Kenya: World Cup debut turning point for women's football

The excitement and emotions were palpable after Kenya qualified for the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup for the first time.

It was more than just a milestone in sports; it was a beacon of hope for young girls across the nation. 

The achievement marked a significant turning point in Kenyan football. As the first qualification for a World Cup for any age group or gender, it offered a glimpse into a brighter future for women's sports across the country. 

"It was a life-changing moment," head coach Mildred Cheche told DW. "For most of us, we come from backgrounds with sad stories, and football for us is everything. We don’t just play for fun; we play for livelihood."

Captain Elizebeth Ochaka could not hide her elation, adding to DW: "Qualifying for the World Cup was a dream come true. We were very excited because the games were not easy."

Success leads to immediate impact

A 5-0 aggregate win over Burundi earned Kenya their berth of this year's U17 World Cup tournament in the Dominican Republic this October and November.

The ripple effect was almost immediate, as girls and women in Kenya were inspired after seeing compatriots from similar backgrounds succeed on the world stage. 

The Junior Starlets' success shifted perceptions of what is achievable making many realize that a career in sports, whether as players, coaches, referees or sports administrators is possible.

"I received numerous calls from women wanting to join a team," explained Cheche. "People were seeking recommendations on where they can start and how they can help women's football." 

"We even had some scouts from the United States who are asking, how can we help? This achievement is really opening up doors for women in football."

Lack of structure stymied growth

Kenya long struggled with inadequate funding, poor management, and insufficient training facilities for women’s teams.

The lack of investment Cheche had been used to as a player became even more evident when she stepped into coaching in 2011.

The biggest barriers came with the absence of proper structure, no access to equipment and crucially no football materials.

"We used to have one ball or two balls," she recalled. "We did not have cones or bibs."

"I was trying to coach but I did not have the proper coaching education. You are coaching with the knowledge you have from playing and the knowledge you see on the internet – which was less than what is available now."

"Importantly, we also did not have the licences to practise. Women's football just existed, but nobody cared, which was a big challenge for us. Most of us almost gave up."

Kenya lagged behind other African countries

While women's football in Kenya struggled to be taken seriously, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) created structures for women’s football in the 1990s, allowing for early talent identification and development.

The Super Falcon's consistent participation in international FIFA tournaments gave players vital experience against a varying level of opponents.

Players like Asisat Oshoala became household names, inspiring young girls to pursue football. 

Meanwhile in Kenya, the lack of visible female football role models has been a barrier. But change is happening.

"Nigeria have invested in stadiums and also enter into all the FIFA competitions, whether they win or lose, and they are consistent with that," Cheche said. "With that, growth is inevitable."

"They've been consistent for several years and with that they've become a powerhouse."

"For Kenya, we have started to be consistent just a short while back. It's going to take a while, but I think we are on the right path to also reach a similar level."

Europe the goal for young generation

It was almost inevitable that the current Junior Starlet skipper would play football, with Ochaka's father – a former footballer himself – having encouraged her from a young age.

Having a supportive household has been key in her development as a player and the recent experiences of different cultures and food has opened the defender's eyes to a world of possibilities.

England's Lauren James is Ochaka's idol and she has her sights set on playing in Europe.

"I would like to join a club outside the country because I have seen in Europe there are some teams that are good," she said. "I would like to join one."

Head coach Cheche also believes that, for the team, simply reaching the World Cup will allow the players to showcase their talents to their largest audience ever.

"Our players have gone from playing in the school games, to the regional competition and now they are on the World Cup stage," she added. "For them the opportunity now to possibly get scouted is a life-changing opportunity."  

Kenya an unknown, exciting prospect

Kenya faces three daunting opponents in the group stages, taking on two-time winners North Korea, 2018 runners-up Mexico and England.

Ochaka is particularly looking forward to facing the European side, saying that England are often spoken of as a physically "tough team".

"We want to see how tough they are," she mused. "But we are tough, and we are going to deal with them very well."

While the success of just reaching the group stages of the U17 World Cup was momentous for Kenya, Cheche is not ruling out that her team could pull of a shock.

"The other countries are all powerhouses," she said. " We are the underdogs, as people call us, but I believe that to be a strength because nobody knows how we play."

"When the girls just give their best regardless of the results, that's a success because reaching this far is success itself."

"We're really not closing ourselves in on where we can get. We're managing our expectations but if we aim to win, we can land somewhere close."

Edited by: Matt Pearson