Gor Mahia and Kenya Police FC are pleading with Sports Kenya to delay the planned renovations at Nyayo Stadium until after mid-September to allow the two clubs to host their continental games at the facility.Gor Mahia qualified for the CAF Champions League first round on Sunday after defeating Al Merreikh Bentiu in the preliminary round. They will face defending champions Al Ahly in the next round.##NAJAVA_MECA_8290616##Meanwhile, Police secured a place in the CAF Confederation Cup first round after beating Ethiopia Coffee SC in Ethiopia, setting up a match against Zamalek in the next round.As the two teams celebrated their progression, they were hit with a major stadium headache. Sports Kenya is expected to close Nyayo Stadium for renovations in preparation for next year’s CHAN. The facility had been given a temporary pass for the preliminary games and, on Monday, was listed as a venue to host first-round matches.Gor Mahia had already begun exploring the possibility of playing both legs of their tie in Egypt or renting the Chamazi Complex in Tanzania at a cost of USD 6,000, which translates to Ksh 774,000. “We will decide either to play both legs in Egypt or in Tanzania at Azam Stadium. The latter is more preferred as it will give our fans an opportunity to come and watch the match and give us the morale we need to win,” Gor Secretary General Sam Ochola said on Monday.Stars Abroad: Scriven Stars in Bryne win as Anyembe picks first win in DenmarkFollowing the clearance of Nyayo Stadium as a host venue for the first round, both clubs now want to play at home and are urging Sports Kenya to postpone the renovations to allow them to play on the weekend of 13-15 September.“It would be ideal if we played at home,” Gor Mahia CEO Raymond Oruo said. “Hosting a game away from home denies you advantages such as home-ground support from fans. It is also a very expensive venture because you have to hire the ground, book hotels, and flights, and cover many other expenses.”.“I hope that Sports Kenya can delay the renovations for a few more days to allow the Police and us to host the games here in Nairobi. The advantage is that we are both starting the matches at home, so we will just be here for a weekend, and thereafter, they can close the venue for renovations,” he added.A Kenya Police official echoed Oruo’s sentiments, saying they will try to convince the ministry to allow the two teams to host their games in Nairobi.“We will plead with the ministry to ensure that we have our match here in Nairobi. It would be nice to have the game here, and we hope that we can be granted that wish,” the Police source added.AFCON 2025Q: Kenya vs Zimbabwe referees named
