President William Ruto has announced that the Raila Odinga International Stadium in Nairobi will officially open on 5 January 2027, with German club Bayern Munich set to face Dutch side Ajax in a historic fixture.
Ruto made the announcement on Wednesday, saying the match between two of Europe’s most successful clubs would mark a milestone in Kenya’s preparations to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The president said Bayern Munich and Ajax had won Europe’s premier club competition 10 times between them, making them fitting opponents for the stadium’s opening match.
“There is a quiet poetry in this fixture. Raila studied in Germany, now a great German club will come to play in the house that bears his name,” Ruto said.
He also drew a connection between Ajax’s youth development tradition and the name Talanta, which means talent in Swahili.
Ruto said the club’s academy, known as De Toekomst, meaning “the future” in Dutch, reflected the ambitions associated with the sports complex.
“For generations, Ajax built its greatness on young talent, nurtured in an academy whose very name is the future. Talanta means talent. Ajax’s Academy is called the future. On January 5, 2027, talent and the future will meet in Nairobi,” he said.
The president said the opening event would be financed through corporate partnerships and a commercially sustainable model, arguing that modern sporting facilities could attract private investment, generate revenue and create economic opportunities.
“This is more than the opening of a stadium. It is a statement of who we are, and most importantly, who we are becoming,” he said.
The announcement comes as Kenya prepares to co-host AFCON 2027 with Tanzania and Uganda under the regional Pamoja initiative.
The tournament is expected to provide the three East African countries with an opportunity to showcase their sporting infrastructure, attract international visitors and stimulate investment in tourism and related industries.
Ruto said the new stadium would be among the facilities demonstrating Kenya’s readiness to host major international sporting events.
“From this stadium, our message to the world is clear: Kenya is ready to welcome the world, and Africa is ready for greatness,” he said.
He urged Kenyans and international visitors to embrace the facility as a symbol of the country’s sporting ambitions and ability to deliver major infrastructure projects.
“So come home to Talanta, come home to the Raila Odinga International Stadium. Look up at the new sky of Nairobi and see what Kenyans can build when we believe,” Ruto said.
“We’re not just believers; we are doers. Usawanisawa. Mbele pamoja.”
The Bayern Munich-Ajax match is expected to provide an international showcase for the stadium ahead of AFCON 2027.
The tournament will also test the region’s capacity to manage a major sporting event, including stadium operations, transport, accommodation and other services needed for teams, officials and supporters.
The stadium is expected to play a role in Kenya’s efforts to demonstrate its readiness to welcome international teams and fans as East Africa prepares for the continental competition.
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