Nairobi will host the 2029 World Athletics Championships after World Athletics awarded Kenya the rights to stage the global event, marking the first time the senior championships will be held on African soil.
The historic decision was announced by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe on Tuesday following the 242nd World Athletics Council meeting in Budapest, Hungary.
Nairobi defeated strong bids from Munich, Rome and London to secure the 2029 edition, while Munich was selected to host the 2031 championships.
The decision represents a major milestone for African athletics and gives Kenya the opportunity to stage the sport’s biggest global competition for the first time.
Nairobi beats strong competition
The bidding process attracted significant interest, with World Athletics considering four strong candidates for the 2029 and 2031 championships.
Coe admitted that the Council faced a difficult decision before eventually selecting Nairobi and Munich.
“We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the Council,” Coe said.
“The quality, ambition and commitment demonstrated by all four candidates underline the strength and global appeal of the World Athletics Championships.
“With this Council decision today, we continue to fulfil our mission of growing athletics worldwide with the hosting of our World Athletics Championships in Asia, Africa and Europe over its next three editions.”
Coe praised both successful bids, describing Nairobi and Munich as compelling options that offered different opportunities for the sport.
“Nairobi and Munich ultimately presented two compelling propositions. They offer very different but equally exciting opportunities for our sport, and I am delighted that we can now begin working with both cities to stage two world-class championships,” he added.
Kenya earns first senior World Championships
The 2029 event will be the first time the World Athletics Championships have been staged in Africa since the competition began.
World Athletics has previously held major events on the continent, but the senior championships had never been awarded to an African host.
Nairobi’s selection therefore represents a significant breakthrough for Kenya and African athletics as a whole.
Coe said the decision had been made at the right time, with Nairobi demonstrating that it had the experience and infrastructure required to host the event.
“Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” Coe said.
“It was important that the World Athletics Championships should come to Africa when we had the right host, the right bid and the right circumstances. Nairobi has demonstrated emphatically that this is their moment.”
Nairobi has strong hosting experience
Kenya’s record of staging major athletics competitions played an important role in its successful bid.
The country hosted the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa before Nairobi staged the 2017 World Athletics Under-18 Championships.
The Kenyan capital also hosted the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships, giving the city valuable experience in managing international athletics events.
The 2017 World U18 Championships demonstrated the popularity of athletics in Kenya, with large crowds attending the competition at Kasarani Stadium.
Nairobi also hosts the Kip Keino Classic, one of Africa’s leading one-day athletics meetings. The event has been part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold since the tour was launched in 2020.
The city previously bid to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships, but Tokyo ultimately won the rights. Nairobi returned with a stronger proposition for 2029, backed by years of experience hosting major competitions.
Kenya’s athletics legacy
Kenya’s selection also reflects the country’s enormous contribution to the history of athletics.
The nation has produced several world and Olympic champions across distance running, including Faith Kipyegon, Vivian Cheruiyot, Eliud Kipchoge, Hellen Obiri and David Rudisha.
Kenya’s athletics heritage also includes two-time Olympic champion Kip Keino, multiple world cross-country champion Paul Tergat and multiple world half marathon champion Tegla Loroupe.
Coe highlighted that tradition when explaining why Nairobi was an appropriate host for the championships.
“Kenya is one of the great athletics nations. The sport is woven into the fabric of the country,” he said.
What happens next?
Nairobi will now begin preparations to host athletes from around the world when the 2029 World Athletics Championships arrive in Kenya.
The event is expected to provide a major boost for athletics in Africa while giving Kenyan fans the opportunity to watch the world’s leading athletes compete on home soil.
For World Athletics, the decision also delivers on its ambition to expand the reach of the championships across different regions.
After decades of waiting, Africa will finally have its opportunity to host the senior World Athletics Championships, with Nairobi set to make history in 2029.
