Government begins construction of two more pitches at Talanta Stadium [PHOTOS]
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 23.06.26. | 20:02
The facilities are expected to play a key role during AFCON, providing teams with world-class training venues that meet Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards
The government has taken another significant step in Kenya's preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after officially handing over the construction of two training grounds at the Talanta Sports Complex to a contractor.
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Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya presided over the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, 23 June, as the country accelerated efforts to deliver the infrastructure required for the continental showpiece that Kenya will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
The two annex facilities, located within the under-construction Talanta Sports Complex that is set to be renamed to Raila Odinga International Stadium, will serve as football, athletics, and rugby training grounds.
The facilities are expected to play a key role during AFCON, providing teams with world-class training venues that meet Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards.
Speaking after inspecting the ongoing works at the complex, Mvurya expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far, noting that the country remains on course to meet its hosting obligations.
According to the Cabinet Secretary, the newly commissioned training grounds are expected to be completed within the next two months.
"The two training grounds we have handed over today will take about two months to complete. They will include tartan tracks because they will also be used for athletics training," he said.
The CS added that the government had now moved beyond paying hosting fees and was firmly focused on developing the infrastructure required to stage a successful tournament.
"Away from paying the hosting fee, we have now embarked on serious preparations for our infrastructure. This morning, I handed over two training grounds that will also be used during AFCON. In this area, we will have three training grounds," he explained.
Mvurya further revealed that the main stadium has now reached 91 per cent completion, with the remaining works largely involving electrical installations and final finishing touches.
"The stadium is 91 per cent complete, but there has been a lot of work here. We are saying that a lot of work will be completed by July," he noted.
"Because we still have to wire the electricity and other works need to be done, which you have seen, I believe we will be in a much better position soon. As far as I am concerned, I am satisfied with the preparations being carried out here."
The government has identified the Talanta Sports Complex as one of the flagship projects for AFCON 2027, with the venue expected to host matches and serve as a key pillar of Kenya's long-term sports infrastructure development plan.
Construction of modern changing rooms, support facilities, and other auxiliary amenities is also progressing steadily, with finishing works currently underway to ensure the training grounds attain full compliance with CAF regulations and international standards.
