Kenyan clubs Gor Mahia and Kenya Police will need to find alternative venues outside Kenya for their home matches if they qualify for the group stages of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Both Gor Mahia and Kenya Police face the possibility of playing their continental matches away from home if they advance to the group stages of these prestigious tournaments. Gor Mahia is set to face Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the second preliminary round of the Champions League, while Kenya Police will take on Zamalek at the same stage in the Confederation Cup.
Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi was approved to host the preliminary rounds, meaning Al Ahly and Zamalek will play their upcoming matches in Kenya this month. However, if the Kenyan teams manage to pull off an upset and qualify for the group stages, they will be required to host their matches outside of the country. This is because Nyayo Stadium is classified as a Category 2 stadium, which only allows it to host preliminary round matches in the Champions League and Confederation Cup. Group stage and quarter-final matches require a Category 3 stadium.
Nyayo Stadium currently does not meet the necessary criteria to host such high-profile matches, which would also include Africa Cup of Nations, World Cup, and CHAN qualifiers, as well as Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and Women’s Champions League finals.
This situation has already impacted the national team, Harambee Stars, who had to host Zimbabwe in Uganda for their 2025 AFCON home qualifier. Similarly, their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and Ivory Coast were hosted in Malawi in June. Nyayo Stadium has been undergoing renovations as part of the government’s efforts to upgrade it, along with Karasani Stadium, which has been closed for most of 2024 for refurbishment, with work expected to be completed by the end of the year.
This presents an additional challenge for Gor Mahia and Kenya Police, who already face tough opponents. Al Ahly, the record 12-time Champions League winners, have won the last two consecutive titles, while Zamalek are the current holders of the Confederation Cup. Although Kenyan teams have traditionally struggled against North African opposition, there remains hope that they can achieve a positive result at home and put up a strong fight in the away matches.
