Kenya is set to be home to a new stadium after FIFA President Giani Infantino on Friday, November 29, announced plans to raise $1 billion which is approximately Ksh106.9 billion to build stadiums matching its standards in every African country, as reported by BBC News.
Infantino was addressing the 80th-anniversary celebrations of DR Congo soccer team Tout Puissant (TP) Mazembe in Lubumbashi, DRC.
He affirmed that FIFA would work with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and other stakeholders to enhance and develop infrastructure, competitions, and refereeing in the continent. He insisted that the global football body was determined to ensure the blossom of African football.
"We want to bring Africa to the highest of heights and show the world the outstanding talent and amazingly gifted players your continent posses," Infantino stated.
"To do this we want to implement a three-pillar approach: refereeing, infrastructure and competitions, in close cooperation with CAF and all of its 54 member associations across Africa and other stakeholders.
"I am positive that we will make African football reach the top level where it should be because the quality and potential is definitely here," he added.
Tackling infrastructure, Infantino stated that FIFA would mobilise companies and entrepreneurs to raise the money.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, in his Jubilee manifesto, promised Kenyans of the construction of five state-of-the-art stadia across the country by 2022. However, years later, the promise is still a pipe dream.
