German giants Bayern Munich and Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam are reportedly being lined up for a high-profile friendly at Nairobi’s Talanta Stadium in January 2027, in a proposed encounter that could form part of the venue’s opening football programme ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The two European clubs are reportedly being lined up for a high-profile friendly at the 60,000-seater stadium, also known as Raila Odinga International Stadium, as Kenya prepares to host the continental tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
President William Ruto is expected to announce the proposed fixture on Wednesday, October 28, although confirmation of the encounter remains outstanding.
Neither Bayern Munich nor Ajax had publicly confirmed the reported match at the time of publication. An official date, ticketing arrangements and other details of the proposed friendly had also not been announced.
The potential fixture comes as Kenya prepares to bring the newly constructed stadium into operation ahead of AFCON 2027, scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
Talanta Stadium is among the country’s flagship infrastructure projects for the tournament, with construction reported to be approximately 94 per cent complete following inspections by parliamentary committees earlier in October. Officials have targeted December 31 for completion, with technical testing and commissioning still required before the venue can host major international matches.
Ruto had previously disclosed plans to bring international teams to Kenya for the stadium’s opening football match.
“We are looking for some teams to come and play the first match,” the President said in September, without naming the clubs involved.
The reported Bayern Munich-Ajax proposal would bring two of European football’s established clubs to Nairobi, potentially giving Kenyan supporters an opportunity to watch elite European sides compete on home soil.
Bayern Munich are among Germany’s most successful clubs, while Ajax have a long history of domestic and European success in the Netherlands. A meeting between the sides would also attract international attention as Kenya seeks to position itself as a destination for major sporting events.
However, the proposed football fixture would have to be considered alongside the stadium’s confirmed sporting calendar. World Rugby has announced that Talanta Sports Stadium will host the opening leg of the 2027 HSBC SVNS 2 rugby sevens series on January 23 and 24.
The Nairobi event is part of a three-leg competition that will continue in Montevideo, Uruguay, on February 20 and 21 before concluding in São Paulo, Brazil, on February 27 and 28.
Kenya is preparing Talanta Stadium and other facilities for AFCON 2027, which will return the continental tournament to East Africa for the first time in more than five decades.
The Bayern Munich-Ajax friendly, if officially confirmed, would add another major international fixture to the country’s preparations. Until the clubs or Kenyan authorities announce the match, however, its date and status remain unconfirmed.
