PHOTOS: New Talanta Sports City nears 70% mark as Kenya gears up for AFCON 2027

Construction of the Talanta Sports City Stadium in Nairobi has passed the halfway mark, with engineers confident the flagship project will be ready by 1 March 2026, exactly two years after President William Ruto presided over its groundbreaking.

Project architect Major Victor Kinge says the stadium’s exterior structure, including its signature façade and lightweight roof canopy, is now complete, giving the arena its defining silhouette. Overall progress stands at about 68%.

The pitch area, which initially served as a storage zone for construction materials, is now being cleared in preparation for the installation of a hybrid playing surface.

The field will combine natural Bermuda grass with synthetic fibres to reinforce durability, making it suitable for football, rugby, and large-scale concerts. Protective covering will be used for non-sporting events to safeguard the turf.

Once complete, the 60,000-seater facility, sitting on a 45-hectare site, will be Kenya’s first major stadium designed without an athletics track inside the bowl.

Instead, it will feature three separate training pitches, including a 2,000-seater mini stadium and a dedicated athletics ground with an eight-lane World Athletics–standard running track.

Engineers say the stadium will set new regional benchmarks through both design and technology.

Its canopy features hydraulically tensioned steel cables, described as the first of its kind in East Africa, while the exterior draws inspiration from a football’s geometry and incorporates eight shield motifs symbolising elements from Kenya’s national identity.

Despite expectations among some fans, the stadium will not include a retractable roof.

Kinge explains that Kenya’s tropical climate removes the need for full enclosure or temperature-controlled interiors. Only spectator areas will be covered with a Teflon-coated canopy, allowing natural sunlight and ventilation over the pitch.

Accessibility has been integrated into the design, with all entry plazas ramped and 15 elevators installed to ensure barrier-free movement across all levels.

The western side will house two dedicated entrances, one for VIPs and VVIPs, and another for media personnel and event organisers, who will also have access to a press conference room and elevated commentary tribune.

To support crowd movement, expansion works on Ngong Road are underway, alongside plans for a dedicated commuter rail link serving the stadium.

With construction approaching the 70% mark, Talanta Sports City is poised to become the centrepiece of Kenya’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which the country will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.