The inaugural CAF U-17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) 2025 is scheduled to take place from January 7-18, 2025, at the Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Kenya is among the participants and has been granted two slots following the withdrawal of Bahir Dar Kenema from Ethiopia. The two teams representing Kenya will be Kenya Academy of Sports and Kenya Elite Junior Academy.
Both teams have been placed in Group A, which is expected to be a thrilling derby when they face off against each other. Also in this group are Tanzania’s JKT Queens and City Lights Football Academy from South Sudan.
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The tournament will feature eight teams, with Group B comprising TDS Girls Academy from Tanzania, Boni Consilli Girls Vocational Team from Uganda, Aigle Noir FC from Burundi, and Hilaad FC from Somalia.
The Kenya Academy of Sports team will be led by Talanta FC head coach Jacqueline Juma, one of only two CAF A-accredited female coaches in the country. Meanwhile, Kenya Elite Junior Academy will be guided by Mildred Cheche, the historic coach who led the Kenya U-17 women’s team to the World Cup.
The CAF GIFT tournament is a pivotal step in Kenya’s preparations for the World Cup qualifiers, as players aim to seize the opportunity to secure their spots on the Junior Starlets team that will represent Kenya in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
Kenya’s campaign begins in March 2025, where they will face either Namibia or Uganda in the second round.
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Furthermore, the tournament is a groundbreaking initiative by CAF, designed to foster the growth of women’s football across Africa. It provides a platform for showcasing young female footballers, enhancing player development, and promoting women’s football at both regional and continental levels.
Group Matches
JKT Queens vs Kenya Academy of Sports | January 7, 2025 | 6 pm | Azam Complex
Kenya Elite Junior Academy vs City Lights FC | January 8, 2025 | 9 am | Azam Complex
TDS Girls vs Boni Consilli Girls | January 8, 2025 | 3 pm | Azam Complex
Aigle Noir vs Hilaad FC | January 8, 2025 | 6 pm | Azam Complex
JKT Queens vs Kenya Elite Junior Academy | January 10, 2025 | 3 pm | Azam Complex
City Lights FC vs Kenya Academy of Sports | January 10, 2025 | 6 pm | Azam Complex
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TDS Girls vs Aigle Noir | January 11, 2025 | 3 pm | Azam Complex
Boni Consilli Girls vs Hilaad FC | January 11, 2025 | 6 pm | Azam Complex
Kenya Elite Junior Academy vs Kenya Academy of Sports | January 13, 2025 | 3 pm | Azam Complex
JKT Queens vs City Lights | January 13, 2025 | 6 pm | Azam Complex
Hilaad FC vs TDS Girls | January 14, 2025 | 3 pm | Azam Complex
Boni Consilli Girls vs Aigle Noir | January 14, 2025 | 6 pm | Azam Complex
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