President William Ruto has expressed strong satisfaction with the rapid progress being made on the construction of the Talanta Sports City in Nairobi, a world-class facility designed to significantly elevate Kenya’s sports profile.
During a site visit on Friday, the President emphasised the project’s importance in preparing the nation to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Talanta Sports City is envisioned as a multi-purpose sports complex that will include a state-of-the-art football pitch with a 60,000 seater capacity, an athletic field, and dedicated rugby training grounds.
President Ruto highlighted the significant employment opportunities created by the project, noting that 3,300 workers are currently employed on-site, with 2,000 working during the day and an additional 1,300 working night shifts to ensure the project’s timely completion.
“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,” President Ruto stated during his visit.
He expressed optimism that the project could even be completed ahead of schedule. “I am happy with the progress being made here. I am optimistic we’ll beat the December date,” he added.
The President emphasised the broader economic impact of infrastructure projects, including affordable housing, modern markets, and special economic zones, which he said have collectively 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,” he said.
The Talanta Sports City is a key component of Kenya’s strategy to enhance its sports infrastructure and position itself as a premier destination for international sporting events. The facility’s completion is crucial for Kenya to meet the Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards for hosting AFCON 2027.
Kenya, along with Uganda and Tanzania, won the bid to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. This necessitates significant upgrades to existing sports infrastructure and the construction of new facilities like the Talanta Sports City.
The project is also intended to provide Kenyan athletes with access to world-class training facilities, thereby improving their performance on the international stage. President Ruto reiterated the government’s commitment to investing in sports infrastructure to create quality training grounds for the country’s sportsmen and women.
