•The FKF honcho said the strategic plan was a culmination of a well-thought-out plan meant to steer the country to greatness.
• Harambee Starlets have been drawn in Group 'A' of the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Image: FILE
Kenya are about to realise their dream of making a maiden appearance at the Women's World Cup, Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa has said.
Speaking during the launch of the women football strategic plan at a Nairobi hotel on Wednesday, Mwendwa said: “Truth be told, we are just two matches away from African Cup of Nations in Morocco. Once we get there, we shall only be two and a half matches away from our maiden World Cup appearance in New Zealand and Australia."
Mwendwa said his administration has established effective and comprehensive structures to fire the women's national team, Harambee Starlets, to the 2023 Women's World Cup that will be held jointly by Australia and New Zealand.
“When my administration was elected into office in 2016, we set out to establish structures and processes that would ensure the holistic development of football, with a special focus on women's football development, an area we felt had great potential but had been neglected for a long time,” added Mwendwa.
The FKF honcho said the strategic plan was a culmination of a well-thought-out plan meant to steer the country to greatness.
“Our vision for this strategy is to see Kenya’s continued rise in FIFA rankings, with a mission to popularise the game and make it the number one sport of choice for girls/women in the country, professionalise the entire scope of the women’s game and ensure regular qualification to all major regional and international tournaments,” he said.
"I want to tell you that I see myself on the plane that will fly from Qatar to Sydney. We are four matches away from going to the World Cup. It's a historic moment for Kenyan football," said Mwendwa.
Mwendwa said FKF had reintroduced Women Football competitions, a factor that had played a key role in ensuring Kenya’s qualification for both the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (2016) in Cameroon and the Cecafa Women Championships (2019), which Kenya won.
"We are seeing young girls who have matured through the ranks of our national team system now playing for the senior team. I can tell you that our women have made strides and I am so pleased with what we are doing. I want to promise you that there will be a World Cup, not just a Cup of Nations," said Mwendwa.
Harambee Starlets have been drawn in Group 'A' of the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The first round will see Kenya play South Sudan, where if successful, they will meet either Uganda or Ethiopia in the second round. The winners will then join hosts Morocco in the continental showpiece.