Talanta Stadium: Inside Gachagua’s criticism of Bayern Munich vs Ajax fixture

President William Ruto’s announcement that Bayern Munich and Ajax will headline the opening match at Nairobi’s Talanta Stadium has generated excitement among football fans, but also sparked mixed reactions over the decision to feature two foreign clubs at a facility built using Kenyan taxpayers’ money.

On Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Ruto announced that the 60,000-capacity stadium, also known as Raila Odinga International Stadium, would officially open on January 5, 2027, with a friendly match between the two European football giants.

While the fixture is expected to attract international attention and give Kenya an opportunity to showcase its new sporting facility, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua questioned why Kenyan teams had not been considered for the historic occasion.

Speaking during an interview on the same day, Gachagua argued that the opening match should have included local representation, given the public investment in the stadium.

“How can a stadium that will cost Ksh145 billion be paid for by the taxpayers, the people of Kenya? The first game is done by foreigners,” he said.

“Don’t we have teams in Kenya?” he added.

Gachagua argued that the opening match presented an opportunity to celebrate Kenyan football and give local clubs a place in the history of one of the country’s biggest sporting facilities.

He specifically mentioned Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards as teams that could have been considered for the occasion.

The former Deputy President also suggested an alternative that would have retained an international attraction while giving Kenyan players a role in the opening event.

“Why couldn’t you bring one team to play against Harambee Stars? At least we have some local component, because what happened to our patriotism? Our identity as a nation?” he asked.

For Gachagua, the issue was not simply about which teams would play but also about what the opening fixture would communicate to Kenyans who had contributed to funding the stadium.

He questioned why local clubs or the national team would not be given the opportunity to play the first match at a facility intended to serve the country.

“Sixty-two years after independence, the first match in a stadium in a Kenyan country, you have foreign teams,” he said.

The cost of the stadium formed a central part of Gachagua’s criticism.

He argued that the scale of public investment made it important for the opening event to reflect local sporting interests and national identity.

“How do you build a stadium at Ksh145 billion and then the first day you bring foreigners to come and play there? What are you telling the people of Kenya?” he said.

Gachagua has also raised separate concerns about the project’s procurement and costs, citing findings he attributed to the Auditor-General.

The proposed friendly between Bayern Munich and Ajax offers the stadium an opportunity to host two internationally recognised clubs for its opening event.

The fixture could attract international media coverage, draw football supporters and showcase Kenya’s sporting infrastructure to audiences beyond the country.

It is also being presented in the context of Kenya’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which the country will co-host with Tanzania and Uganda.

Ruto has described the match as being delivered through corporate partnerships and a self-sustaining commercial model, suggesting that commercial arrangements will play a role in staging the event.

William Muthama is a digital journalist with a focus on entertainment, human interest, and current affairs. Share stories: [email protected]/ [email protected]

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