President William Ruto has announced that Bayern Munich and Ajax will face each other in Nairobi on January 5, 2027, in the inaugural match at the newly constructed Raila Odinga International Stadium.
Ruto made the announcement on Wednesday, October 28, saying the fixture between the German and Dutch football giants would officially open the 60,000-seat facility along Ngong Road, formerly known as Talanta Stadium.
“Come 5th January 2027, we will open this stadium with a historic match between two giants of European football: FC Bayern Munich of Germany and AFC Ajax of Amsterdam. Between them, they have been crowned champions of Europe 10 times,” Ruto said.
Ajax subsequently confirmed the fixture in a statement published on its official website, announcing that the match would open Kenya’s new national stadium. The Dutch club said it was honoured to have been invited to the event and described the encounter as its final preparation for the second half of the season.
The club also confirmed that further information, including possible ticket sales, would be announced later. No ticket prices or kick-off time were provided in the announcement.
Ruto described the stadium as the fulfilment of a promise to provide Kenya with a world-class sporting venue capable of attracting leading international teams. He said construction began in March 2024 despite doubts about whether the project could be completed.
“This is Kenya’s first purpose-built football and rugby stadium, and the first international stadium our nation has built since Kasarani in 1987, nearly 40 years ago,” he said.
The President said the facility features a hybrid playing surface, 52 skyboxes, video assistant referee technology and goal-line technology. The stadium is expected to play a key role in Kenya’s preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
Ruto also connected the fixture to the stadium’s namesake, former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who died in October 2025. He recalled Raila’s passion for football and described the decision to name the facility after him as fitting.
“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 highlighted a symbolic connection between Talanta, meaning talent, and Ajax’s youth academy, known as The Future.
“On 5th January 2027, Talent and The Future will meet in Nairobi,” he said.
Ruto added that the match would be delivered through corporate partnerships and a self-sustaining commercial model, arguing that international sporting events could attract private investment, generate revenue and create economic opportunities.
The President said the stadium would also support job creation, tourism and the development of young athletes by providing a modern venue for sporting competitions.
The Bayern Munich-Ajax fixture will provide an international showcase for the new facility ahead of AFCON 2027, which will bring the continental tournament to East Africa for the first time in decades.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are preparing to host the competition under the Pamoja banner, with stadium readiness and supporting infrastructure among the key priorities ahead of the tournament.
