Bayern Munich and Ajax have confirmed they will face each other in Nairobi on January 5, 2027, in a match that will officially open Kenya’s new 60,000-seat Raila Odinga International Stadium.
The German and Dutch football giants announced the fixture on Wednesday, October 28, following President William Ruto’s announcement that the two clubs would headline the opening of the facility along Ngong Road in Nairobi.
Bayern confirmed that the team would travel to Kenya for the encounter, while Ajax separately announced that it had accepted the invitation to play in the stadium’s opening match. The fixture will bring two of Europe’s most decorated clubs to Kenya ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
“On 5 January 2027, FC Bayern will travel to Nairobi to face Dutch record champions Ajax as part of the grand opening of the new national stadium, the Raila Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City,” Bayern said in its announcement.
The two clubs have won Europe’s premier club competition 10 times between them, with Bayern having lifted the European Cup and UEFA Champions League six times and Ajax winning the trophy four times.
Bayern also confirmed that the match would be broadcast live on ProSieben and Bayern TV PLUS, while ticket sales are scheduled to begin on November 5 through the official Talanta Sports City website.
The fixture follows Ruto’s announcement that the stadium, previously known as Talanta Stadium, would be named Raila Odinga International Stadium in honour of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who died in October 2025.
Ruto said the decision to stage the match was consistent with his promise to build a world-class facility capable of attracting leading international teams. Construction began in March 2024, and the President described the stadium as Kenya’s first purpose-built football and rugby venue.
The facility features a hybrid playing surface, 52 skyboxes, video assistant referee technology and goal-line technology, according to Ruto.
The President also drew a connection between the fixture and the late former Prime Minister’s life, noting that Raila studied in Germany, the home country of Bayern Munich, and had a longstanding passion for football.
Ajax’s reputation for developing young players also informed Ruto’s description of the fixture as a meeting between talent and the future. The club’s youth academy is known as The Future, while Talanta means talent in Swahili.
The January 5 match will provide an international showcase for the stadium as Kenya prepares to co-host AFCON 2027 with Uganda and Tanzania under the Pamoja banner.
The continental tournament will test the three East African nations’ capacity to host major football competitions, with stadium readiness, transport, accommodation and other supporting infrastructure central to preparations.
For Kenya, the Bayern Munich-Ajax encounter will offer an early opportunity to showcase its new sporting facility to international audiences before the continent’s national teams arrive for AFCON.
