Nairobi to host World Athletics Championships in 2029 | Athletics
Nairobi to Host Africa’s First World Athletics Championships in 2029
Nairobi has been selected to host the World Athletics Championships in 2029, making it the first African city to secure the prestigious event. The decision was confirmed by World Athletics during a council meeting in Budapest, where it faced competition from bids submitted by London, Munich, and Rome.
The championships for 2031 have been awarded to Munich, while the 2027 event will take place in Beijing. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe expressed that choosing the host cities was a challenging process due to the high quality of all four bids.
“Today’s decision allows us to deliver our World Athletics Championships in Asia, Africa, and Europe over the next three editions,” Coe said at a press conference. He highlighted the historic significance of bringing the championships to Africa for the first time, noting that Nairobi presented a compelling and heartfelt bid.
“It was essential that the world championship come to Africa when the right host, bid, and circumstances aligned,” Coe added, emphasizing Nairobi’s potential to enhance the sport’s development in Kenya and the broader African continent.
Kenya previously sought to host the 2025 championships but was unsuccessful. However, the country has experience with major track and field events, having hosted the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, the World Under-18 Championships in Nairobi in 2017, and the World Under-20 Championships in 2021. Additionally, the city hosted the African Athletics Championships in 2010.
Coe praised the efforts of Nairobi’s bidding team, which learned from its previous experience and presented a robust proposal that included plans for a renovated Kasarani Stadium, currently undergoing enhancements in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027.
