The government will not contribute public funds towards the highly anticipated Bayern Munich versus Ajax friendly match at the Raila Odinga International Stadium, Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi has said.
Mwangi said strategic partners had come on board to finance the event, with the government offering support in marketing Kenya as a sports and tourism destination.
He said the arrangement was expected to generate a surplus that would be channelled towards Kenya’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which the country will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
“I want to assure Kenyans that the team that will be coming is the first team, is the main team, and the government of Kenya have not contributed towards this,” Mwangi said.
“We have strategic partners who have come on board, and we are supporting them to market Kenya. From our analysis, we shall be having surplus from this event, which shall go towards assisting in our preparations for Afcon,” he added.
The match, scheduled for January 5, 2027, at the Raila Odinga International Stadium in Nairobi, is expected to provide a major test of the country's capacity to host international sporting events ahead of Afcon.
Mwangi said the government viewed the fixture as more than a football spectacle, arguing that the presence of two prominent European clubs would expose Kenya to international audiences and create opportunities for investment and tourism.
He said Bayern Munich and Ajax have a combined social media following of more than 300 million, providing a significant platform through which Kenya could showcase its attractions, culture and sporting facilities.
“The impact, the benefits, is enormous. Number one, this team has follow-ups in excess of 300 million,” he said.
The PS said the government expected the clubs' global audiences to take an interest in what Kenya has to offer, with some supporters potentially visiting the country in future.
He said the event would also give local footballers an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities before international scouts and club representatives.
“Our team will be exposed, and we have an opportunity also to have our Kenyan players get an opportunity to be picked, so that they can also participate or be recruited to play at that international level,” Mwangi said.
The government has been positioning the match as part of wider preparations for Afcon 2027, which will be the first edition hosted jointly by three countries.
Kenya is expected to use the tournament to showcase its sporting infrastructure, hospitality industry and tourism attractions, while improving facilities and organisational capacity.
The Bayern-Ajax fixture is therefore being presented as an opportunity to test stadium operations, attract international visitors and build confidence in Kenya's ability to stage major sporting events.
Mwangi, however, did not disclose the identities of the strategic partners financing the friendly or provide a breakdown of the expected expenditure and projected surplus.
The government's position that it has not contributed towards the match is likely to draw attention to the financing arrangements, particularly as preparations for Afcon continue to require significant public investment.
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