Benni McCarthy will kick start his reign as national team coach on Thursday 20 March as Harambee Stars face The Gambia in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier at the Alassane Ouattara Ebimpé Olympic Stadium in Ivory Coast from 2200 EAT.McCarthy, a former Manchester United forwards’ coach, has never coached a national side and will be on his first assignment asked to lead an experienced Stars squad back in contention for a World Cup Slot.We resume our 2026 World Cup qualification campaign against the Gambia #HarambeeStars pic.twitter.com/rwhbfLSWih— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) March 17, 2025 Stars, after four matches, are fourth in Group F, and five points adrift of Group F leaders Ivory Coast.Only the top sides in all groups will qualify automatically for next year’s showpiece, with all second-placed teams hustling for a place through the arduous playoffs.Kenya will keep their hopes alive with a win on Thursday, before welcoming Gabon in a home tie on Sunday 23 March.##NAJAVA_MECA_8790145##What to expectKenya, like the assertions of The Gambia head coach Johnathan McKinstry, will somewhat be an unknown quantity, given the changes in the technical bench, which could bring in new aspects of play.McCarthy opted for experience in his travelling squad, with some players – Brian Mandela and Ismael Gonzalez – who have been out in the cold for some time, earning recalls.McKinstry cautious ahead of Gambia’s World Cup qualifier against Harambee StarsThere are also spots for newbies – Manzur Okwaro, Mohammed Bajaber and Ben Stanley – which add up to some of the unknowns in the Kenyan squad.On McCarthy’s style of play, skipper Michael Olunga said “The dynamics are different now, and we need time to adapt to the new system.”It is all up in the air on what to expect from a Kenyan perspective, a prospect that could work in their favour on the day.Head-to-HeadThis will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides.In regards to FIFA rankings, Kenya has the upper hand, placed in position 108, compared with the Scorpions who are 125th.On current form and excluding the invitational Mapinduzi Cup earlier this year, Kenya wrapped up 2024 on a run of six matches without a win, with their last victory coming in the shape of a 2-1 victory over Namibia in September last year.Meet Kenyan working with Gambia ahead of crucial clash against Harambee StarsGambia, on the other hand, though fifth and two points adrift of Kenya in the group, have lost once in their last six matches, and notably registered a 1-0 victory over Tunisia in November.The side is also composed of internationally-recognized players including Musa Barrow and Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh.Their air of unpredictability comes with first-time inclusions Musa Dibaga, Saikou Touray and Gibril Sillah.Harambee Stars captain Olunga confident in Kenya’s World Cup qualifying chancesWhere to watchThursday night’s game will be live to Kenyan viewers on KBC Channel One.On Wednesday it was also announced that in addition to streaming the match on FIFA +, Supersport will also broadcast it, having reached a deal with the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) for both of their qualifiers this month.Where to watch Gambia vs Harambee Stars FIFA World Cup qualifierWhy is the match being played in Ivory Coast?Gambia, the hosts of this tie, lack a CAF-approved stadium and opted to move it to Ivory Coast.Over their last matches, Gambia has hosted games in Senegal and Morocco.
