Moi International Sports Centre
 Interior of the stadium on a matchday | |
 | |
| Full name | Moi International Sports Centre |
|---|---|
| Location | Kasarani, Nairobi, Kenya |
| Coordinates | 1°13′41″S 36°53′26″E / 1.22806°S 36.89056°E |
| Owner | Government_of_Kenya |
| Operator | Sports Kenya |
| Capacity | Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani:
80,000[1] (Kasarani Stadium) 5,000 (Kasarani Indoor Arena) 5,000 (Competition pool)[2] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1987 |
| Opened | August 1987 |
| Renovated | January 2010 |
| Construction cost | KSh.900 million/= (renovations) |
| Structural engineer | Sheng-Li Engineering Construction Company Ltd. (renovations) |
| Services engineer | Sheng-Li Engineering Construction Company Ltd. (renovations) |
| Main contractors | n/a |
| Tenants | |
| Kenya national football team Mathare United F.C. Tusker Athletics Kenya | |
The Moi International Sports Centre (abbreviated as MISC, locally referred to as the Kasarani stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium in Kasarani, Kenya. It was built in 1987 for the All-Africa Games held in Nairobi. The facilities include a 60,000-seat stadium with a running track and a pitch used for football and rugby union, a competition size swimming pool, an indoor arena and a 108-bed capacity hotel.[3] Located at 1,612 metres above sea level, it is slightly above 1 mile in altitude.[4]
The stadium was closed in January 2010 for renovation works worth KSh.900 million funded by a grant to the Government of Kenya by the Government of China. Chinese firm, Sheng Li Engineering Construction Company Limited was contracted to conduct the renovations and the stadium was reopened in March 2012 after completion of the renovations.
In April and May 2014, after terror attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa, the main stadium was used as a screening center as part of 'Operation Usalama Watch' during which thousands of people were rounded up and arrested by the Kenya Police.[5][6]
The stadium hosted the 2017 World U18 Championships in Athletics[7] and 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships.
Facilities[edit]
Kasarani Stadium (Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani)[edit]
The main arena is used by the Kenya national football team for most of its home games, as well as Kenyan Premier League sides Mathare United and Tusker F.C.
Since 2013 the Safari Sevens rugby union tournament has been hosted at the Kasarani Stadium.
For sponsorship reasons, the stadium was known as Safaricom Stadium Kasarani.[8]
Kasarani Indoor Arena[edit]
The indoor arena seats 5,000 and hosts volleyball, gymnastics, basketball, badminton, boxing, wrestling, martial arts and table tennis.
For sponsorship reasons, the arena is also known as Safaricom Indoor Arena.
Kasarani Aquatic Complex[edit]
This arena consists of an Olympic competition pool 1.25 metres in depth, a recreational public diving pool and a children's pool.
The Stadium Hotel[edit]
This is a 108-room hotel located within the centre.
International matches[edit]
| Date | Competition | Result | Rival | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 September 2018 | International Friendly | 1–0 |  Malawi
|
3,500 |
| 14 October 2018 | 2019 AFCON Qualifiers | 3–0 |  Ethiopia
|
60,000 |
| 18 Nov 2019 | 2021 AFCON Qualifiers | 1–1 |  Togo
|
References[edit]
- ^ "Kenya's new president to be sworn in at Kasarani". Archived from the original on 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
- ^ "Moi International Sports Complex (MISC), Kasarani". www.sportskenya.org. Archived from the original on 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
- ^ "Moi International Sports Complex (MISC), Kasarani". www.sportskenya.org. Archived from the original on 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
- ^ "Moi International Sports Centre on World Stadium Database". Archived from the original on 2022-03-05. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
- ^ Somalis are scapegoats in Kenya's Counter-terror Crackdown Archived 2017-02-28 at the Wayback Machine, Amnesty International, May 2014. Accessed on 27 February 2017.
- ^ Usalama Watch: State is fracturing Kenyan society Archived 2017-02-27 at the Wayback Machine, The East African, 19 April 2014. Accessed on 27 February 2017.
- ^ Competitions Update Archived 2016-08-27 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-06-07
- ^ Akaki, Lulu (6 December 2013). "Safaricom Stadium Kasarani unveiled". hapakenya.com. HapaKenya. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
External links[edit]
- Sports Stadia Management Board - a body governing several stadiums in Kenya
- Photos at cafe.daum.net/stade
- Nation.co.ke - Sh1bn facelift for Kasarani
- [1]
1°13′47.9″S 36°53′32.6″E / 1.229972°S 36.892389°E
- ^ "Moi International Sports Centre". JF Football. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
- Sports venues completed in 1987
- Football venues in Kenya
- Sports venues in Kenya
- Sport in Nairobi
- Athletics (track and field) venues in Kenya
- Venues of the African Games
- National stadiums
- Indoor arenas in Kenya
- Multi-purpose stadiums in Kenya
- Event venues established in 1987
- Volleyball venues in Kenya
- Basketball venues in Kenya
- Chinese aid to Africa
- 1980s in Nairobi
- 1987 establishments in Kenya