Raila Odinga Stadium Could Host Man United vs Arsenal in July 2027, Murkomen Claims

The government could be planning to host another high-profile friendly match at the Raila Odinga International Stadium following the scheduled Bayern Munich vs Ajax encounter on January 5, 2027.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Sunday, November 8, hinted at a possible match involving English Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal.

According to the CS, the proposed fixture could take place between June and July 2027, shortly before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

"Next year the president will bring Arsenal and Manchester United to play in Nairobi in July 2027," Murkomen said, suggesting that the government could be exploring plans to bring the two clubs to Kenya.

His remarks come after the government announced plans to host Bayern Munich from Germany and AFC Ajax from the Netherlands, with the game scheduled to be played on Tuesday, January 5, 2027.

The match will be played at the 60,000-seater Raila Odinga International Stadium, with tickets going from as low as Ksh2,500.

According to Murkomen, the January 5 match has attracted interest from several football fans from Africa and around the world, revealing that thousands of football fans from Europe will be travelling to watch the upcoming match.

"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 match will mark the official inauguration of the 60,000-seat stadium, which is in its final stages of completion.

Both clubs have committed to field their best possible starting elevens, ruling out a legends match or academy exhibition.

Organisers are also preparing a 12-hour fan festival featuring international artists, concierge services and activities celebrating sport and Kenyan culture around the fixture.

Before the Bayern and Ajax match was announced, Ruto had already signalled plans to host a Manchester United-Arsenal friendly at the stadium, leaving Kenyans speculating whether the match would ever be played in Kenya.

However, Murkomen's latest remarks give football fans new hope of watching their favourite English players, with Manchester United and Arsenal among the teams with huge followings in Kenya.