Arsenal and Manchester United supporters in East Africa could watch their teams face each other in Nairobi under a Kenyan government proposal to host the Premier League rivals in 2027.
Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen outlined the plan while speaking in Kakamega on Sunday, November 8.
He said President William Ruto intended to bring the clubs to Nairobi as part of efforts to attract major international sporting events.
“They will come to play in Nairobi,” Murkomen said. Neither Arsenal nor Manchester United has publicly confirmed participation.
The proposed friendly would give supporters across the region an opportunity to see the clubs compete closer to home.
The intended venue is the 60,000-seat Raila Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City, although a confirmed match date and ticket arrangements have yet to be announced.
Kenya has previously hosted Premier League opposition. On July 7, 2019, Everton faced Kariobangi Sharks at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, with the Kenyan side winning 4–3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Duke Abuya put Sharks ahead before Joe Williams equalised for Everton in the second half. The hosts then won the shootout, securing a memorable result against the English visitors.
Sharks earned that opportunity by winning the SportPesa Super Cup. The friendly allowed local players to compete against Premier League professionals while Kenyan supporters watched the encounter on home soil.
The proposed Arsenal-United game would offer a different occasion, bringing two visiting English clubs together in Nairobi rather than pairing a European side with a Kenyan team.
The proposed venue is also among the stadiums preparing to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will stage jointly with Uganda and Tanzania.
CAF has scheduled the tournament from June 19 to July 17. It will be the first AFCON hosted by three countries and the competition’s first return to East Africa since 1976.
Murkomen linked the proposed European club visits to Kenya’s ambitions in sports tourism, saying major fixtures could attract international visitors alongside local supporters.
The plans have also drawn criticism over spending priorities. Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba urged the government to prioritise debts owed to tea factories, which she put at more than KSh34 billion, including outstanding fertiliser subsidy payments.
For Arsenal and United supporters, confirmation from the clubs remains the next development to watch. Murkomen’s remarks set out the government’s intention, but the proposed encounter is not yet a confirmed fixture.
Separately, Bayern Munich and Ajax have confirmed that they will play at the Nairobi stadium on January 5, 2027, for its official opening. Both clubs announced the fixture on October 28.
Ajax said the encounter would form part of its preparations for the second half of the season, while Bayern described the visit as an opportunity to strengthen its relationship with African supporters.
Kenya will also co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, bringing the tournament back to East Africa for the first time since 1976.
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