Harambee Stars will be chasing their maiden ticket for the global tournament that will take place from June 11th to July 19th, 2026, and will be jointly co-hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries.
Kenya will also come up against a Gambian side, who are coached by former Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry.
Gambia have got top quality players
Asked how he has prepared to face the Northern Irish coach again, the South African legend said: “He (McKinstry) knows the Kenyan league, he knows the players, he knows their calibre, so yeah, I faced him once and it was an unfortunate draw for us because I thought we should have taken much more from the game.
“He has got a really good side in Gambia, they have got top quality players, so we're gonna have to be really alert, and awake, but I think it is one game we are really looking forward to, because for us we want to collect as many points as possible.”
McCarthy added: “Gambia is the first game, so I hope he gets a decent welcome back because of what he’s done with Gor Mahia before, in the past when he coached here, I hope the fans will remember that, and they give him a good welcome back, but the minute the game starts, then I hope Kenyans will rally behind the team, like we know they can, and make the life of Gambia a little bit more difficult.”
McKinstry joined Gor Mahia in 2022 and inherited a team that was in turmoil at a time when it was serving a FIFA transfer ban, and was operating with a lean squad due to off-field issues.
Despite these challenges, his first season at the club would end in success, guiding Gor Mahia to win the Kenyan Premier League title.
McKinstry followed up his successful debut season with a further improved performance the following year, leading Gor Mahia to win the 2023/24 FKF Charity Shield and the 2023/24 Premier League with an eight-point margin over their nearest rivals.
During the first meeting between Kenya and Gambia, the game ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
McCarthy reveals headache selecting squad
The former Manchester United assistant coach further admitted he was almost tempted to select only the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) squad for the qualifiers, but he had to balance the side with some foreign-based players.
“The boys performed incredibly well and I was very tempted to almost select everybody, the whole CHAN squad to the internationals, but I don’t think that would be fair on the European players, the players that play abroad,” explained McCarthy, who guided Kenya to the knockout stages of their CHAN debut.
He added: “I’m proud of everyone. We have a good league that just needs to be supported in all the necessary departments so that we can even produce more and better players.”
Apart from Gambia, Kenya will also face Seychelles on Tuesday, September 9th, at the same venue. Currently, Kenya sits fourth in Group F with six points, behind the Ivory Coast, Burundi, and Gabon.
Ivory Coast lead the group with 16 points, followed by Gabon on 15 and Burundi with 10 points. A strong performance on home soil will be crucial for Kenya, as points secured in familiar surroundings could prove decisive in the battle for qualification.
