Kenya’s national football team, Harambee Stars 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers dream was shattered after a 3-1 defeat to Gambia’s national football team, The Scorpions at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Stadium on Friday, 5.
The results mean that Kenya will not feature at the 2026 World Cup, leaving Harambee Stars officially out of contention in Group F, where Kenya currently sits 5th in the group with 6 points.
Despite enjoying home advantage, the Harambee Stars failed to convert their chances, with Kenya’s consolation goal coming from Ryan Ogam, his first goal in the World Cup qualifiers. It was a small victory, but one that lifted spirits.
Gambia struck first through Sheriff Sinyan before Yankuba Minteh doubled their advantage, while Musa Barrow, added a third to seal The Scorpions’ spot at the World Cup.
The loss came just days after Kenya had celebrated Harambee Stars’ spirited run at the CHAN (African Nations Championship), which ended at the quarter–finals.
Harambee Stars Coach Benni McCarthy, while addressing the media said that this was not the results they had hoped for, but they will pick themselves up and go again. Focus now shifts to Tuesday’s clash against Seychelles.
“This is a learning experience for our boys, not what we expected, not what we wanted, but we never dropped our heads after we were scored three to nil in the first half of the match,” said McCarthy
He said that they kept fighting, but at this level, when you play and make the mistakes that they made, they were punished.
Gambia national football Coach Jonathan McKinstry summed up his side’s 3-1 win over Kenya in Group F’ match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as impressive, stating that for them it was about matching Harambee Stars in the fight.
“Gambia may be a small country of one and a half million people, but they have over 200 footballers playing in Europe and that is what Kenya aspires to have and hopefully, with all the development that is going on through the Talanta Hela Programme, various things can happen in the future,” he said.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament will take place next year from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The biggest-ever edition of the global showpiece will see 104 games featuring 48 teams played across 16 host cities in three countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The tournament will be the first to feature 48 teams, expanded from the traditional 32. Africa will have nine direct slots, but from the look of it, Kenya will not be among the nations representing the continent.
By Anita Omwenga
