FIFA U17 WWCQ: Junior Starlets duo reveal source of motivation ahead of Uganda tie

Kenya U17 girls national team duo Faith Boke and Tabitha Wambui have expressed confidence that the Junior Starlets will once again overcome regional rivals Uganda and continue their march towards another FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualification.

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The Junior Starlets are set to face the Uganda Teen Cranes in the first leg of the second round qualifiers on Friday, 22 May at the FUFA Stadium in Kadiba, Uganda, with the return leg expected to be staged in Nairobi.

Mildred Cheche’s charges booked their place in the second round after a dominant 7-1 aggregate victory over Namibia, while Uganda advanced after dispatching Zimbabwe 6-1 over two legs.

Speaking to FKF Media after the team’s residential training camp in Nairobi, Butere Girls defender Boke said the squad is highly motivated by the dream of returning to the World Cup stage.

“We are not going to let you down. The team's motivation is to go to the World Cup. Last year, we faced different opponents, and this year too, but Uganda is the only side we faced last year and are facing again this year, so we want to get the job done and see who our next opponents will be,” said Boke.

Madira Girls midfielder Wambui, who regularly faces Boke in Western Region school games, echoed the same sentiments, insisting that another World Cup qualification would greatly inspire young girls across the country.

“The camp has been good, we are training well, and the team is ready. We are fighting because qualifying for the World Cup will mean a lot to me. It will continue motivating other girls and me to keep working hard to achieve our goals,” said Wambui.

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Boke further noted that although Uganda remains a tough opponent, the team is approaching the tie with confidence and belief, following their previous meetings.

“The camp is okay, and everyone has morale. Everyone is pushing because Uganda is not a simple opponent. But we promise our fans that we are coming back from Uganda with three points. We are not going to let you down, and at home it will be a slaughterhouse because we want to get the work done and wait for the next opponent,” she added.

The Junior Starlets have built a strong recent record against Uganda in FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

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The two sides met during the 2025 qualification campaign, where Kenya comfortably eliminated the Teen Cranes 5-0 on aggregate after securing a 2-0 victory in Kampala, before sealing the tie with a 3-0 win in Nairobi.

Cheche and her squad will now be aiming to go one step further after narrowly missing out on qualification last year.

Kenya had progressed past Uganda to reach the final qualifying round before falling to Cameroon in the decisive stage.

Despite that heartbreak, the Junior Starlets had already etched their names into history in 2024 after becoming the first Kenyan football team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup tournament.

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Kenya advanced after DR Congo withdrew, before eliminating Ethiopia 3-0 on aggregate, and Burundi 5-0 in the final qualifying round, to seal a historic ticket to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.