Millions Kenya will pay Bayern Munich and Ajax to play at Talanta Stadium

President William Ruto announced that a match pitting European giants Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam will officially open the Talanta Stadium.

The announcement has sparked excitement among Kenyans over the possibility of watching some of the world’s top players in Nairobi.

Talanta Stadium, an ultra-modern 60,000-seater stadium, is almost complete and will stage the match on January 5, 2027 ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

During the announcement, President Ruto said that the game will be funded through a self-sustaining commercial model although the cost has not been revealed.

"This match will be delivered by corporate partnerships and a self-sustaining commercial model, confirming that world-class sport can attract private investment, earn its own revenue and create lasting opportunities for our people,” the President stated in his address.

Reports claim that a budget of between Ksh600 million and Ksh700 million has been set aside for the game and while this has not been confirmed, what is certain is that hosting the European giants is not a cheap affair.

Typically, Bayern charges from €2 million (Ksh289 million)-€5 million (Ksh723 million) in appearance fees for a single international friendly match or pre-season exhibition depending on the region, opponent and commercial scale while Ajax commands about half that sum.

European teams rarely visit Africa as they prefer more lucrative markets like Saudi Arabia, United States, China, Singapore and Australia and therefore, Kenya must have pulled all stops to entice them to come.

Besides paying the appearance fees, Kenya will also cater for the two teams’ travel and accommodation and provide insurance and tight security during their stay in the country.

The government feels there will be a return on investment through ticket sales, corporate advertising and broadcasting revenues while there are plans for the two teams to visit some top sites in the country to boost tourism.