Kenya’s national men’s Under-17 team, Junior Stars, is set to travel to Kigali, Rwanda, to participate in the CECAFA regional qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations Under-17, AFCON U-17.
According to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), head coach William Muluya has named the final 23-man squad that will represent Kenya in the tournament.
The team has been in residential camp since September 24 and is scheduled to leave the country on Monday, October 5, for Rwanda.
Junior Stars have been placed in Group C alongside defending CECAFA champions Tanzania and Djibouti. Group A consists of hosts Rwanda, Sudan, Somalia and South Sudan, while Group B features Uganda, Ethiopia and Burundi.
The tournament will be held in Kigali from October 10 to 19, 2026, with matches expected to be played at Kigali Pele Stadium and the FERWAFA Technical Centre.
The tournament format puts significant pressure on every team. The winners of each group will automatically qualify for the semi-finals, joined by the best second-placed team across the three groups.
The two finalists, together with the winner of the third-place play-off, will earn the right to represent the CECAFA region at the 2027 AFCON U-17 tournament.
For Junior Stars, the tournament provides another opportunity to pursue international success after taking part in the 2025 CECAFA U-17 tournament in Ethiopia.
Coach Muluya now faces the task of preparing his squad for a highly competitive campaign against Tanzania and Djibouti, with the main objective being to reach the semi-finals and ultimately secure qualification for the AFCON U-17 tournament.
The attention of Kenyan football fans now turns to Kigali, where Kenya’s emerging talents will battle to make history and raise the country’s flag on the African youth football stage.
