Kenya's Junior Starlets face Japan for a historic U-17 Women's World Cup quarter-final place
Kenya meet Japan at 19:00 WAT on Thursday at the Mohammed VI complex. A first-ever knockout win would set up a quarter-final against Ghana's Black Maidens; Nigeria's Flamingos play Mexico earlier the same afternoon.
By Emily · 29 Oct 2026, 12:25 WAT
Kenya's Junior Starlets play Japan in the Round of 16 of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup on Thursday 29 October, kick-off 19:00 WAT — 21:00 East Africa Time — at Pitch 3 of the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Morocco.
It is the biggest match in the country's youth women's World Cup history. Kenya reached the knockout stage for the first time after beating Samoa 4-0 in their final Group E game on 25 October. Mwanakombo Bakari scored twice, with Brenda Awuor and Gaudancia Maloba also on the scoresheet; Bakari was Player of the Match, the Football Kenya Federation and TV47 report.
The path into the last 16 was hard. Kenya lost 3-0 to China and 6-1 to the United States before the Samoa result lifted them through among the best third-placed teams. Japan arrive as one of the tournament favourites: Little Nadeshiko won the competition in 2014 and were runners-up in 2010 and 2016, and have won the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup four times.
Head coach Mildred Cheche has said Japan will be difficult but that Kenya will prepare thoroughly and give its best, according to TV47's preview. TuSport is not predicting a score — only reporting the fixture, the history and what a win would unlock.
That unlock is African. Ghana's Black Maidens are already in the quarter-finals after beating Argentina 5-4 on penalties on Wednesday. The winner of Kenya–Japan meets Ghana in the last eight on Sunday 1 November. A Kenyan win would therefore set up an all-African quarter-final — a desk angle West African readers will not get from a Japan-first wire.
Thursday's Morocco board is stacked for African audiences. Nigeria's Flamingos face Mexico in the Round of 16 at 16:00 WAT on Pitch 2 of the same complex, three hours before Kenya kick off. Sports Beat and the NFF have both flagged the Flamingos tie; TuSport already published that preview and will update both ties after full time.
Kick-off for Kenya is 19:00 West Africa Time. Until the whistle, the story for TuSport readers is the historic chance: Kenya's first knockout game, a possible quarter-final against Ghana, and a shared African day with Nigeria's Flamingos earlier on the same site.
Sources: www.tv47.digital · www.fifa.com · www.fifa.com · www.fifa.com · sportsbeat.ng · www.ghanafa.org
