By Pascal Ndegwa - Reporter
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Kenya ,October 28 ,2026 - Kenya will open its new Raila Odinga International Stadium with a major football match between German champions Bayern Munich and Dutch club Ajax. President William Ruto announced on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, that the game will be played in Nairobi on January 5, 2027.
The stadium is at Talanta Sports City in Nairobi. It is also known as Talanta Stadium and can hold 60,000 people. Bayern Munich and Ajax have both confirmed that they will play in the opening match.
This is not just a friendly football game. It is a big test for Kenya as the country prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, or AFCON, with Uganda and Tanzania. The tournament is set for June 19 to July 17, 2027.
AFCON is Africa’s biggest men’s football competition. National teams from across the continent compete for the title. Hosting it can bring visitors, jobs, media attention, and pride to the host countries.
Talanta Stadium is one of Kenya’s main venues for the tournament. Officials have said the stadium was about 94 percent complete in early October 2026. The project was targeting completion by December 31, 2026.
But building a stadium is only part of the work. Before AFCON, the venue must have working lights, security systems, media areas, emergency plans, and safe ways for fans to enter and leave. CAF, the body that organises AFCON, still has to give final approval for the stadiums that will host matches.
The Bayern-Ajax match is meant to show that the stadium can welcome a large crowd and host top-level football. Organisers describe it as a major football event for East Africa and an important moment on Kenya’s road to AFCON 2027.
For Kenyan football fans, the announcement feels like a promise becoming real. Picture a young supporter in Nairobi hearing that Bayern Munich, a club with six European Champions League titles, will play Ajax, a Dutch giant with four. For one night, some of Europe’s most famous football will be played in their own city.
Bayern Munich said the match will take place during its winter break. Ajax said the game will be a serious test and part of its preparations for the second half of its season.
Details such as ticket sales have not yet been released. Ajax said more information will come later.
The opening match will not decide whether Kenya is ready for AFCON. But it will give the country a high-profile chance to prove that its flagship stadium can deliver a safe, exciting, and world-class football experience.