Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL) – In a recent announcement, the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) revealed that Jonathan McKinstry will assume the role of head coach for the Gambian national football team starting June 1st. McKinstry, who currently manages Kenyan top-tier side Gor Mahia, brings a wealth of experience to the Scorpions, having previously coached the national teams of Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Rwanda.

The 38-year-old coach has signed a two-year contract with the GFF. His primary objectives will be to lead the Scorpions in their quest to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2026 World Cup. The coaching position became available after Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet resigned following Gambia’s elimination in the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire on January 23, 2024.

Under Saintfiet, the Scorpions had a mixed record. They lost all three of their group matches in the recent AFCON against Senegal, Guinea, and Cameroon. However, Saintfiet also achieved a historic milestone for Gambian football two years prior by guiding the team to their maiden AFCON appearance in Cameroon, where they reached the quarterfinals.

Appointed in 2018, Saintfiet also managed Gambia’s early efforts in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The Scorpions suffered defeats in Group F against Burundi (3-2) and Ivory Coast (2-0), leaving them in fifth place in a group that also includes Gabon, Kenya, and Seychelles.

McKinstry’s first challenges as head coach will be the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Seychelles on June 8 and Gabon on June 11. The GFF and Gambian football fans will be looking to McKinstry to bring renewed vigor and strategic expertise to the team, with hopes of advancing Gambia’s standing on the international football stage.