Inside refurbished Nyayo National Stadium

Nyayo National Stadium has undergone major renovations as Kenya puts in the final touches to co-host the delayed 2024 Africa Nations Championship and later the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals with Uganda and Tanzania. 

For its latest renovations done last year, the 42-year-old facility has undergone remarkable transformations to bring it to compliance with CAF standards.

Some of the key improvements at the stadium include an upgraded playing pitch, a media tribunal, air-conditioned changing rooms, refrigeration facilities for cold baths in the changing rooms, designated areas for the main camera and offside cameras, establishing a CAF office, increased washrooms and installation of new floodlighting units and more closed-circuit television, (CCTV).

In an exclusive visit by Nation Sport yesterday, the first thing that strikes one on entering the stadium is the lush green pitch which is perfectly manicured and a newly installed perimeter drainage.

Rakki Asman, the Public Relations Manager at Sports Stadia stated that levelling the pitch and establishing a perimeter drainage around it were among CAF’s key recommendations. 

Out of the four new floodlights masts at the stadium’s four corners, one has already been installed with fresh lighting bulbs.

CAF requires that any venue hosting its matches must be equipped with functional floodlights to accommodate night matches.

Two spare movable goalposts made of fibre have been acquired while the seating capacity on the two team benches has been increased from 21 to 23.

A match official bench with a sitting capacity of four people is also available at the stadium while a retractable players tunnel canopy that can be stretched to the track has been set up.

“Sometimes fans throw objects at players so the retractable tunnel provides them with safety when they are making their way out of the tunnel or going back to their dressing rooms,” explained Asman.

Additionally, the dressing rooms now have a personal safe at every seat, enhancing air circulation with air conditioners and air extractors, plus refrigeration facilities for cold baths.

Adjacent to the dressing rooms are two massage rooms equipped with massage beds.

Asman explained that previously, the stadium lacked dedicated massage rooms – just a single massage bed placed in the changing rooms. Another improvement in the changing room area, Asman noted, is the increased seating capacity in the referees’ room, which has been expanded from three to four seats. 

Air circulation in both the referees’ room and the match commissioner’s office has also been enhanced with the installation of air conditioners and air extractors. 

Adjacent to the away dressing room are the medical and doping rooms. Asman explained that previously, these two rooms were not located next to each other as they are now. 

For enhanced credibility, the doping room’s front section and washrooms have been separated by a transparent door, ensuring transparency in testing procedures. 

The media tribunal, a new addition that is in the VIP area can accommodate about 150 journalists.

It has also been equipped with charging pots while the workstations can accommodate up to 90 journalists. The stadium also has a press conference room and media centre next to each other.

Asman explained that the press conference room will be upgraded to meet cameramen’s requirements, while the media centre will be equipped with functional workstations. 

The stadium’s main camera area has been established behind the VVIP section, next to the commentary areas which were also not there previously.

Offside camera positions have been set up adjacent to the commentary areas. 

To avoid congestion in the VIP washroom area, other washrooms have been established in the opposite section to be used by the media and other VIP guests.  A control room and venue operations centre have been set up at the stadium. 

While the control room will be used to manage the public address and lighting systems, the venue operations centre will be used to monitor the activities at the stadium. 

Asman explained that CAF required every area of the stadium to be monitored through CCTV at the venue operation centre.

To meet this requirement, Asman explained that the number of CCTV cameras at the stadium has been more than doubled from 70 to 150.

Last Sunday, a high-level CAF delegation led by Samson Adamu, the confederation’s Director of Tournaments and Events concluded a two-day inspection tour of Nyayo National Stadium and the other facilities earmarked for Chan. 

Adamu, who led a similar inspection visit to Nairobi last month, said he was impressed with the progress made so far.

“A lot of people were excited about the Chan draw organised in Nairobi. Congratulations to Kenya because there has been great progress since January which means that work has not stopped even after the tournament was postponed (from February to August),” Adamu told Kenya’s LOC members in a debrief after the weekend inspection tour.

The CAF delegations confirmed that Kenya will host their 2026 World Cup Group “F” qualifier against Gabon at Nyayo Stadium on March 24.

This will be the first time an international football match has been staged at Nyayo since November 15, 2022, when Kenya beat Rwanda 2-1 in a 2022 World Cup qualifier Group “E” match.

Chan will be held from August 2 to 30.