Kenya has contracted the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) to build a 60,000-seat stadium in Nairobi. The Talanta Sports City will be one of the main venues for the 2027 African Cup of Nations football tournament.
Kenya will host AFCON 2027 jointly with Uganda and Tanzania.
Reports indicate that CRBC, which is carrying out the work on an engineering, procurement, and construction basis, aims to complete it in 20 months (between March 2024 and December 2025). The facility will be exclusively for football.
Kenya last built international public stadiums over three decades ago; the 60-seater Moi International Sports Centre, which was built 36 years ago, and the Nyayo National Stadium, which was built 40 years ago.
Meanwhile, for Uganda, last week, the Minister of Sports Peter Ogwang confirmed the government’s U-turn about the construction of Akii-Bua Stadium.
Earlier, the government committed to constructing the Stadium in Lira City, but not specifically for hosting the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027. However, Ogwang disclosed that the stadium will be constructed within 22 months and be ready for hosting the 2027 games.
The government also intends to construct another new stadium in Hoima to complement the already existing stadiums; Namboole, Nakivuubo, and St Mary’s Kintende.