Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya speaking during a briefing after inspecting ongoing works at the Talanta Sports City Stadium, where he confirmed steady progress in AFCON 2027 preparations.
NAIROBI, June 23, 2026 — The Government has reported steady progress in preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), following an inspection visit to the Talanta Sports City Stadium, where key infrastructure and training facilities are nearing completion.
Speaking during a briefing after the inspection visit, the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, said the visit marked a continuation of earlier engagements with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) aimed at ensuring full compliance with hosting requirements.
“My visit today is a continuation of the engagement we gave here in January, and I had promised that we would engage in a camp so that we meet the requirements beforehand . Today is part of a follow-up visit just to check and confirm implementation of some of the areas we agreed with CAF.”He said.
He expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the Talanta Sports City Stadium, noting that Kenya remains firmly on track in its AFCON 2027 preparations.
“From this visit, I am very happy with the progress that has happened at the Talanta Odinga International Stadium. This is going to be one of the main grounds for AFCON 2027, and as we gear up the preparations, I want to confirm to CAF that we are in good progress,” he said.
The CS announced the handover of two additional training grounds, bringing the total number of training facilities at the venue to three. He said the facilities will be completed within two months, while one is already at an advanced stage with ongoing grass germination.
“Away from having paid the hosting fee, we have now seriously embarked on preparing our infrastructure. This morning I have handed over two training grounds the one where you saw me do the groundbreaking and the one with the fence . Those will be used during AFCON, and together with the third one with the pavilion where grass has already been planted, we will have three training grounds in total.” Mvurya said.
He added that one of the pitches will include a tartan athletics track to support multi-sport use.He further reported that the main stadium works are progressing well, with focus now on mechanical and electrical installations as well as pitch development.
“The bulk of the work now is on mechanical and electrical systems. We have also monitored the pitch and the grass has come out very well,” he said.
Beyond the stadium, he noted ongoing auxiliary works including installation of a one-million-litre water tank, road infrastructure, perimeter fencing, and landscaping.
Preparatory works at Kasarani Stadium, including pitch replacement, are also underway.He also confirmed that the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for AFCON 2027 is fully constituted and operational, chaired by Mr. Nicholas Musonye, with CAF technical officials already on site to monitor progress.
“We have stationed our teams here, including the LOC chair and a CAF technical officer who will be working on a daily basis to monitor progress and provide reports for decision-making,” he said.
The CS added that subcommittees under the LOC, including media and operations, will soon be activated.He assured Kenyans that the country remains on schedule to meet CAF requirements.
“I want to tell Kenyans that we are on schedule for preparations for AFCON. By the end of July, the main works inside the stadium and part of the auxiliary works should have been completed,” he said.
The Government says the ongoing works are part of a broader plan to deliver world-class sporting infrastructure ahead of the continental tournament.
