Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has postponed the Junior Starlets’ planned departure to Spain after the team’s travel documents were not cleared in time for the scheduled training camp. The Under-17 women’s national side had been expected to leave Kenya on Monday for a two-week camp as the final stage of preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
FKF confirms delay
In a statement released on Monday, FKF said the trip was deferred because visa processing had not been completed. The federation assured supporters that it is working with the relevant authorities to resolve the matter and enable the squad to travel as soon as possible.
“The Junior Starlets’ scheduled travel to Spain today for their pre-World Cup training camp has been deferred as the visa process remains ongoing,” FKF stated. “FKF is engaging with the relevant authorities and will communicate further updates on the team’s travel arrangements in due course.”
Preparation plans affected
Head coach Mildred Cheche had lined up the Spanish camp as a crucial opportunity to expose her players to high-level opposition before the World Cup. Kenya were scheduled to face Australia, Real Betis and Cadiz in friendly matches during the camp.
The fixtures were intended to sharpen the team’s tactical organisation, physical readiness and decision-making under pressure. Cheche has repeatedly said Kenya’s aim is not merely to participate in Morocco but to challenge for a place beyond the group stage.
Road to Morocco
The Junior Starlets qualified for their second consecutive FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating South Africa 5-1 on aggregate in July. Their debut came at the 2024 tournament in the Dominican Republic, where Kenya recorded a historic 2-1 win over Mexico.
Kenya are in Group E alongside the United States, China PR and Samoa. They will open their campaign against China PR on Monday, October 19, before meeting the United States on Thursday, October 22, and completing the group stage against Samoa on Sunday, October 25.
What next for Kenya
The delay is a setback to Kenya’s carefully planned final preparations, but FKF has not indicated that the camp has been cancelled. The federation says it will provide an update once the visa issue is resolved and the team’s new travel arrangements are confirmed.
With the World Cup set to run from October 17 to November 7 in Morocco, the Junior Starlets will hope the matter is settled quickly so they can still gain valuable international match exposure before facing China PR.
