Harambee Stars and Starlets Set for Big Boost After Landmark Deal With French Giants

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has signed a partnership that will boost Kenyan football from junior to national teams.

A high-powered delegation of FKF officials, led by president Hussein Mohammed, his deputy McDonald Mariga as well as National Executive Committee members Abdalla Yusuf, Robert Macharia, and Kerubo Momanyi has been in France this week where a number of key partnerships have been agreed.

The delegation was hosted by nine-time French champions Marseille and also had a visit to the city of Miramas, which acted as the pre-Olympics base for Team Kenya ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

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During their visit to Miramas, the federation sealed an agreement that will see Harambee Starlets camp in the city as they prepare for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) set to be staged in Morocco between March 17 and April 3.

Kenya are in a tough Group A that has host nation Morocco, finalists in the last two editions, as well as WAFCON 2024 quarter-finalists Algeria and Senegal, and will need the best possible preparations heading into the tournament.

FKF also secured a partnership with Marseille that will see the 1993 UEFA Champions League winners boost Kenyan academies, coaches as well as help improve national team preparations.

“Olympique De Marseille is undeniably a football powerhouse in Europe,” Mohammed posted on social media following his team’s meeting with the Marseille delegation that was led by the club’s president Pablo Longoria.

“We have just concluded a monumental meeting with the club's President, Pablo Fernández Longoria and his team on establishing a partnership framework around youth academies, coaching programs, women football and National teams preparations. This year will be very exciting for Kenyan football.”

Kenyan coaches will now gain high-level skills from the French club while Harambee Stars will use some of the club’s world class facilities to prepare for future assignments following the agreement.

“We urgently need to get our players, coaches and football administrators access to opportunities in mature and established markets. Skill and knowledge transfer is critical for our growth,” Mohammed wrote in a separate post.

“France is amongst the best footballing nations in the world. We want to play in the same league one day.”

The Kenyan delegation was among those in attendance as Marseille hosted Premier League champions Liverpool in a Champions League match, which they lost 3-0 on Wednesday.