Kenya could host two of English football's biggest clubs in 2027, with President William Ruto reportedly planning to bring Manchester United and Arsenal to Nairobi for a friendly match in June.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the proposed fixture was part of the government's efforts to position Kenya as a destination for major international sporting events.

Speaking about the upcoming opening of the Raila Odinga Talanta Stadium, Murkomen on Sunday said the government was also preparing to host German giants Bayern Munich and Dutch side Ajax on January 5, 2027.

He said the match was expected to attract international visitors, including 5,000 Europeans, as well as football fans from Nigeria and Egypt.

“Next year, the President will bring Manchester United and Arsenal in June. They will come to play in Nairobi. Our country is moving forward,” Murkomen said.

The CS described Talanta Stadium as a major sporting investment, comparing it to some of Europe's renowned football facilities.

He also defended the government's spending on sports infrastructure, saying the country was making progress despite criticism from some political leaders.

However, the proposed Manchester United-Arsenal fixture has already drawn criticism from Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, who wants the government to prioritise settling debts owed to tea factories.

Wamuchomba said tea factories were struggling with cumulative debts exceeding Sh34 billion, including outstanding payments linked to government fertiliser subsidies.

“Manchester is not our priority. The government should pay Tea Factories' debt first. Tea factories are collapsing over cumulative debts of more than Sh34 billion. Some of these arrears are unpaid government fertiliser subsidies,” she said.

Meanwhile, preparations for the Bayern Munich-Ajax encounter have generated strong interest among football fans, with the cheapest tickets selling out within hours of going on sale.

Tickets for the January 5 match opened on Thursday evening through the official Talanta Sports City website, but categories priced at Sh2,500, Sh3,500 and Sh5,000 had sold out by 9pm.

Fans seeking to attend the fixture now have to choose from the remaining higher-priced categories, including Sh15,000 and Sh20,000 tickets, as well as VIP packages.

At the time, the Sh15,000 category had 731 seats remaining, while the Sh20,000 section had 1,792 available. Only 113 VIP seats were left.

The figures were displayed on the official ticketing platform, where supporters could select their preferred seating sections and make purchases online.

The early sellout of cheaper tickets points to strong demand for the high-profile encounter, which will mark the opening of the Sh45 billion stadium.

The Bayern Munich-Ajax fixture is expected to be among the biggest international football events hosted in Kenya, bringing two of Europe's most decorated clubs to Nairobi.

Organisers have directed fans to purchase tickets exclusively through the official Talanta Sports City website.