Kenya will host a major global women’s football event in April after FIFA confirmed Nairobi as one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA Women’s Series, marking a historic first for the country.
FIFA has selected Kenya to host one of the four groups in the inaugural women’s edition of the FIFA Series, with matches scheduled from April 11 to April 15, 2026, at Nyayo National Stadium.
According to FIFA, the Nairobi-based group will feature the national teams of Kenya, Australia, India, and Malawi.
The announcement followed a revision of the global FIFA Series 2026 schedule, released on March 23, which added Kenya as a new host nation for the women’s competition.
The decision expanded the women’s tournament to 16 teams across four host countries, placing Kenya alongside Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, and Thailand.
How the Nairobi Group Will Be Played
The Nairobi group will be played in a knockout format.
On April 11, Australia will face Malawi in the opening match, before Kenya take on India later the same day.
The two winners will meet in the final on April 15, while the losing teams will contest a third-place playoff earlier that day.
All matches will be staged at Nyayo National Stadium.
The tournament offers the national women’s team, Harambee Starlets, a rare chance to compete against higher-ranked international opposition on home soil.
Australia, one of Asia’s strongest women’s teams and a regular presence at the Women’s World Cup, headlines the Nairobi group.
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India and Malawi add further continental diversity, aligning with FIFA’s objective of cross-confederation competition.
The FIFA Series
The FIFA Series is a biennial invitational competition introduced by the world football governing body FIFA in 2024 to increase international match opportunities, especially for teams that rarely face opponents from other continents.
Unlike traditional tournaments hosted in a single country, the FIFA Series comprises several four-team mini-competitions, staged simultaneously across multiple host nations during the FIFA international window.
The 2026 edition is the first to feature women’s national teams.
It will run between April 9 and April 18 and involve 16 women’s teams drawn from five confederations.
Each host nation stages its own group, with formats agreed in advance by FIFA and the participating teams.
For Kenya, hosting the tournament is a significant milestone.
It is the first time the country will stage a FIFA women’s international competition of this level and scale.
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The decision is due to FIFA’s growing global confidence in Kenya’s organisational capacity, stadium standards, and football administration.
FIFA has said the Series is designed to strengthen football development beyond results, giving host associations experience in event operations, refereeing, competition management and international broadcasting.
Kenya’s inclusion required changes to the overall FIFA Series schedule, signifying the weight of the hosting role.
FIFA described Kenya as a new host member association, added after logistical planning adjustments across both the women’s and men’s competitions.
The other women’s groups will be hosted in Brazil, which will also host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, in Côte d’Ivoire, and in Thailand.
Each venue will stage its own four-team tournament during the same April international window to create a global network of competitive fixtures.
All FIFA Series 2026 matches will be streamed worldwide on FIFA platforms and through regional broadcast partners, giving Kenyan football unprecedented international exposure.
The hosting of FIFA Series 2026 matches in Nairobi will again place Kenya’s stadium preparations under global inspection.
Success could strengthen the case for further international hosting rights, while gaps would renew debate over long-term investment, maintenance discipline, and private sector involvement in sports infrastructure.
