Harambee Starlets will step up their preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with two international friendlies in Ivory Coast before heading to a pre-tournament training camp in France.
The team is set to depart on Saturday, February 28, 2026, for Abidjan, where they will face Benin on March 2 and hosts Côte d’Ivoire on March 4. Both matches will be played at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara.
After the Abidjan fixtures, the squad will travel to Miramas, France, for a residential training camp running until March 15. The Starlets will then proceed to Morocco for the continental tournament.
Crucial Test Matches
The two friendlies are expected to offer the technical bench a valuable opportunity to fine-tune tactics and assess match readiness against competitive opposition.
Ivory Coast are currently ranked 72nd in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, while Benin sit 139th. Kenya are placed 133rd, making the fixtures a crucial gauge of progress ahead of the continental showpiece.
Eyes on Group A challenge
The 2026 WAFCON will run from March 17 to April 3.
Kenya will open their Group A campaign against hosts Morocco on March 17 before facing Senegal on March 20. The Starlets will wrap up their group stage matches against Algeria on March 23 as they seek to advance to the knockout rounds.
