Khadija Furaha in action against Mexico’s Dulce Mendoza during Kenya’s group campaign.
Kenya seek a semi-final place against Group D winners Chinese Taipei after scoring 15 goals in victories over France and Mexico.
Kenyan girls face Chinese Taipei today in the ISF World Cup quarter-finals in Suzhou, China. They reached the last eight of the 2026 tournament after finishing second in Group B with six points.
Kenya recovered from an opening defeat to Brazil to beat France and Mexico. Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei won Group D with seven points from two victories and a draw.
Kenya target ISF World Cup semi-final spot
A narrow 1-0 loss to Brazil gave Kenya a difficult start to their group campaign. However, they responded with a 6-1 victory over France before defeating Mexico 9-0 in their final pool match.
Those results kept Kenya in contention for the International School Sports Federation title. Now, the knockout stage leaves no room for another defeat as they pursue a semi-final place.
Midfielder Joan Ogola said the players understand the stakes and are ready for the challenge. She added that their ambition extends beyond reaching the final to bringing the trophy home.
However, Ogola expects a difficult contest against opponents she believes will benefit from playing closer to home. She also said Kenya have learned to handle pressure and can compete with Chinese Taipei.
Defence takes priority after strong scoring run
While Kenya scored 15 goals across their two victories, defender Emaqulete Odhiambo stressed the importance of defensive discipline. She said every player must fulfil their role to help secure the result.
Kenya conceded twice during the group stage, once against Brazil and once against France. Odhiambo therefore urged the backline to perform at its best and avoid conceding again.
Captain Khadija Furaha remains central to Kenya’s hopes after playing a key role throughout the competition. Ogola, Beffine Ager and goalkeeper Iffy Norah are also among the players likely to start.
Marcy Odhiambo, Nancy Omondi and Idah Ouma also feature among Kenya’s likely starters for the quarter-final.
Kenyan boys prepare for England
Elsewhere in the girls’ quarter-finals, China One face China’s second team, while Morocco meet Germany. Brazil take on Turkey in the other last-eight fixture.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s boys earned their first victory of the tournament yesterday, beating Chile 3-0 in a classification match. They next face England today in another fixture to determine their final placing.
