Murkomen hints at Manchester United-Arsenal showdown at Raila Odinga Stadium in 2027

Kenya is exploring plans to bring Manchester United and Arsenal to Nairobi for a blockbuster friendly in July 2027 at the Raila Odinga International Stadium. (Photo: Talanta Sports City)

Kenyan football fans could be in for a historic spectacle in 2027, with the government exploring plans to bring English Premier League rivals Manchester United and Arsenal to Nairobi for a high-profile friendly match.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Sunday, November 8, 2026, hinted that the two English giants could face off at the newly constructed Raila Odinga International Stadium in Nairobi in July 2027.

“We are now bringing the high-profile games here. And not only that—next year, the president will bring Arsenal and Manchester United to play in Nairobi in July 2027,” Murkomen declared.

The proposed encounter would follow the planned Bayern Munich versus AFC Ajax match scheduled for January 5, 2027, which will officially inaugurate the 60,000-seater stadium.

Murkomen described the Bayern-Ajax fixture as a major opportunity to showcase Kenya’s ability to host world-class football events, revealing that it had already attracted interest from international supporters.

“That Raila Odinga Stadium is like Manchester United’s stadium. We will soon open it on January 5, when Ajax and Bayern clash. We will see the likes of Harry Kane and Michael Olise in the streets of Nairobi,” he said.

“We have 5,000 Europeans coming to Kenya to watch the match. We have people from Nigeria and Egypt who are also coming to watch the game,” he added.

The CS also defended the decision to inaugurate the stadium with an international fixture, challenging critics of the arrangement to demonstrate their support for local football by attending domestic matches.

A potential Manchester United-Arsenal friendly would give Kenya another major international football attraction as the country prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

Both clubs command huge followings in Kenya, and their appearance on local soil would offer fans a rare opportunity to watch two of English football’s most popular sides play in Nairobi.

The proposed fixture could also boost sports tourism, hospitality businesses and Kenya’s profile as a destination for major international sporting events.