Bayern Munich and Ajax to Inaugurate KSh48 Billion Raila Odinga International Stadium

President William Ruto has announced that the Raila Odinga International Stadium will officially open on January 5, 2027, with a high-profile friendly between German giants FC Bayern Munich and Dutch side AFC Ajax.

Speaking on Wednesday, October 28, President Ruto revealed that the private sector will entirely fund the international fixture. The match is expected to bring Nairobi to a standstill and could feature prominent stars, including 2026 Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane.

The timing of the friendly has been carefully aligned with the European winter break. Both the German Bundesliga and the Dutch Eredivisie conclude their final December fixtures on December 20, 2026, before resuming league matches on January 8 and January 9, 2027, respectively.

President Ruto noted that hosting the match honours the legacy of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Odinga studied at Leipzig University and Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, and was a passionate football fan who frequently enjoyed matches from the stands.

The event serves as a major milestone in Kenya's preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Uganda and Tanzania in June and July. Bayern Munich stated that the fixture will build anticipation for the tournament, marking its return to East Africa after more than 50 years.

Bayern Munich and AFC Ajax have collectively won Europe's premier club competition ten times. The six-time European champions described the Nairobi event as an international football festival designed to strengthen ties with fans across the continent.

Located along Ngong Road, the 60,000-seater stadium has cost upwards of KSh48 billion to construct. It stands as a flagship infrastructure project for President Ruto's administration ahead of the continental competition.

This announcement follows an earlier initiative where President Ruto invited English club Arsenal to Kenya. That invitation came after the Premier League club sent a signed shirt to the family of the late Raila Odinga, a lifelong Gunners fan, a connection previously marked by family members including Raila Odinga Junior and Winnie Odinga.