anchor the defence, the paper said.

Citizen Digital reported on 2 October that Mwanakombo Bakari, who had been injured, was expected to rejoin the squad on 15 October, and that Rose Wangila and Lindey Atieno had been ruled out. Awuor said, as quoted by the outlet, that the team wanted to win more than the one match it won in 2024.

China's other group games, according to the FIFA schedule, are against Samoa on Thursday 22 October at 15:00 on Pitch 1 and against the United States on Sunday 25 October at 18:00 on Pitch 3. The United States play Samoa on 19 October at 18:00 on Pitch 3.