Ruto Announces European Giants for Talanta Stadium, but Gachagua Has Other Ideas

President William Ruto’s plan to open the newly completed Raila Odinga International Stadium with a high-profile European football clash has sparked criticism from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who believes Kenyan teams should have been given the opportunity.

In a national address aired on Wednesday, October 28, Ruto announced that German giants Bayern Munich would face Dutch side AFC Ajax in a friendly match scheduled for January 5, 2027.

The encounter is expected to mark the official opening of the 60,000-capacity facility, popularly known as Talanta Stadium, which has been designed to host major sporting and entertainment events.

However, Gachagua questioned the decision, arguing that the government had overlooked local football clubs despite the stadium being funded by Kenyan taxpayers.

Speaking during an interview with KTN, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader challenged the idea of having two foreign teams play the inaugural match at a facility intended to serve Kenyans.

“How can a stadium that will cost Sh145 billion to be paid for by taxpayers — the people of Kenya — have the first game played by foreigners? Don’t we have teams in Kenya?” he posed.

Gachagua suggested that the government could have involved Gor Mahia, the country’s 22-time league champions, or AFC Leopards, two of Kenya’s most recognisable football clubs.

He also proposed an alternative in which one of the European sides would face Harambee Stars, arguing that such a fixture would give local players an opportunity to feature in the historic event.

Beyond criticising the planned match, Gachagua announced that the United Opposition intended to organise another ceremony at the stadium after the August 10, 2027 General Election.

He said the proposed event would coincide with the inauguration of the country’s next president, describing it as the stadium’s official Kenyan opening.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich and Ajax are expected to attract significant attention from football supporters ahead of their planned Nairobi encounter. Ticket sales are scheduled to begin on November 5, 2026.

The stadium is also expected to play a key role in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.

The contrasting positions have placed the opening fixture at the centre of a debate about national pride, local football and how major public facilities should be inaugurated.

Source: https://the-star.co.ke/news/2026-10-29-gachagua-why-not-local-teams-at-talanta-opener

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