Nairobi Wins Bid to Host 2029 World Athletics Championships, Marking Historic First for Africa
London has lost its bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Nairobi, Kenya. The decision was confirmed during a World Athletics Council meeting in Budapest, ensuring an African city will host the global event for the first time in history.
Coe Hails Nairobi’s “Compelling and Emotional” Bid
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described the selection process as highly competitive, with four outstanding bids submitted for the 2029 and 2031 editions.
“We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the council,” said Coe.
Coe emphasized the strategic importance of expanding the championship’s global footprint.
“With this 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.”
He further highlighted the historic significance of the African continent hosting 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 stressed that the timing and readiness of the Kenyan capital were decisive factors.
“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.”
London Bid Leveraged 2012 Olympic Legacy
The UK bid centered on the London Stadium, home to Premier League club West Ham United. The venue previously hosted the 2012 Olympic Games, the annual London Diamond League meet, and the 2017 World Athletics Championships. The bid was spearheaded by Athletic Ventures, a consortium comprising UK Athletics, London Marathon Events, and the Great Run Company.
UK Athletics Expresses “Deep Disappointment” but Congratulates Nairobi
Jack Buckner, CEO of UK Athletics and co-founder of Athletic Ventures, acknowledged the strength of the British proposal while accepting the outcome.
“We are deeply disappointed that the 2029 World Athletics Championships will not be held in London. We believed we had an outstanding bid which would genuinely take the sport to new levels.”
Buckner extended gratitude to the extensive network of public and private stakeholders that supported the campaign.
“We would like to thank the Government, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Mayor of London and UK Sport for their fantastic support for our bid. Our thanks also to the London Stadium, West Ham United and our many stakeholders for their commitment and hard work to put the bid together.”
He concluded with a message of sportsmanship toward the winning bid.
“Our congratulations go to Nairobi and we wish the organising committee all the best for a great event in 2029.”
Munich Selected for 2031 Edition; Nairobi’s Infrastructure Gains Momentum
Rome was the other candidate to miss out for 2029. World Athletics simultaneously confirmed that Munich will host the 2031 World Athletics Championships, marking the first time the German city stages the event.
Nairobi previously bid for the 2025 championships, which were awarded to Tokyo. The Kenyan capital’s case was strengthened by the ongoing renovation of Kasarani Stadium ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Kenya’s strong performance at the 2025 edition—finishing second in the medal table with seven golds and 11 total medals—further underscored the nation’s standing in the sport.
