Kenya’s new £259m stadium set to welcome Bayern Munich vs Ajax in landmark opening fixture

Bayern Munich and Ajax will contest the first match at Kenya’s new £259m Raila Odinga International Stadium when the European giants meet in Nairobi on January 5, 2027.

The friendly will officially inaugurate the 60,000-capacity venue at Talanta Sports City, marking a significant milestone for Kenyan football ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Marquee opening fixture for Kenya’s new stadium

President William Ruto announced the fixture, stating: “Two years ago, I promised the people of Kenya a world-class stadium, where the greatest teams in the world would come to play. Today, we are keeping that promise.

“This stadium will create jobs, attract investment, grow tourism, and give our young athletes a home worthy of their talent.

“This is more than the opening of a stadium. It is a statement of who we are, and most importantly, who we are becoming.

“From this stadium, our message to the world is clear: Kenya is ready to welcome the world, and Africa is ready for greatness.”

The new stadium, named after former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, is one of the country’s biggest sporting infrastructure investments and has been developed with the ambition of attracting major international events.

Construction began in March 2024, with the project overseen by the Kenyan government through the Ministry of Defence and the Kenya Defence Forces.

𝙄𝙣𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙪𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙆𝙚𝙣𝙮𝙖 🏟️

A special match to kick off the new year: FC Bayern travels to Nairobi on January 5, 2027, and will face Ajax Amsterdam as part of the ceremonial opening of the new national stadium, Raila Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City.

🔗 https://t.co/WwSVkSXH5o

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 28, 2026

In a statement, Bayern board member Rouven Kasper said: “FC Bayern has millions of fantastic fans in Africa with whom we feel a close connection – it’s a continent with a huge passion for football.

“For many years, we have consistently maintained a presence in America and Asia with our ‘Audi Summer Tour’.

“Now we have a new opportunity to further strengthen our connection with our fans in Africa too, to allow people to experience FC Bayern first-hand and to underline our club’s international appeal.

“We will be making a further contribution to raising the profile of the Bundesliga and are very much looking forward to this special event.”

FGG Says: A fitting inaugural fixture

Bayern Munich and Ajax are two of the most historic clubs in world football, having won 10 European Cups between them, and they have not faced each other competitively since a thrilling 3-3 draw in December 2018.

It is a marquee fixture that is sure to attract a huge crowd to the new stadium ahead of a big year for football in Kenya, who are co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.