Rwanda will be looking to make a strong start to their 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign when they host Zambia in the first leg on Friday at Kigali Pele Stadium.

The youthful side, coached by Oscarie Iragena, will face the Copper Princesses aiming for a positive result before traveling to Ndola for the return leg a week later.

The team has been in training camp for the past two weeks, and Iragena says she is encouraged by the squad’s growing confidence ahead of the clash.

"We have tried to equip the girls with everything they will need for this match. We know Zambia is a strong and experienced side in this competition, but our players are confident and ready to challenge them,” Iragena said.

Zambia arrived in Kigali on Wednesday, two days before the match. However, they will be without midfielder Jessica Choolwe Johnson, who is unavailable due to high school examinations.

The qualification process for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup consists of three rounds, with four African teams set to qualify and join hosts Morocco, who have already secured automatic qualification.

Morocco has also been granted the rights to host the tournament for five consecutive editions, with the competition now held annually.