Kenya hands over Nyayo Stadium to CHAN LOC as tournament nears
With just over two weeks to go before the start of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, Kenya's Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports has officially handed over the Nyayo National Stadium to the tournament's Local Organising Committee (LOC).
The stadium, situated in the capital Nairobi, is one of the primary venues for the continental showpiece and will host six key fixtures—including selected Group A matches and the decisive Group C clash between Algeria and Nigeria.
The handover marks a major milestone in Kenya's preparations as co-host, alongside Tanzania and Uganda, for the 2–30 August competition dedicated exclusively to home-based players.
Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Mr Salim Mvurya, confirmed that the upgrades to the stadium have met all the requirements set out by CAF following a series of rigorous inspections.
'We have ensured that everything is in place and now the facility is ready to be handed over to the LOC,' Mvurya stated.
'This is done, and the next focus now is to get Kenyans to rally behind the Harambee Stars and demonstrate our passion, commitment and patriotism as a nation.
"We expect to have lots of visitors as well coming in and this will be a good tourism boost for our country.'
The extensive renovations at Nyayo and the nearby Kasarani Stadium were supervised by the Kenya Defense Forces to guarantee international standards.
Speaking at the handover, Cabinet Secretary for Defense, Ms Soipan Tuya, lauded the effort.
'The Ministry of Defense is very proud that we have successfully overseen the world-class renovation of these two stadia. We have built facilities to the standards required,' she said.
In addition to the match venues, the Ministry also officially handed over two training grounds—Ulinzi Sports Complex and Police Sacco Stadium—which will serve as vital preparation bases for participating teams.
As Kenya inches closer to hosting its first-ever CHAN, the completed infrastructure is a clear signal of the country's readiness to deliver a successful and memorable tournament.
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