Construction of the stadium began in March 2024 and was necessitated by Kenya’s successful bid to host the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), as well as the 2027 AFCON alongside neighbours Uganda and Tanzania.
While Nyayo National Stadium and the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, were adequate venues for the 2024 CHAN, Kenya needed an additional international-standard stadium ahead of the 2027 AFCON.
Mozzart Sport accompanied Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Sports Salim Mvurya on an extensive inspection tour of the facility to assess the progress of the project.
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The expansive facility, which has four decks, features a spacious floor area between the playing surface and the stands, allowing for smoother movement and reducing congestion among spectators.
For sanitary purposes, multiple washrooms have been installed behind the stands to accommodate the thousands of supporters expected to attend matches at the stadium.
We also toured all 52 sky boxes, which are located on the third deck, alongside the presidential suite.
While the structures and rooms designated for the sky boxes are complete, the installation of auxiliary fittings such as seats, tables and air-conditioning units is yet to be completed. These are expected to be among the final features installed before the stadium opens.
However, one of the main sky boxes already has leather seats and a television fitted, offering a glimpse of what the facility will look like once completed.
The sky-box washrooms also feature a luxurious finish and are designed to be disability-friendly, further enhancing the suitability of the facility.
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Our tour also confirmed that work on the stands is largely complete, with seats already installed in both the regular and VIP sections. The regular seats have backrests but are not foldable, while the VIP seats have backrests and are foldable.
In the VVIP section, not all seats have been installed, although they are already available at the facility. This is because some finishing works are still being carried out in the area, which could potentially affect the seats.
The highly protected playing surface is also taking shape, with the green grass adding to the prestige and aesthetics of the facility.
The grass continues to mature and appears to be benefiting from the delayed completion and opening of the stadium, with the additional time expected to allow it to reach full maturity before the facility is opened.
Pitch markings and the installation of goalposts are expected to be among the final touches before the stadium opens.
Large LED screens have already been positioned and installed behind the goalposts. The screens, which span the width of the stands, will be used for replays, VAR-related displays, announcements and advertisements and are among the requirements for CAF-standard facilities.
To complement the screens, installation of the Public Address (PA) system is ongoing, with speakers already mounted in most of the stands on the upper deck.
To enhance security, the stadium is set to have 91 turnstiles, 60 of which have already been installed.
According to Mvurya, the facility is now 94 per cent complete and is expected to be ready for testing in December.
Away from the main stadium, Talanta Stadium Annex A is also taking shape. As evidenced by our photos, the stands at the annex are complete and are expected to accommodate 2,000 spectators.
The installation of LED lights for night use is ongoing, as is work on the changing rooms. Steel structures supporting the perimeter wall have already been installed, with the mesh wire expected to be fitted once the internal works are completed.
Work on the other annexes is progressing at a slower pace, with the contractor putting their completion rate at approximately 40 per cent.
