Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi has assured Kenyans that Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam will bring their senior teams for the planned exhibition match to officially open the Raila Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City, while insisting that no public money will be used to finance the event.

Mwangi said private sponsorship had been secured to meet the cost of bringing the two European giants to Nairobi for the January 5, 2027, fixture, dismissing concerns over the financial implications for taxpayers.

“We are not using government money. We have gotten a private sponsor who has supported us to bring the two teams here,” Mwangi stated.

His clarification comes amid public debate over the cost of staging the high-profile encounter, with reports suggesting that Bayern Munich could receive a substantial appearance fee for the trip to Kenya. However, the reported figures remain unconfirmed, and the government has yet to disclose the sponsor’s identity or provide details of the financial arrangements.

The financing question has also attracted legal scrutiny, with a petition filed at the Milimani High Court seeking to block any use of public funds on the event and compel disclosure of sponsorship agreements, contracts and anticipated expenditure.

While the government maintains that private sponsorship will cover the event’s costs, questions remain over the extent of public-sector involvement, particularly in areas such as security and logistical facilitation.

On the football side, Mwangi dismissed speculation that the two European clubs would send legends, reserve or junior sides, insisting that Kenya had engaged their senior teams.

“I want to put it on record that the teams that will be coming will be the main teams. I have seen people saying that we will be bringing the legends. The teams that we have approached are the main teams,” he said.

The event will also incorporate local football, with Kenyan heavyweights Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards expected to feature in the celebrations, giving the country’s two most prominent clubs a place in the historic inauguration.

Mwangi said the fixture presents Kenya with an opportunity to showcase its sporting infrastructure to a global audience, noting that the two European clubs command a combined following of more than 300 million supporters.

The 60,000-seater Raila Odinga International Stadium is a flagship facility ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.

Beyond the historic opening, the January encounter is expected to provide an international platform to market Kenya as a sporting and tourism destination.