As the countdown to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ticks on, the tripartite East African hosts, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, are racing against time to prepare the necessary infrastructure.

Yet, a striking disparity in their stadium development strategies is becoming starkly clear, raising questions about Kenya’s approach and its long-term benefits for regional growth.

While Tanzania and Uganda are strategically decentralising their world-class facilities, Kenya appears to be doubling down on its capital, Nairobi, a decision critics argue is a missed opportunity for national development.

Kenya’s chosen path for AFCON 2027 has drawn considerable scrutiny.

The cornerstone of its preparations is the construction of the new Talanta Sports Stadium in Nairobi.

This 60,000-seater facility is estimated to cost approximately $344.5 million/Ksh44.7 billion.

This significant investment comes despite the capital already boasting the 60,000-capacity Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, and the 30,000-capacity Nyayo National Stadium.

The decision to build yet another mega-stadium in a city already well-equipped with large sporting venues has baffled many observers.

Critics argue that this Nairobi-centric development exacerbates an existing imbalance in the country’s infrastructure.

While the capital city enjoys modern amenities, other major urban centres that serve as economic and cultural hubs, such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Eldoret, continue to languish with inadequate and often dilapidated sporting facilities.

These cities, vibrant in their own right, could greatly benefit from world-class sports infrastructure that would not only boost their capacity to host major events but also spur economic growth, tourism, and local development.

The concentration of modern amenities in Nairobi risks stifling the potential of these crucial regional economies, preventing them from achieving their full growth potential.

In stark contrast, Kenya’s co-hosts, Tanzania and Uganda, appear to have adopted more sagacious, decentralised strategies.

Tanzania, for instance, is investing in the new 30,000-capacity Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium in Arusha.

This vital facility is estimated to cost approximately $112 million (around Ksh14.5 billion).

Crucially, Arusha is a significant regional hub but not the capital (Dodoma) or the largest city (Dar es Salaam, which already has the 60,000-seater Benjamin Mkapa Stadium).

Similarly, Uganda is constructing the 20,000-capacity Hoima National Stadium in Hoima, a key city in its Western Region, estimated at $131 million (around Ksh17 billion).

This stadium is being built away from its capital, Kampala, which hosts the Mandela National Stadium (Namboole).

These strategic choices by Tanzania and Uganda are poised to bring substantial benefits to their chosen regional cities.

Arusha and Hoima, though smaller and less prominent than Kenya’s major cities like Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Eldoret, are set to benefit from world-class sporting infrastructure, catalysing local economies, attracting international attention, and fostering sports development beyond their capitals.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s major cities like Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Eldoret (despite some minor renovations promised for Eldoret’s Kipchoge Keino Stadium) appear to be left behind, missing out on the transformative impact that a modern AFCON-standard stadium could provide.

As the clock ticks towards 2027, the wisdom of Kenya’s stadium development strategy will undoubtedly be a central theme.

While the new Talanta Stadium in Nairobi will certainly add to the capital’s sporting prowess, the long-term question remains: at what cost to the equitable development and decentralisation of opportunities across the rest of the nation?