President William Ruto has announced that Talanta Stadium will officially open on January 5, 2027, with a historic football match between German giants Bayern Munich and Dutch powerhouse Ajax Amsterdam.
The 60,000-seater stadium, which has been named in honour of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, is expected to provide Kenya with a modern venue for major sporting events, including international football and rugby competitions.
In an announcement on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Ruto said the opening fixture would bring two of Europe’s most successful football clubs to Kenya for the inauguration of the facility.
“On 5 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,” he said.
The match is expected to attract considerable attention from football fans, with both clubs boasting rich European histories and extensive trophy collections.
Ruto highlighted their continental achievements, noting that Bayern Munich and Ajax have won Europe’s premier club competition, the UEFA Champions League, a combined ten times.
“Between them, they have been crowned champions of Europe ten times. There is a quiet poetry in this fixture; Raila had studied in Germany. Now, a great German club will come to play in the house that bears his name,” he added.
Bayern Munich have established themselves as one of Germany’s most successful clubs, while Ajax are renowned for their European achievements and emphasis on developing young footballers through their academy system.
The President also linked Ajax’s youth development philosophy to the meaning of Talanta, a Kiswahili word associated with talent.
“And Ajax brings poetry of its own. For generations, Ajax has built its greatness on young talent, nurtured in an academy whose very name speaks of tomorrow,” he further said.
Ruto said naming the stadium after Raila was a fitting tribute to the former Prime Minister, whose passion for football was well known among his supporters and the wider Kenyan public. The President linked the decision to the country’s recent commemorations of national heroes and the remembrance of Raila, who died in October 2025.
“In October, we honoured our heroes on Mashujaa Day. Just days earlier, we marked one year since we lost one of Kenya’s greatest sons, the Honourable Raila Amolo Odinga,” he noted.
Raila, who was popularly known by names such as Baba, Agwambo, Tinga, Rao and Jakom, maintained a strong connection with football and its supporters. Ruto said the former Prime Minister’s love for the game made the stadium an appropriate tribute to his legacy.
“Baba, Agwambo, Tinga, Rao, Jakom – whatever name you fondly called him, one thing was certain: he loved football. He stood in the stands. He cheered. He celebrated alongside the people. It is only fitting, therefore, that this stadium bears his name,” he stated.
The facility is expected to become an important part of Kenya’s sports infrastructure, providing a large-capacity venue for domestic competitions and international fixtures. The President also recognised the young Kenyans involved in constructing the stadium, praising their contribution to a project he described as a lasting investment in the country’s future.
He said the workers had continued with the construction despite challenging weather conditions, including intense daytime heat and cold nights.
“To the young Kenyans who walked through the searing heat of the day and the biting cold of the night to raise this stadium, this is your imprint on Kenya’s history and your signature on Kenya’s future. What was once called impossible now has a name, an address, and 60,000 seats,” he said.
The project forms part of the government’s wider efforts to expand and modernise sports facilities across the country.
The government is undertaking the construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of stadiums in different parts of Kenya, with projects intended to improve access to modern sporting facilities and strengthen the country’s ability to host major competitions.
Among the projects are the Ksh1 billion upgrade of Gusii Stadium, the proposed Ksh950 million Nyamira Stadium and the Ksh850 million Thika Stadium.
Mombasa Stadium is also undergoing reconstruction, while the 10,000-seat Kidundu Stadium in Vihiga County and the Ksh800 million Mumbi Stadium in Murang’a are among the other facilities being developed.
Some stadium projects have already been used for major national events. The Ksh900 million Wajir Stadium hosted the 2026 Madaraka Day celebrations, while Ithookwe Stadium in Kitui, completed in 2025 according to the information provided, hosted the Mashujaa Day national celebrations.
