Kenya’s race against time to deliver Africa’s biggest football spectacle received a powerful boost yesterday after Parliament declared the country firmly on course to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
A joint parliamentary Sports Committee toured the Raila Odinga International Stadium, the imposing 60,000-seater centrepiece of Kenya’s AFCON preparations, and emerged confident that the giant project is gathering momentum at the right pace.
The lawmakers swept through the sprawling arena, scrutinising construction progress, engineering and architectural standards as they sought a first-hand glimpse of how far Kenya has travelled in its preparations for the continental showpiece.
Their message was emphatic: the remaining works are minor, and Kenya has the infrastructure and capacity to stage the tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania. National Assembly Sports Committee chair Dan Wanyama said the inspection had given lawmakers a clear picture of Kenya’s preparedness and confidence that the country is closing in on its Afcon deadline.
“Today, the Committee on Sports and Culture has had a tour of the Raila Odinga International Stadium, and the purpose was basically to come and see the preparedness of Kenya to host Afcon and to see the state of the infrastructure that will host the matches.”
The towering stands and intricate engineering around the stadium offered a glimpse of the scale of the investment, with Wanyama saying the facility represents value for taxpayers and will serve Kenyan sport long after the final Afcon whistle has faded.
“As a Committee, our tour has given us an indication that all is well and Kenya will be in a position to host Afcon because so far what is remaining is so minor and we want to appreciate the work that has been done. This is something that Kenya should be proud of.
“The government has delivered a stadium of a modern stature. When you walk around here, for sure you will see that there is value for money and that Kenya is ready to host AFCON come 2027,” Wanyama said. The confidence from Parliament was reinforced by project supervisors from the Kenya Defence Forces, who committed to completing the remaining auxiliary works by December 31, 2026.
That deadline now provides a fixed finishing line for the stadium as Kenya enters the decisive stretch of its preparations, with little room for delays as the tournament draws closer. The parliamentary team was particularly impressed by the advanced engineering and architectural standards on display at the 60,000-seater arena, which is expected to serve as the main theatre of action during Afcon 2027.
For a country that has waited years for the opportunity to stage Africa’s premier football tournament, the rising stadium is more than a vast bowl of concrete, steel and sweeping stands. It is the physical embodiment of Kenya’s hosting ambition — a giant stage being assembled for a tournament that will bring Africa’s footballing giants to East Africa.
