Bayern Munich vs Ajax: full guide to the Raila Odinga International Stadium opening match

Bayern Munich and Ajax will meet in Nairobi on Tuesday, 5 January 2027, to officially open the Raila Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City. The fixture was announced by President William Ruto on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, and confirmed separately by both clubs. It will be Bayern's first-ever match in Kenya and the new stadium's first football event.

Match facts

• Fixture: Bayern Munich vs Ajax (international friendly)
• Date: Tuesday, 5 January 2027
• Venue: Raila Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City, Jamhuri Sports Complex, Ngong Road, Nairobi, Kenya
• Capacity: 60,000 seats
• Kick-off time: To be confirmed
• Tickets: On sale from Thursday, 5 November 2026 via talantasportscity.com
• Broadcast: ProSieben in Germany and FC Bayern TV PLUS; international listings to be confirmed
• Funding: Delivered through corporate partnerships and a self-sustaining commercial model, according to President Ruto
• Event status: Confirmed by Bayern Munich, Ajax and the Kenyan government

Why the match is happening

President Ruto announced the fixture in a recorded address from Moscow, where he was attending the Third Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum. He described the stadium as a promise fulfilled and linked the choice of opponents to the legacy of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who studied in Germany and was a lifelong football fan. The government says the event will be funded through corporate partnerships rather than relying entirely on public money.

“There is a quiet poetry in this fixture. Raila studied in Germany, now a great German club will come to play in the house that bears his name.”

— President William Ruto

Ruto also drew a link between Ajax's famous youth academy, De Toekomst — Dutch for “The Future” — and the name Talanta, which means talent. “For generations, Ajax built its greatness on young talent,” he said. “On January 5, 2027, talent and the future will meet in Nairobi.”

What the new stadium offers

The 60,000-seat venue is located at the Jamhuri Sports Complex along Ngong Road and has been built primarily for football and rugby. It is one of the flagship projects for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania in June and July 2027 — the first AFCON staged across three countries and the first in East Africa since Ethiopia in 1976.

• 60,000 covered seats with a large roof canopy
• Hybrid playing surface combining natural grass with stitched synthetic fibres
• 52 skyboxes and premium hospitality areas
• Video assistant refereeing (VAR) and goal-line technology
• Two additional training pitches
• Dedicated media tribune, press conference facilities and broadcast positions

The opening match is expected to serve as an international test of Kenya's readiness to host major football events before AFCON 2027. President Ruto said the stadium would also create jobs, stimulate tourism and give young Kenyan athletes access to a world-class facility.

Bayern's first trip to Kenya

The Bundesliga champions will travel to Nairobi during Germany's winter break. Bayern's men's team has never played in Kenya; their only previous match in Africa was at the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco. Their only other meeting with African opposition came against Al Ahly at the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar. The trip is part of the club's push to deepen its connection with African supporters, following its established Audi Summer Tour presence in the United States and Asia.

“FC Bayern has millions of fantastic fans in Africa with whom we feel a close connection — it's a continent with a huge passion for football. Now we have a new opportunity to further strengthen our connection with our fans in Africa too.”

— Rouven Kasper, FC Bayern board member for marketing and sales

Bayern are expected to bring a strong squad, although the travelling party has not been confirmed. England captain Harry Kane, the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner, is the headline attraction, while Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, Luis Díaz and coach Vincent Kompany are among the names Kenyan fans could see. The match falls near the end of the Bundesliga winter break, with fixtures scheduled to resume on the weekend of 8 January 2027.

Ajax and the Kenyan connection

Ajax, coached by Míchel Sánchez, will use the match as the final part of their preparations for the second half of the Eredivisie season. The Dutch record champions have won four European Cups, while Bayern have six — ten between them. The clubs last met in December 2018, when a remarkable Champions League group game finished 3–3 after four goals in the final ten minutes. Across ten competitive meetings, each side has won three and four have ended in draws.

There is also a direct Kenyan link: Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy spent two years at Ajax between 1997 and 1999, winning the Eredivisie and two KNVB Cups. Ajax's academy, meanwhile, remains one of the most respected talent pipelines in world football — a theme the organisers have tied to the Talanta name.

Tickets, broadcast and what happens next

Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, 5 November 2026 through the official Talanta Sports City website, talantasportscity.com. Demand is expected to be high given the size of both clubs' followings in Kenya, and fans are advised to use only official channels. Bayern confirmed the match will be shown on ProSieben in Germany and streamed on FC Bayern TV PLUS, with further international broadcast details expected closer to the game.

Kick-off time, ticket prices, the full squads and any supporting entertainment have not yet been confirmed. FootballKE will update this guide as details are released. The match is expected to be one of the biggest international club fixtures staged in Kenya and a major moment for Nairobi on the road to AFCON 2027.

Sources and further reading

• FC Bayern Munich: fcbayern.com — official match announcement
• AFC Ajax: english.ajax.nl — Bayern Munich - Ajax to open Kenya's national stadium
• Bundesliga: bundesliga.com — Bayern Munich to play Ajax in Kenya during winter break
• The Standard: standardmedia.co.ke — Bayern, Ajax and Ballon d'Or king Kane set for Raila Odinga International Stadium opening
• The Star: the-star.co.ke — Bayern-Ajax match tickets to go on sale November 5
• Talanta Sports City: talantasportscity.com — official ticket and event information