Johnathan McKinstry, the current head coach of the Gambia national team and former Gor Mahia boss, is expected to lead The Scorpions in their bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time.
However, their chances remain slim given their current position in the African (CAF) qualification standings.
Appointed on June 1, 2024, the 40-year-old will guide Gambia as they face Kenya’s Harambee Stars in a crucial World Cup qualifier on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the Moi Kasarani Sports Stadium.
In Group F, Gambia sits 5th with four points, whereas Kenya sits at number four with 6 points. Gabon leads the group with 18 points, followed by the Ivory Coast with 16, and Burundi with 10.
Johnathan McKinstry to Lead Gambia Against Kenya
Kenya, under South African coach Benni McCarthy, must defeat Gambia to keep their slim hopes of qualification alive.
The two teams last met on March 20, 2025, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where the match ended in a dramatic 3-3 draw.
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Kenya came from behind several times, with William Wilson scoring a stoppage-time equalizer in the 96th minute. That fixture marked McCarthy’s debut as Kenya’s coach.
Johnathan McKinstry is no stranger to Kenyan football fans. He managed 21-time Kenya Premier League champions Gor Mahia from July 2022 to June 2024, guiding them to major successes, including winning the following titles:
- FKF Kenya Premier League title (2022–23 season)
- FKF Charity Shield (2023–24 season)
- FKF Kenya Premier League title (2023–24 season)
He was also crowned FKF Coach of the Year in 2024, after achieving 43 wins in 72 matches, his most in a single managerial stint.
Career of the Northern Irish Coach
McKinstry also stirred debate in Kenya with his comments comparing East African and West African footballers. He suggested that Kenyan and other East African players often lack the same level of “hunger” or willingness to sacrifice for professional football opportunities abroad as their West African counterparts.
Beyond Gor Mahia, the 40-year-old has coached several clubs, including FK Kauno Žalgiris in Lithuania’s A Lyga (2017–2018) and Saif SC in Bangladesh’s Premier League (2018–2019).
He has also worked in youth development programs with Newcastle United, New York Red Bulls, the Right to Dream Academy, and the Craig Bellamy Foundation.
At the national level, the Northern Irish coach has managed several African teams. He first took charge of the Sierra Leone national team between 2013 and 2014, before moving on to coach Rwanda from 2015 to 2016. Later, he was appointed as the head coach of Uganda, a position he held from 2019 to 2021.
Education Background
Johnathan McKinstry boasts an impressive academic and professional background in sports science and coaching. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Sports Science with Coaching from Northumbria University in 2007.
He also has a Postgraduate Certificate in Performance Coaching, which he obtained in 2015, and later completed a Certificate in High Impact Leadership from Cambridge University in 2020.
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In addition to his academic success, McKinstry has received many top coaching qualifications.
He holds the prestigious UEFA Pro Licence from the Irish FA, which is the highest coaching certification in Europe.
He also possesses the UEFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ Licences, an Academy Managers’ Licence from the English FA, as well as a Premier Diploma and several youth diplomas from the NSCAA in the United States.
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