The stakes just got a whole lot higher for the Harambee Starlets. As Kenya’s national women’s football team puts the finishing touches on their preparations in France, news out of CAF headquarters has given the squad a massive financial motivation ahead of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Confederation of African Football has officially bumped up the tournament’s overall prize pool to a staggering $5.8 million (around Ksh751 million). That means just by walking onto the pitch for their group matches, the Starlets are already guaranteed a cool $150,000 (approx. Ksh19.5 million) in participation money.
And it only gets sweeter from there. If Beldine Odemba’s squad can pull off a fairytale run and lift the trophy, they will walk away with a mind-blowing $2 million—translating to roughly Ksh259 million. Even a runner-up finish will net a life-changing Ksh97 million.
Coming right on the heels of a Ksh10 million boost from the Kenyan government to facilitate their trip, the financial future of women’s football in Kenya is looking brighter than ever. The Starlets are drawn in a tough group alongside hosts Morocco, Senegal, and Algeria, but with life-changing money on the line, you can bet the team will leave everything on the pitch.
