Kenya’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) preparations are back on track after Harambee Starlets ended a brief standoff over unpaid allowances and departed for a pre-tournament training camp in France on Wednesday.
The breakthrough came hours after the players threatened to boycott the trip, demanding the settlement of outstanding allowances before travelling to Europe.
Team captain Mwanahalima Adam confirmed that the dispute had been resolved and the squad was fully focused on preparations for the continental showpiece in Morocco.
“Everything has now been sorted out, and we’re ready to travel. We’re heading to France to prepare well and give our very best,” Adam said.
The Starlets are expected to spend a week in Miramas, France, where they will fine-tune their preparations before travelling to Morocco for the 2026 WAFCON finals, scheduled for 26 July to 16 August.
The allowances dispute had threatened to derail Kenya’s final preparations after players staged a sit-in protest outside the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) offices in Nairobi on Wednesday, insisting they would not board their scheduled 5:30 p.m. flight until their outstanding payments were settled.
Reports indicated that Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi intervened, holding talks with the players in an effort to resolve the impasse before the team’s departure.
According to Kenyan football journalist Kevin Teya, the unpaid dues covered multiple international assignments. Foreign-based players were reportedly owed allowances for the November, March and June FIFA windows, while locally based players were still awaiting payments for the November and June camps, having only received their March allowances.
The protest came less than 24 hours after the squad received a ceremonial send-off at State House, where President William Ruto wished the team success ahead of its return to Africa’s biggest women’s football tournament after a decade. During the ceremony, the President reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting national teams and urged the players to make Kenya proud.
The payment dispute also follows earlier concerns raised by head coach Beldine Odemba, who had appealed to the government and football authorities to clear outstanding allowances before the tournament, warning that timely payments would boost player morale.
Despite the off-field distractions, the Starlets now turn their full attention to their historic campaign in Morocco.
Kenya secured qualification for WAFCON for only the second time in the nation’s history after overcoming Tunisia and The Gambia in the qualifiers, ending a 10-year absence from the continental finals. The team will face hosts Morocco, Senegal, and Algeria in a challenging Group A, with coach Odemba targeting a place in the semi-finals and a historic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
While the allowances row has been resolved in time to avoid disrupting Kenya’s travel plans, it once again highlights the recurring financial challenges that have periodically overshadowed the preparations of the country’s national teams. With the France camp now underway, the focus shifts back to football as the Harambee Starlets seek to make history on their return to the continental stage.
