FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s visit to Kenya felt less like a ceremonial stop and more like a statement of intent. He came to witness the CHAN 2024 final at Kasarani, toured the fast-rising Talanta Sports City, and held a pivotal meeting with President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi. By the end of the day, Kenya had secured momentum on two fronts, a landmark Ksh 600 million Football Kenya Federation National Technical Center in Machakos and renewed conviction ahead of co-hosting AFCON 2027 with Tanzania and Uganda.
A maiden trip with purpose
Since taking office in 2016, this was Infantino’s first official trip to Kenya, and the itinerary underscored why he chose this moment. He landed on Saturday, August 30, was welcomed by FKF President Hussein Mohammed, visited the federation’s headquarters, then joined CAF President Patrice Motsepe and President Ruto for talks before heading to the CHAN 2024 final at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. Morocco edged Madagascar 3-2 to win a record third title, a finale that capped a 30-day tournament and packed stands that spoke to a region in full voice.
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Infantino’s verdict on the host nations was emphatic, East Africa, he said, is an incredible part of Africa with incredible talent, and the passion from fans and the commitment to new facilities make clear why it is right to invest in the game. He praised Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania for delivering a tournament that felt like a turning point, and he credited Kenya’s organisational strides under President Ruto and the new FKF leadership.
Talanta Sports City gathers speed ahead of AFCON 2027
In Nairobi, the Talanta Sports City project is quickly becoming a symbol of what is possible. The complex will feature a modern 60,000-seater stadium that meets FIFA and CAF standards, three additional training grounds, athletics tracks, and multipurpose sports arenas. After touring the site at Jamhuri Grounds, Infantino called the progress game changing for East African football, and described what he saw as very impressive.
“Talanta Sports City is not just a stadium, it is an investment in the future of football in Kenya and across East Africa. With projects like this, the 2027 AFCON will be unforgettable.” President Ruto has highlighted ongoing works as evidence of Kenya’s readiness for 2027, and the government has pledged to move with speed, a message that has been reinforced by the construction pace on the ground and the visibility the project has already earned.
Inside the FKF National Technical Center in Machakos
The centrepiece of Infantino’s State House meeting was the approval and land handover for a FIFA Forward funded national technical centre valued at Ksh 600 million. President Ruto presented title deeds for a 20-acre site in Machakos, clearing the path for groundbreaking. Infantino framed the project as both a fit for purpose training facility for today and a beacon of hope for future generations of Kenyan footballers, and he voiced strong confidence in FKF President Hussein Mohammed to drive delivery with support from FIFA and CAF.
- One natural grass pitch,
- two artificial turf pitches,
- a modern administration block and conference plus training facilities to host national teams, workshops, and capacity-building programs.
The centre will also house the FKF headquarters, a practical move that brings governance, elite preparation, and football education under one roof. Infantino called it the site on which the future of Kenyan football will be built, and the remit is broad, from senior Harambee Stars to youth and women’s teams, all set to benefit from predictable access to quality training and learning spaces.
Why the new centre matters now
For years, Kenyan football has needed a permanent, well equipped base that aligns daily work with long term ambition. A national hub in Machakos answers that need by offering continuity for coaches, analysts, and medical staff, and a professional home for players across age groups. In Infantino’s words, the facility is a hub for the national teams of today and an inspiration for tomorrow’s talents.
That practicality is timely given the calendar in front of Kenya. With AFCON 2027 on home soil alongside Tanzania and Uganda, the country requires a reliable pipeline to prepare squads, run workshops, and standardise methods. The Machakos centre is designed to do exactly that, and it connects neatly to the upgraded stadium network and the flagship Talanta Sports City project already rising in Nairobi.
CHAN 2024 legacy that lifted belief
CHAN 2024 was the region’s rehearsal and its rallying cry. Across the competition, stadia were filled to capacity, particularly when the hosts played, and the final still drew a full house. Infantino argued that the perception of East Africa lagging behind other regions is wrong, and the tournament showed why, the passion, the organisation, and most of all, the rapid progress in infrastructure.
Kenya’s upgrade program offered tangible proof. The government revamped Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani and Nyayo National Stadium, then improved key training venues including Ulinzi Sports Complex, Kenya Police Sacco Stadium, and both Kasarani Annex Upper and Lower. The through line was clear, investment at every layer, a strong federation mandate, and a public that turned matches into communal celebrations.
The human face of progress
Moments like these are measured not just in bricks and budgets, but in people. FKF President Hussein Mohammed welcomed Infantino on behalf of the Kenyan football family, a gesture that felt both ceremonial and symbolic of a federation keen to reset its trajectory. Players carried that emotion onto the pitch at CHAN, from breakout performers to consistent leaders who fed off the energy of packed stands.
Even the debates that followed, such as murmurs from Harambee Stars players over revised reward packages after reaching the quarter finals, were part of a broader picture, a growing game that invites scrutiny because more is at stake. Up the road in club football, stories like Gor Mahia’s Alpha Onyango, who collected two man of the match awards as Kenya advanced, reminded fans that visibility creates opportunity. The atmosphere around CHAN suggested a generation ready to seize it.
What happens next
Infantino confirmed that, following receipt of the land deeds from President Ruto, work on the Machakos technical centre will begin. FIFA has committed to supporting East African football through national training centres, academies, and infrastructure programs, and this project sits squarely within that plan. With AFCON 2027 approaching, timelines matter, and Kenya has matched rhetoric with worksites that can be tracked.
- Short term, finalise designs and mobilise contractors for the Machakos build,
- medium term, integrate national team camps, coaching education, and workshops at the centre,
- long term, align Talanta Sports City, stadium upgrades, and the technical hub to create a sustainable pathway that carries beyond AFCON 2027.
Infantino’s confidence in local leadership has been consistent. “I have every faith that FKF, with the support of FIFA and CAF, will give this project the passion and effort it deserves to ensure Kenyan football takes a big step forward.” The partnership architecture is visible, a government that gifts land and accelerates construction, a federation that anchors operations, and global bodies that add expertise and funding.
A blueprint built on belief
What gives this moment weight is its coherence, the Talanta Sports City progressing as a future showpiece, the stadium network modernising for elite events, and the Machakos technical centre promising daily gains that turn potential into performance. Infantino called East Africa’s passion incredible, and in Nairobi he saw the structures that can harness it.
President Ruto put it plainly, these investments will strengthen grassroots sports, nurture talent, and place Kenyan sport on the global stage. If the past month was a test, the full stadiums, smooth delivery, and a thrilling CHAN finale offered a convincing answer. The next chapter will be written in training sessions as much as in finals, and for Kenyan football, that is exactly where lasting change begins.
The meaning of a visit
In the end, this was a visit that connected dots. It tied the emotion of a continental final to the pragmatism of facility building, it linked presidential backing to technical planning, and it validated the work of administrators who believe Kenya’s ceiling is much higher. The effect was immediate confidence among fans and stakeholders that the country’s football story is entering a different gear.
There will be milestones ahead, groundbreaking in Machakos, construction updates in Nairobi, and competitions that funnel through new infrastructure. If the spirit of CHAN 2024 is carried into those projects, then Infantino’s parting observation will feel prophetic, that with the right investment, East Africa will stand shoulder to shoulder with the continent’s traditional football strongholds.
