By Joshua Otieno | March 24, 2026
Kenya has been selected to host the 2026 FIFA Women’s Series matches, marking the first time the country will stage a global football showpiece of this scale.
Harambee Starlets and Harambee Stars are among 48 national teams set to participate in the inaugural FIFA International Friendly Series.
Harambee Starlets will face India, Australia, and Malawi at Nyayo National Stadium from April 11–15. In the opening fixtures, Australia will play Malawi at 2pm, followed by Kenya taking on India at 6pm, with the final and third-place playoff scheduled for April 15.
Meanwhile, Harambee Stars are set to clash with Estonia on March 27 before facing either Grenada or Rwanda in their final match on March 30.
Salim Mvurya and Hussein Mohammed said the matches will be crucial in preparing national teams ahead of the rescheduled 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
“This tournament gives our teams a valuable platform to compete at a high level and adequately prepare for upcoming continental assignments,” said Mvurya.
At the same time, Mvurya confirmed that Kenya is yet to pay the $30 million (KSh 3.8 billion) hosting commitment fee to the Confederation of African Football for AFCON 2027.
“We remain fully committed as a government to ensuring Kenya successfully hosts AFCON 2027. The necessary processes are underway to secure and remit the required funds in time,” he added.
He made the remarks during the FIFA Women’s Series 2026 Kenya launch held at the Talanta Hela offices in Nairobi.
In contrast, Tanzania and Uganda have already completed their payments to CAF, strengthening their position in the joint hosting arrangements for AFCON 2027.
In a related development, Mvurya announced plans to reorganise the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the CHAN 2024/27 tournament to establish a new structure that will oversee preparations for AFCON 2027.
FKF President Hussein Mohammed also welcomed the development, stating: “Hosting this series is a major boost for Kenyan football and a sign of growing confidence in our ability to stage international tournaments.”
Additionally, Cape Media—comprising TV47 Kenya, TV47 Digital, and Radio 47—has been unveiled as the official media partner for the upcoming FIFA Women’s Series Kenya 2026 tournament.
