President William Ruto has rallied Kenyans to turn Sunday's FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup qualifier into a home advantage by filling Nyayo National Stadium and cheering on the Junior Starlets as they bid to seal another place on football's biggest youth stage.
With Kenya just one match away from qualification, the President on Saturday appealed to fans to stand firmly behind the national team when they face South Africa's Bantwana in the decisive return leg.
In a video message, Ruto said the Junior Starlets had earned the opportunity to compete for another World Cup and challenged Kenyans to play their part by showing up in large numbers to support the team.
"Kenyans, just to remind you, our Junior Starlets team is 90 minutes away from qualifying for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup once again. The team has earned this moment. Now it's our turn as a nation to stand behind them," Ruto said.
He urged supporters to create an electric atmosphere at Nyayo Stadium by waving the national flag and backing the players from kick-off to the final whistle.
"Let's fill the stadium with our flags, our voices and our belief in the next generation. This is more than football. One nation, one team, one dream. Tukutane at Nyayo Stadium this Sunday. Let's go, Kenya!" the President added.
The Mildred Cheche-led side heads into the crucial fixture with confidence after beating South Africa 2-0 in the first leg played in Pretoria last weekend.
That victory has left Kenya in a strong position, with the Junior Starlets needing only a draw or another win on home soil to book their place at the 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup.
A successful qualification campaign would see Kenya return to the tournament for the second time after making a historic appearance at the 2024 edition in the Dominican Republic.
The 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup will be staged in Morocco from October 17 to November 7 and will feature 24 teams.
Beyond chasing qualification, Sunday's encounter presents another opportunity for the Junior Starlets to inspire young girls across the country to believe that football can open doors to the world stage.
Coach Mildred Cheche will be banking on another composed performance from her players after they kept South Africa scoreless and found the net twice in the opening leg to take control of the tie.
The team will now be looking to complete the task in front of home supporters and secure another memorable chapter in Kenya's youth football journey.