Kasarani Annex: Nairobi Football Ground and Matchday Guide

Kasarani Annex is the secondary football ground within the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Nairobi, where the annex facilities comprise Annex 1 and Annex 2. Operated by Sports Kenya, it accommodates league football and training, although an official spectator capacity has not been established in the information available.

For supporters of football, or soccer as South African readers say, the useful distinction is between the Annex and the main stadium. Sharing a complex does not mean sharing an entrance, ticket arrangement or match programme. Start with the precise venue on the fixture, then check access before leaving home; that small detail can decide how straightforward your afternoon becomes.

What Is the Capacity of Kasarani Annex?

Kasarani Annex has no confirmed official capacity in the available public information, so a precise spectator figure would give readers more certainty than the evidence supports. The main stadium was recorded at about 48,000 after its conversion to an all seater venue in 2024. That figure belongs to the main bowl, while the indoor arena was listed at 5,000 in the 2026 encyclopaedia entry. Neither establishes how many people the Annex can admit.

The same care applies to record attendance: no verified Annex record, match or year is established in public information. For a visit, the relevant information is the admission arrangement announced for that particular fixture. Look at whether tickets specify a stand or another viewing area, and ask about accessibility before purchasing. A ground name alone tells you little about the facilities available to spectators on a particular occasion.

Who Plays at Kasarani Annex?

Nairobi United used Kasarani Annex as a replacement venue on 21 February 2026, for their league meeting with Bidco United, which was moved from Ulinzi Sports Complex. K24 reported the venue change on 20 February 2026. That gives the club a documented connection with the ground without suggesting that every Nairobi United home match belongs there.

Read each fixture entry for the competition, opponent and exact venue before treating a familiar club name as confirmation, because a club’s scheduled ground can change independently of its opponent. A training venue listing does not establish public admission.

What Do the Closure Notices Mean for a Visit?

Closure announcements mean supporters should confirm access for their individual fixture before travelling to Kasarani Annex Stadium. K24’s February 2026 report recorded Sports Kenya’s announcement that the main centre and both annexes would close for Phase II upgrades ahead of AFCON 2027. The same report identified the Annex as the replacement venue for Nairobi United against Bidco United. Those details show why a broad renovation announcement cannot settle every matchday question.

The February 2026 fixture does not establish uninterrupted access after that date, and an earlier closure notice does not explain every later arrangement. Compare the fixture module with a dated venue notice, paying attention to postponements and ground changes. If the information differs, seek clarification from the organiser before setting off. Keep the confirmed venue details available on your phone so the driver or travelling group has the same destination.

How Do I Get to Kasarani Annex?

Kasarani Annex is inside the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Nairobi, at an altitude of about 1,612 m, so plan your journey to the complex and then confirm the Annex entrance. A destination marked simply Kasarani can leave the final approach unclear. Specific matatu numbers, bus stops and walking routes are not established in public information. Use a public transport journey planner or public map to confirm those details before choosing your route.

For a matatu or bus journey, confirm the boarding point, destination and final walk before paying the fare. With a ride hailing service, enter the full complex name and agree the permitted drop off point once gate instructions are available. Drivers should check parking access rather than assume a ticket includes a space. Allow additional time when other events bring crowds to the complex, and arrange a recognisable meeting point for the return journey.

What Is the Annex’s Role in AFCON 2027?

Annex 1 and Annex 2 were listed as official training facilities for AFCON 2027 in K24’s report of 7 May 2026. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda share the tournament under the Pamoja hosting arrangement. That gives the annex grounds a practical role in preparing teams away from the main match venues. Training pitches matter because players need a suitable place to prepare between competitive appearances, even when spectators mainly follow the tournament through its stadium fixtures.

The tournament runs from 19 June to 17 July 2027, as announced by CAF on 2 May 2026. Supporters travelling from Kampala, Lagos, Accra or Johannesburg should distinguish those competition dates from any training access programme. The facility listing does not identify which national team will use each pitch. It also does not establish that the Cranes, or any other side, will hold sessions open to supporters there.

Three nations will follow Kasarani closely during AFCON 2027: Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the Pamoja co-hosts. East African viewers care about the ground because the complex is home to the Kenya national team and Kenyan Premier League sides, so a tournament played partly around it connects the regional game to a venue familiar from domestic and international football.

How Did the Kasarani Complex Develop?

The wider Moi International Sports Centre was completed in 1987 with Chinese funding and construction, and hosted the All Africa Games that year. That is the established opening history of the complex, rather than a separately verified opening date for either Annex pitch. Its mix of football, athletics and other sporting facilities explains why Kasarani appears in several different sporting contexts. The exact ground name remains essential when reading an event listing.

The main stadium closed for renovation in January 2010 and reopened in March 2012, according to the encyclopaedia entry on the centre. Those dates should not be presented as an Annex rebuilding record. A separate Annex opening date, renovation chronology and renaming history have not been established. Later preparations for AFCON 2027 provide another dated stage in the complex’s development, with the annexes explicitly included in the announced upgrade programme.

How Does an Annex Match Differ From the Main Stadium?

The main stadium accommodates Harambee Stars internationals and major events, while Annex 1 and Annex 2 are listed as AFCON 2027 training grounds. MISC Kasarani Annex therefore needs its own matchday checks, even for somebody familiar with the main ground. Confirm the viewing arrangements, accessible entrance and spectator facilities for the specific event. Our guide to football stadiums helps distinguish grounds, but the fixture notice should settle which venue you need.

Ticket prices belong to the individual event announcement, so there is no permanent admission price to carry from one fixture to another. Find the sales method, accepted payment and entry conditions before travelling. The same applies to refreshments and any arrangements for children or accompanying supporters. Carry what the organiser asks for, keep your ticket accessible and plan the return journey before entering, especially if your outward trip involves a connection.

How Can Fans Across the Five Countries Follow Matches?

Fans in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa should use the match listing to establish whether coverage is available in their country. A fixture at the Annex does not itself establish a television broadcast or stream. Look for the viewing information attached to that match, including any subscription or purchase requirement. Where live coverage is unavailable, the results module supplies the score and status without requiring an assumption about which channel carries the competition.

Kick off times should appear in WAT, EAT, SAST and GMT together, which covers viewers in Lagos, Nairobi, Kampala, Johannesburg and Accra. The fixture module should show the corresponding local times so travelling supporters and viewers follow the same start. A scheduled match, a postponed match and a completed result require different plans. Before leaving for Kasarani, refresh the entry and confirm the venue still names the Annex.