CS Namwamba: Kenya to play in age group World Cup qualifiers
President William Ruto (partly hidden) watches as Busia County players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Talanta Hela Girls Under-19 final match against Kisumu County on December 12, 2023 at Nyayo National Stadium.
What you need to know:
- From the team that trained under the watch of a number of local, top coaches including Robert Matano, 90 have been selected to form U-17 and 20 boys' and girls' national teams.
- The teams are in March expected to hold an elite training camp in Spain and compete in the MICFootball-International Youth Football Tournament.
Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Sports Ababu Namwamba has said that Kenya will grace all future Under-17 and 20 World Cup qualifiers.
The move, the CS said, is aimed at building strong national teams for future international duties.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) on September 27 awarded Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania the rights to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.
Namwamba is confident that a formidable Harambee Stars will be ready for the 36th edition of the continental showpiece if Kenya competes in all future World Cup qualifiers and other important international tournaments.
The government has also expressed interest in having Stars qualify for the 2030 Fifa World Cup. Kenya has never qualified for the World Cup.
“We must be deliberate, intentional, and structured in building strong teams for national duty,” said Namwamba in a statement on Sunday.
“As part of this long-term masterplan, Kenya will contest all future U17 and U20 World Cup qualifiers starting in 2024. We are determined to build a formidable Harambee Stars for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations that we are co-hosting, and the 2030 World Cup.”
The CS said that he is impressed with how the recently concluded Talanta Hela U19 Inter-County Football tournament helped to unearth hidden talents across the country.
“I'm delighted that the talent progression pipeline we have established right from the school ecosystem, through the Talanta Hela U19 Inter-County Football Tournament is bearing fruits, even faster than anticipated,” said Namwamba.
“We have teams that genuinely reflect the face of Kenya, identified fairly, openly, and competitively from the grassroots across the length and breadth of our country.”
Homa Bay and Busia Counties were on December 12 crowned the boys’ and girls’ winners of the Talanta Hela U-19 Inter-County Football tournament at Nyayo National Stadium.
In the boys’ final of the tournament that began at the grassroots level in all the 47 counties, Homa Bay thumped Kisumu 4-2, while in the girls’ category, Busia hammered Kisumu 3-1. Homa Bay and Busia were awarded Sh5 million each.
One hundred and seventy-nine players from those who competed in the tournament were then called for a three-week training camp at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani.
From the team that trained under the watch of a number of local, top coaches including Robert Matano, 90 have been selected to form U-17 and 20 boys' and girls' national teams.
The teams are in March expected to hold an elite training camp in Spain and compete in the MICFootball-International Youth Football Tournament.
Namwamba said he has invited the U20 boys' and girls' national teams to play exhibition matches with Busia County U20 Combined on Tuesday.
