FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Saturday, August 30, when Morocco meet Madagascar in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) decider.
He will land alongside Confederation of African Football (CAF) boss Patrice Motsepe and the heads of all 54 African football associations. Their presence, organisers say, highlights the tournament’s growing stature and signals fresh trust in Kenya’s football leadership after a turbulent spell that included a brief FIFA suspension in 2022.
Kenyan dignitaries, among them President William Ruto, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed, are also on the guest list.
Why the visit matters
The 2024 CHAN has been marketed as a dry run for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will once again co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
A smooth final before a global audience would strengthen the region’s case that it can stage the larger event.
Infantino has led world football’s governing body since 2016 but has not visited Kenya during his tenure. His arrival, therefore, is widely read as an endorsement of the country’s preparations and a chance for FKF to showcase reforms put in place after the governance crisis that drew FIFA sanctions.
The road to the final.
Morocco are chasing a record-extending third CHAN crown. The Atlas Lions squeezed past Senegal 5-3 on penalties in the semi-finals after edging co-host Tanzania 1-0 in the quarters.
Madagascar are living a fairy-tale. The Barea stunned Kenya in a quarter-final shoot-out and then beat Sudan 1-0 in extra time in Dar es Salaam to reach their first championship match.
Match-day plans
Gates at Kasarani will open three hours before kick-off to accommodate additional security checks and an elaborate closing ceremony. Organisers expect a capacity crowd.
It is Kenya’s biggest football showcase in years, and the sport’s most powerful figures will be watching from the stands
