President William Ruto and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed held talks with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, with football development, infrastructure and Kenya’s preparations for AFCON 2027 featuring prominently in the discussions.
According to Hussein Mohammed, the meeting focused on strengthening the Kenya-FIFA partnership and accelerating the development of football through youth development, infrastructure and capacity building.
Among the projects discussed was the FIFA Arena initiative and the development of a modern technical centre aimed at supporting football development in the country. The possibility of constructing a FIFA-standard stadium in Mombasa was also raised, with the proposed facility expected to serve the Coast region and potentially strengthen Kenya’s ability to host international football events and attract sports tourism.
Hussein Mohammed said the Kenyan delegation also briefed Fifa Supremo Gianni Infantino on the country’s progress towards co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Uganda and Tanzania, while reaffirming Kenya’s ambition to build a competitive footballing nation.
President Ruto, in a post on X, said the discussions also covered the establishment of regional technical centres to identify and nurture young football talent, strengthen grassroots development and create clearer pathways for the next generation of Kenyan players.
The President linked the football development agenda to the Government’s wider investment in sports infrastructure, saying 32 new stadia are being constructed across the country. He said the facilities are intended to meet international standards and support Kenya’s ambition of becoming a leading sporting nation.
The meeting comes as Kenya continues to prepare for AFCON 2027, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Kenya’s Talanta Stadium is among the major infrastructure projects being developed for the tournament, while FIFA has previously engaged with Kenyan officials on football infrastructure and development.
For the Coast region, the proposed Mombasa stadium would represent an expansion of major football infrastructure beyond Nairobi. However, details such as the proposed stadium’s capacity, exact location, cost and construction timeline have not been announced following the New York meeting.
FKF Boss Hussein Mohammed thanked Infantino for FIFA’s continued support and President Ruto for his commitment to sports development, describing sport as an important pillar for youth empowerment and national unity.
