Kenya’s senior women national team, the Harambee Starlets, have capped off an impressive year by climbing seven places in the latest FIFA Women’s Rankings released today (Thursday November 11).
The Starlets now sit at position 133 globally, a significant improvement from their previous 140th spot in the final ranking window of 2025, marking the highest ranking achieved in the last five years.
This upward momentum is a direct result of their impressive performance during the ranking period, most notably securing a historic second-ever qualification for the prestigious Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
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The 2026 qualification was sealed with a dominant two-legged victory over higher ranked The Gambia, winning 3-1 at home and following up with a 1-0 win away to complete a solid aggregate victory.
The Starlets’ progress throughout 2025 has been steady and consistent. They began the year at position 149 before rising to 142 in the first rankings released on March 6th.
They maintained this position through June, powered up to 140 in August, and now conclude the year at 133rd globally.
On the African continent, Kenya is ranked 21st, with powerhouses Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Ghana, and Morocco occupying the top five positions respectively.
In the regional CECAFA standings, the Harambee Starlets have maintained a strong position, although Tanzania has surpassed Ethiopia to become the highest-ranked nation. Only Kenya and Tanzania registered a rise in the latest rankings.
Harambee Starlets climb 7 places in FIFA Women’s Rankings
The latest release sees Tanzania at 121, Kenya at 133, Ethiopia at 138, Uganda at 148, Rwanda at 169, Burundi at 179, South Sudan at 195, and Djibouti at 197.
Eritrea and Sudan remain unranked in the current list having not taken part in FIFA recognized matches over the last two years.
The national team’s focus now shifts to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in February where the Harambee Starlets will be aiming to bag significant ranking coefficients to boost their chances of climbing further on the table.
The country’s highest ever ranking was 108 in 2018.