Why Kenya Should Be The Next Country To Host the World Cup

Kenya is the perfect country to host the world cup because it has great infrastructure, passionate fans and would be a first time experience for many. Kenya also has one of the best national teams in Africa who are currently ranked 2nd in Africa behind only Cote d'Ivoire. The Kenyan team just finished 4th at this year's African Cup of Nations tournament which was held in Gabon. It would be an honor for both Kenya and all Kenyans if our beautiful country could host such an event as big as World Cup!

 

Section 1: Why Kenya Should Host the World Cup

1. Kenya has all the necessary facilities to host World Cup. Kenya is among the largest and most developed nations in Africa, so hosting such a large event will have a significant positive effect on our country. Many sports facilities already exist in Kenya and now it is time to use those facilities for the benefit of our country.

 

2. Kenya is huge. This country has over 42.6 million people, that's over 50% of the total population of Africa. Kenyans speak over 111 different languages and 97% of the people in this country live in rural areas. Kenya is roughly half the size of the entire U.S. And considering the terrain here, it's no wonder it's considered an island, "the lung of Africa".

 

Section 2: Hosting the World Cup would not be easy.

 

Great Infrastructure for a World Cup

From what I have seen Kenya has everything it needs to be a great host to a global event such as World Cup. Most African countries are still building their stadiums but Kenya has already got a FIFA-approved and equipped stadium in Nairobi and another in Nakuru. And not only has Kenya got the World Cup venue that can be used for games but also three other sport grounds and a huge arena for other big events that can be used for concerts, graduations and shows. Kenya has a very young population which is expected to come out in their thousands and support their teams. I think a lot of these fans would bring a lot of money to the national economy.

 

The Nation's Passionate Fans

We live in a soccer crazy country. We love our sport and therefore, we are also a passionate people. From the grassroots, to the top of the Kenyan hierarchy, we are passionate about our soccer. That's how the national team began and that's why we are so passionate about the team. We can't get enough of our football team. If we did not have a soccer team, we would be watching other sports more. Just a glance at the Internet and social media platforms shows just how passionate we are about our football team. We support them through thick and thin and it does not matter if we don't even like their rivals. We do not need the match tickets to go to the stadiums and support them.

 

It Would be a First Time Experience for Many

The last time a World Cup was held in Africa was in South Africa and at the time it had the highest population in Africa. Given the fact that most African countries are not as developed as South Africa, it would be a big honor if the World Cup was hosted by Kenya.

 

The Trophy Will Have a Special Importance in Kenya

 

South Africa won the World Cup after beating Cameroon in the final match in 2010. The trophy itself was designed by artist, Jerome Leroy, and was specially commissioned for the competition. He wanted to highlight the poverty of the African people and make sure the World Cup would be a great success in Africa. Since the cup is given to the winner, South Africa and the team that won it in 2010 were allowed to keep the trophy.

 

Kenya's National Team

Even though Kenya does not have as many players in its national team, its national team is very strong and have a good chance of winning the games. The team has plenty of experience because most of the players are now in their 20s. The only downside is that their team just had a long ban that made most of their players unavailable for the games. Their ban was lifted in early 2017, so they are able to compete and are in very good shape to succeed. There is also the opportunity of having new stars to emerge on the Kenyan national team. There are many talented players in Kenya like Yaya Banana and Jacques Tuyisenge who should have a bright future ahead of them.

 

Culture

 

The culture of Kenya is rich, diverse and open.

 

Current Rank of the Kenyan National Team in Africa

Image Credit

 

Opportunity for the local business community to get into the global economy

 

The fact that the game would be played in a country that has never hosted a major sporting event can be an opportunity for the local business community to get into the global economy. I think this would be a great opportunity for the local business community to use the game as an opportunity to promote their products and services to a global audience, such as cheap Kenyan beer!

 

The vast majority of business leaders in Kenya agree that the world cup should be hosted by the local economy as opposed to multinational corporations that might not invest in the country for the long term.

 

Ranking of the Kenyan National Team in Africa from Last Year to This Year

This is a huge advantage that Kenya has over other countries who may be interested in hosting such an event such as USA. I believe that this is one of the best ways to grow our national culture and put it in front of the world for the world to see how great our country is. The World Cup could be a major boost to Kenya's tourism industry as well as a way to give back to the community as thousands of people travel to Kenya to take part in the World Cup. It would also be a chance for each person to gain a life experience as well as to witness an unforgettable occasion. The culture of football also brings in a lot of revenue and economic growth as more fans would be present for games than ever before.

 

Sports Tournaments Won by the Kenyan National Team in the Past

1986 Africa Cup of Nations - Bronze

 

1998 Africa Cup of Nations - Fourth Place

 

2002 Africa Cup of Nations - Fourth Place

 

2007 Africa Cup of Nations - Second Place

 

2007 Africa Cup of Nations - Third Place

 

2010 Africa Cup of Nations - Fourth Place

 

2011 Africa Cup of Nations - Bronze

 

2013 Africa Cup of Nations - Fourth Place

 

Best Player

 

Kenyans love soccer in a way that no other country loves soccer. And as a whole, we have a very strong sense of nationalism. We think we are a big footballing nation because we have produced many great players over the years. However, our football team has not been as successful as we would have liked it to be. Kenya has produced some of the best players and coaches in Africa.

 

Conclusion

We hope that Kenyan leaders take into consideration the importance of inviting FIFA to Kenya for the next World Cup and making this a top priority. FIFA has committed itself to coming to Africa more and more and this decision will help Africa gain some much needed global exposure. The successful staging of the event could lead to the revival of the Kenyan football league which is in very dire state right now and may do a lot in helping improve the image of our football players on the world stage.