Kenya Women’s Rugby Team Lionesses Qualify for 2026 Rugby World Cup

The Kenya Women’s Rugby Team, the *Lionesses*, secured historic qualification for the 2026 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England on June 15, 2025—beating Madagascar 31–5 in the Africa Repechage final at Nyayo Stadium. Captain Grace Adhiambo scored two tries, while fly-half Sharon Cheptoo kicked 11 points. The win capped a 3-year rebuild under coach Liz Wambui, featuring full-time contracts and sevens-to-fifteens transition camps. Celebrations included a motorcade through Nairobi, hosted by CS Wafula. Kenya Rugby allocated KSh 120 million for preparation, including altitude training in Iten and strength coaching from South Africa. We didn’t break ceilings—we built new stadiums, said Adhiambo. This is Kenya’s first senior women’s World Cup in any team sport.