Kenyan President William Ruto has introduced that German soccer giants Bayern Munich and Dutch membership Ajax will play an exhibition match on January 5, 2027, to inaugurate Nairobi’s new 60,000-seat Raila Odinga International Stadium….
Kenyan President William Ruto has introduced that German soccer giants Bayern Munich and Dutch membership Ajax will play an exhibition match on January 5, 2027, to inaugurate Nairobi’s new 60,000-seat Raila Odinga International Stadium.
The match will mark the opening of the stadium, previously often called Talanta Stadium, as Kenya steps up preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
Speaking on the venue, Ruto hailed the undertaking as a significant achievement and dismissed critics who doubted that the stadium might be accomplished.
“Today, we prove once again to the doubters, the naysayers, and those of little faith that the impossible is possible,” he stated.
“What was once called impossible now has a name, an address and 60,000 seats,” the president added.
Ruto stated the selection of Bayern Munich and Ajax for the inaugural match carried symbolic significance in honour of the late former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, after whom the stadium was named.
Odinga, who died in 2025, studied in Germany, whereas Ajax is famend for growing younger soccer expertise.
“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 stated.
The stadium’s renaming commemorates Odinga’s legacy, with the venue anticipated to change into a significant landmark in Kenyan sport.
Ruto additionally used the announcement to reaffirm Kenya’s readiness to host the continent’s premier soccer competitors alongside its East African neighbours.
“From this stadium, our message to the world is clear. Kenya is ready to welcome the world and Africa is ready for greatness,” he stated.
Construction of the stadium started in March 2024 as a part of the nation’s preparations for AFCON 2027.
The 60,000-capability venue is predicted to function one of many match’s most important stadiums, as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda put together to collectively host Africa’s largest worldwide soccer competitors.
The Bayern Munich-Ajax fixture is predicted to offer an early showcase for the stadium forward of the continental match.
