Nyayo National Stadium

Nyayo National Stadium is a 18,000-seater multipurpose stadium in Nairobi, Kenya. It is located at the square of Mombasa Road, Langata Road, and the Aerodrome Road. It is approximately two kilometers from the City Center, directly opposite Nairobi Mega Mall, formerly known as Nakumatt Mega. It is currently mostly used for football matches hosting AFC Leopards football club. Rugby union club Mwamba RFC used to use the stadium for home games. The stadium has also hosted other sports events such as athletics, swimming, and also a popular venue for various national ceremonies, most common of which are National Holiday celebrations. Other facilities at the stadium include a gymnasium and a 50-metre swimming pool. The stadium houses the headquarters for the Football Kenya Federation and Athletics Kenya. History The stadium was built in 1983 with a capacity of 30,000. The completion of the Nyayo Stadium gave Kenya the opportunity to be placed in the category of nations that were invited to bid for the 4th All-Africa Games in 1987, a bid that was awarded to Kenya, giving it international status and paving the way for the to Moi International Sports Centre. The Nyayo Stadium was the host venue for the 2010 African Championships in Athletics. The stadium was renamed to the Coca-Cola National Stadium, after the multi-national company won the naming rights to the stadium in February 2009. The deal was worth $1.5 million USD and would have seen the beverage company do branding, marketing, and naming for the whole stadium for three years. Three months later, however, Coca-Cola withdrew from the contract because Coca-Cola wanted to have the stadium branded as Coca-Cola Nyayo National Stadium, but the stadium was renamed again to the Nyayo National Stadium, as the Government of Kenya wanted it branded. The stadium was selected to host the CHAN 2024 early in 2025 and was suggested as a venue for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. It got refurbished in 2024, upgrading floodlighting to 3,000 Lux, and installing Video Assistant Referee cameras as well as various upgrades to the workstations inside the stadium. Components Main stadium The main stadium, holding 30,000 people and a FIFA-approved standard-size football pitch contains floodlights, 2 VIP lounges, a boardroom, and an internet-enabled media centre. The stadium has hosted concerts, public holiday celebrations, public rallies, meetings, and crusades. The stadium also houses the headquarters for the Football Kenya Federation and Athletics Kenya. Aquatic Centre The aquatic centre holds 2,000 people, contains a filtration plant, and a public 50 × 25 m swimming pool. Indoor Gymnasium The indoor gymnasium holds 2,500 people and is home to the Kenyan National Basketball League and the Kenya national basketball team. It also features floodlights, electronic scoreboards, snack bars, a boxing ring, an indoor badminton court, a martial arts gym, and other social facilities. Handball and volleyball training courts The handball and volleyball courts can accommodate up to 1,500 spectators and feature outdoor training courts. Recent renovations Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi has undergone extensive renovations in preparation for hosting the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), including the crunch Group C encounter between Algeria and Nigeria. Key upgrades include an enhanced playing surface with improved drainage, installation of a media tribune accommodating approximately 150 journalists, and air-conditioned changing rooms equipped with personal safes and refrigeration facilities for cold baths. Additionally, new floodlighting units have been installed to meet CAF standards, and the number of CCTV cameras has been increased from 70 to 150 to bolster security. The then Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has assured that the renovation works are progressing well, with the stadium expected to be ready by January 2025. Priority upgrades include roofing, VVIP seating, and enhancing the floodlights to meet the 3,000 LUX requirement. Other improvements involve new access controls, an enhanced audio-visual system, installation of VAR and CCTV, improved changing rooms, and a doping control area. Despite the postponement of CHAN to August 2025, the government maintains that Nyayo Stadium is fully prepared to host international matches. Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum stated that the facility is operational, with only the canopy installation remaining, which will be completed. Hosting of Fifa qualifiers ahead of Chan 2025 These improvements paved the way for the stadium to host its first international match in nearly three years. On 23 March 2025, Kenya's Harambee Stars faced Gabon in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Nyayo Stadium. The match attracted a capacity crowd, with all 30,000 tickets sold out, marking a significant milestone in the stadium's history and demonstrating Kenya's readiness to host top-tier football events. See also Football in Kenya Lists of stadiums References External links Sports Stadia Management Board – A body governing few stadiums in Kenya, including the Moi International Sports Centre Videos at NairobiKenya.com