President Ruto gives Talanta Stadium works thumbs up

The 60,000-seater facility designed to host football and rugby matches only is scheduled for completion in December this year, in time for AFCON 2027 that will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The President said 3,300 workers have been hired at the stadium, with 2,000 working during the day, while 1,300 are engaged at night in the 60,000-seater facility.

"With this pace, the Talanta Sports City, with a football pitch while outside the stadium is an athletic field and rugby training grounds, will be ready by December 2025," he said when he toured the facility on Friday.

On Thursday, Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya revealed that the government will spend KSh.44.7 billion to construct the stadium.

Tuya told the National Assembly Committee on Sports and Culture that KSh. 2 billion has already been paid to the Chinese firm that has been contracted to construct the facility.

"The new Stadium is at 37 per cent complete and it is expected to be completed by 28th February 2026," she said.

President Ruto pointed out that investment in physical infrastructure, including affordable housing, modern markets and special economic zones, has so far employed 250,000 people across the country.

"This is how we are going to build our nation by harnessing knowledge, skills and the expertise of our youth," said Ruto.

He said the sports facility will be complete before the end of the year in readiness for hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2027.

"I am happy with the progress being made here. I am optimistic we'll beat the December date," President Ruto said.

The transformative project aims to redefine Kenya's sporting profile, offering an iconic facility and infrastructural upgrade for both the city and the nation.

He said the government was committed to improving sporting facilities to offer quality training grounds for the country's sportsmen and women.