Nairobi will host the 2029 World Outdoor Athletics Championships, beating competition from London, Munich and Rome to become the first African city to stage the event, World Athletics announced on Tuesday.
The global governing body made the announcement after a council meeting in Budapest, which recently hosted the Ultimate Championship. Munich won the bid to host the 2031 championships, while Beijing has already secured the 2027 event.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe told a press conference that the council faced a difficult choice between four outstanding bids for the 2029 and 2031 events.
“This council decision today means we’re able to deliver our World Athletics Championships in Asia, Africa, and Europe over its next three editions,” the Briton said.
Kenya’s historic moment
Kenyan President William Ruto hailed the announcement as a watershed moment for the country and the continent.
“This is Kenya’s moment, Africa’s moment and a victory for generations of athletes who made our nation synonymous with excellence on the track, on the road and cross country,” Ruto said.
Coe described Nairobi’s bid as compelling and emotional, adding that the decision marks a historic milestone for the sport.
“Taking our championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” he said. “It was important that the world championship should come to Africa when we had the right host, the right bid, and the right circumstances.”
Kenya previously failed in its bid to host the 2025 world championships but has since strengthened its proposal. The country has 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 the capital in 2021. Nairobi also staged the 2010 African Athletics Championships.
Infrastructure and legacy
Coe said Nairobi’s team learned from the 2025 bidding process and returned with a stronger proposition, including a renovated Kasarani Stadium.
“The team understood and grasped what was required, and came back with a stronger proposition, and a renovated Kasarani Stadium, which is currently undergoing a complete overhaul ahead of hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027,” he said.
The World Athletics president praised Kenya’s deep connection to the sport, highlighting world and Olympic middle distance star Faith Kipyegon as one of many Kenyan athletes who have shaped athletics history. He also noted the extraordinary level of fan engagement in the east African country.
However, Kenya faces scrutiny over its anti-doping record. More than 140 Kenyan athletes, mainly long-distance runners, have received suspensions from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for taking banned substances since 2017 – more than any other country.
Munich secures 2031 event
Germany’s track record as a host nation convinced World Athletics to award Munich the 2031 championships. The city most recently hosted the 2022 European Athletics Championships at its Olympic Park.
“Germany has proved time and time again that it is an outstanding and creative host for major athletics events,” Coe said. “We know Germany has an audience for athletics, and we know Munich 2031 has all the ingredients to be a spectacular World Athletics Championships.”
Coe defended the decision to hold three consecutive world championships outside Europe, despite describing the continent as a track and field heartland.
“We openly accept that it is in large part the breadbasket of our sport,” he said. “But we do also have a responsibility to make sure that an international governing federation, made up of well over 200 federations, has the opportunity to be able to take our championships into areas that strategically we think will actually grow the footprint of our sport.”
World Athletics aims to name the host city for the 2028 Ultimate Championship by the end of the year, with Coe reporting heightened interest from potential hosts.
