Kenya’s Junior Starlets have been placed in Group E alongside the United States, China PR and Samoa for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, setting up a demanding group-stage campaign against opponents from three different confederations.
The tournament will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 7, bringing together 24 national teams for the tenth edition of the global youth competition.
Kenya secured its place as one of Africa’s four qualifiers after successfully navigating the continental qualification process. FIFA confirmed on July 12 that Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia had completed the tournament line-up after advancing from the final round of African qualifying.
The Group E line-up was initially drawn in May with one position reserved for the winner of Africa’s fourth qualifying pathway. Kenya’s qualification subsequently confirmed the Junior Starlets as the team joining the United States, Samoa and China PR.
Kenya will begin its group-stage campaign against China PR on October 19 before facing the United States on October 22. The remaining fixture against Samoa will complete the Junior Starlets’ group programme.
The Junior Starlets will face opponents with different levels of experience at the tournament. China PR will make their fifth appearance at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after competing in 2012, 2014, 2022 and 2025. The Chinese side reached the Round of 16 at the 2025 edition.
The United States qualified after a dominant Concacaf campaign in which they won their final qualifying group and outscored their opponents 32-0, according to U.S. Soccer.
“It’s exciting to learn our group for the World Cup and see our path in Morocco,” U.S. U-17 head coach Ciara Crinion said after the draw.
“Every team and every game brings a different set of challenges and a chance to compete at the highest level.”
Samoa, meanwhile, qualified through Oceania and will make another appearance on the global stage after earning their first U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification in 2025.
The 2026 tournament will feature six groups of four teams.
The top two teams in each group will qualify automatically for the Round of 16, while the four best third-placed teams across the six groups will also advance. That format means every point could be significant for Kenya, with third place potentially enough to secure a place in the knockout rounds.
The competition is the second edition to feature 24 teams after FIFA expanded the tournament from its previous 16-team format. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the expansion was intended to create more opportunities for young players and national teams.
“There is talent in every country around the world,” Infantino said. “It just needs an opportunity to shine.”
Morocco is hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup annually from 2025 to 2029 as part of FIFA’s revised structure for the competition.
For the Junior Starlets, attention will now turn to preparations for the tournament, including training camps, player selection and possible international friendly matches. Facing China, the United States and Samoa will require Kenya to prepare for contrasting styles of play and the demands of three group matches within a short period.
The tournament also provides another opportunity for Kenya’s young players to gain experience at the highest level of international youth football. Defending champions Korea DPR will also be among the 24 teams competing in Morocco after retaining the title in 2025.
Kenya’s immediate objective will be to compete effectively in Group E and secure enough points to reach the Round of 16. With qualification now confirmed, the Junior Starlets have just over three months to prepare for their opening match against China as they return to the global stage in Morocco.