Nairobi Baseball Championship Festival Puts a Spotlight on Baseball in Kenya and Across Africa
- IfWeBuildIt.org Team
- Sep 19
- 4 min read
Event Draws Record Crowd at Nairobi “Field of Dreams”
Nairobi, Kenya – Nairobi’s “Field of Dreams” was host to one of the largest baseball events in Kenyan history this past weekend, and likely one of the largest ever in sub-Saharan Africa. The 2025 Nairobi Baseball Community Championship Festival on Saturday, September 13, was put on by IfWeBuildIt.org. The organization has partnered with the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) outside of Nairobi to construct a multi-field complex through a public-private partnership.
Drawing more than 1,000 fans, over 200 Little Leaguers, 50 volunteers, and dozens of partners under the theme “Hitting Home Runs for Youth, Sports, and Education”, the festival featured championship baseball games, cultural performances, a food and innovation marketplace, VIP dignitaries, evening entertainment, and a showcase of community partnerships.
“This Festival was about much more than two championship games. It was about proving what’s possible in the Kenyan sports ecosystem when communities, private sector partners, and youth come together around a shared purpose,” said Thom Wallace, co-founder of IfWeBuildIt.org. “From Nairobi’s first Little League championship to an international broadcast and the first nighttime home run contest under the lights sponsored by M-Kopa, we are laying the foundation for youth and sports to thrive across Africa. These moments don’t just grow the game, they support the growth of the next generation of leaders, on and off the field.”
Ms. Susan Burns, the recently arrived U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Kenya, praised the Festival as a symbol of cultural connection, “It really felt like an American Saturday afternoon at the Nairobi Field of Dreams. JKUAT, IfWeBuildIt.org, and the Nairobi Baseball Community are showing that baseball is truly a global sport, and I want to congratulate you on this incredible celebration.”
The first half of the festival featured the first-ever Nairobi Little League Championship Game (12U), with the Shangalia Tarheels taking on the Maasailand Baseball Academy Warriors. The Warriors emerged as Nairobi’s inaugural champions, a milestone moment that celebrated the city’s pilot Little League season and the rapid rise of youth baseball in Kenya.
In the afternoon, the Festival crowd witnessed the Nairobi Baseball Community Series Championship Final between Samurai United and the Nairobi Buffaloes, for players 18 and over. Samurai United’s Joseph Wani (South Sudan) delivered a complete-game performance with 12 strikeouts, while teammate Shinya Miyazaki (Japan) powered the offense with two home runs and seven RBIs. The Samurai secured a hard-fought 12–7 victory, winning back-to-back championships and cementing their status as one of Nairobi’s top baseball clubs.
Following the final championship game, a game changing after-party under the lights began on the Nairobi Field of Dreams, starting with the M-KOPA Home Run Contest. Nairobi’s first-ever night-time baseball activity under temporary stadium lights thrilled fans as participants battled for top honors. Winners took home M-KOPA X2 and M-KOPA M10 devices, with the Community Contest Champion awarded the M-KOPA X20.
The Festival concluded with cultural performances, dance troupes, and a live concert headlined by Kenyan hip-hop star Khaligraph Jones, closing the day with music, energy, and celebration.
The Nairobi Field of Dreams will next play host to the WBSC Africa Continental Qualifiers for Softball (Senior Women and U23 Men & Women) November 25-30 and for Baseball (Men’s U15) December 5-7th.
Partnerships & Sponsors
The Nairobi Baseball Championship Festival was made possible through the collaboration of community partners and corporate sponsors committed to youth development and sports innovation. These partnerships highlighted Kenya’s growing creative and sports ecosystem and showcased how sport can catalyze community engagement and opportunity.
The following sponsors and partners hit home runs for youth, sports and education:
● Biz Baz Events (primary event partner)
● M-Kopa Home Run Contest
● Disc Men Entertainment After Party with Khaligraph Jones
● Okapi Sports Network and livestream broadcast partner with sponsorship by Angels at Bat
● CONTECH and Oriole Advocates Charitable Foundation (field infrastructure)
● BasiGo (electric buses)
● Roam (electric motorcycles)
● Sankara Catering (food catering)
● Farmer’s Choice (youth food sponsor)
● Baraka Trading (game officials sponsor)
● HustleSasa (ticketing and merchandising)
● TakaTaka Solutions (recycling)
● Oyana School and Aegis Academy (KidZone youth education and skills development)
● SHOFCO (mental health and community services).
About IfWeBuildIt.org
IfWeBuildIt.org is a U.S. nonprofit and Kenyan social enterprise dedicated to growing baseball and softball across Africa by building baseball fields, creating opportunities for play, and growing the next generation of youth community and sports leaders. Through its flagship project, the Nairobi Field of Dreams at JKUAT, IfWeBuildIt.org is helping establish Kenya as a hub for youth sports, leadership development, and community empowerment. The organization works in partnership with schools, universities, local communities, private sector partners, government and international supporters to use sport as a catalyst for education, teamwork, and expanding opportunity.
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