The Raila Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City is now 94% complete, with Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya confirming the national showpiece venue is on the final stretch ahead of hosting its first match before the end of the year.
Mvurya made the update after an inspection tour of the site on Wednesday, August 19, saying only finishing touches remain on the 60,000-seat stadium. The main pitch has been laid and is currently awaiting stitching, while the two remaining training facilities within the complex stand at 50 per cent and 40 per cent completion respectively.
The Cabinet Secretary said preparations at Talanta will not be limited to infrastructure. He revealed that the football technical team has been tasked with developing a roadmap to improve Harambee Stars’ performance ahead of major tournaments, calling on Kenyans and the private sector to rally behind the national team.
The stadium forms the centrepiece of the wider Talanta Sports City complex, a 45.64-hectare development that will also feature three outdoor training grounds, an Olympic-standard swimming pool, conference facilities, fan zones, food courts, parking areas and a police station. More than 2,400 workers remain on site as construction enters its closing phase.
Progress has accelerated markedly in recent months, with the project moving from 92.57 per cent complete in late July to 94 per cent this week.
The stadium, being built by China Road and Bridge Corporation under the supervision of the Kenya Defence Forces, has faced repeated delays since groundbreaking in March 2024, missing earlier targets of December 2025, February 2026 and July 2026.
Once operational, the venue will be Kenya’s largest stadium and a key host site for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which the country is co-hosting with Uganda and Tanzania.
Government officials say the facility remains on course to meet international standards required by CAF ahead of the tournament.
