This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
Published on September 12, 2019, the Nyayo National Stadium is set to host its first Kenyan Premier League (KPL) match in three years this weekend.
The 30,000-seater facility will play host to the league clash between AFC Leopards and Kariobangi Sharks on Sunday.
The stadium was closed over two years ago for renovations, which were initially intended to prepare it for the 2018 Africa Nations Championship. However, the renovations were delayed due to a lack of funds from the government.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa attributed the delay to the lack of sufficient playing grounds, which has led to some stadiums being overused.
“Limited stadiums is the biggest challenge we have in the country at the moment in terms of football development. Some stadiums are being overused because of the nine KPL matches that are played every weekend,” Mwendwa told KTN.
He added that the overuse of stadiums has resulted in the wearing out of playing surfaces, citing Kasarani and Machakos as examples. The National Trials for the 2019 IAAF World Championships, which started on Thursday and Friday at the facility, marked the first sporting event to be held at the venue since the renovations began.
Mwendwa has urged the national and county governments to invest in more small-capacity stadiums to avoid overusing the current ones.
