Kenya’s President William Ruto attends an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, June 17, 2026. Image @ REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Kenyan President William Ruto has formally invited Arsenal to visit Kenya next year, riding on the wave of extraordinary street celebrations that swept through Nairobi after the club ended a 22-year wait to reclaim the Premier League title. Ruto, a self-declared lifelong Gunners supporter, made the announcement on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.
“I am trying to see whether sometime next year Arsenal can come to Kenya,” he told reporters. “I have sent an invitation because I think it would be a great moment for Arsenal to come to Kenya. They have great fans.”
Arsenal were confirmed Premier League champions on May 19, 2026, after Manchester City could only draw 1-1 with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, handing Mikel Arteta’s side an unassailable four-point lead with one game remaining. The result triggered immediate and widespread celebrations across the Kenyan capital, catching even the president off guard.
“Arsenal finally closed the gap and it was a huge celebration. I was shocked in Nairobi,” Ruto said.
In Nairobi’s Eastleigh area, fans organised a lively parade, waving flags, singing club anthems and chanting under the streetlights, while similar scenes played out in Embakasi, with supporters celebrating well into the night. Bars and restaurants reported massive turnouts as fans gathered to watch the decisive match, and traders selling Arsenal jerseys, scarves and flags said demand surged sharply as supporters sought memorabilia to mark the triumph.
Kenya has one of the largest Premier League fanbases in Africa, and Arsenal’s success quickly became one of the biggest trending topics across Kenyan social media platforms. Ruto himself had publicly backed Arsenal’s title charge all season. In October last year, while receiving the UEFA Champions League trophy at State House in Nairobi, he declared himself a lifelong Gunners fan.
Following the title triumph, Ruto praised the club’s long road back to the summit. “It has been quite an experience to follow Arsenal Football Club’s epic adventure, from times of struggle and crushing setback, to successive seasons of recovery and resurgence on their glorious path to the summit of the English Premier League,” he wrote on X. “Our dreams may be deferred, but never extinguished.”
“It was a big celebration,” he added in an interview with Reuters, “and I think it would be a great moment for Arsenal to come to Kenya.”
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah