Kenya’s football future takes center stage at the CAF U17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from January 7–18, 2025.
One of the most anticipated fixtures is the all-Kenyan derby on January 13, 2025, at the Azam Complex, where the Kenya Academy of Sports will face off against the Kenya Elite Junior Academy.
The Kenya Elite Junior Academy was invited to participate after the withdrawal of Bahir Dar Kenema from Ethiopia. Both Kenyan teams are placed in Group A.
This tournament provides an important opportunity for Kenya to scout and fine-tune the team that will represent the country in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, set to begin in March 2025.
Kenya’s campaign will see them face either Namibia or Uganda in the second round.
The Kenya Academy of Sports team will be led by Jacqueline Juma, a pioneering figure in Kenyan football and one of the country’s two CAF A-accredited female coaches.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Elite Junior Academy will be coached by Mildred Cheche, the first Kenyan coach to lead a team to a FIFA World Cup.
