Nairobi Awarded 2029 World Athletics Championships
“We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the Council,” he said.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
Kenya has secured the right to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, marking the first time the senior global athletics competition will be held in Africa.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe announced Nairobi as the host city on Tuesday during the 242nd World Athletics Council meeting in Budapest, Hungary.
“It is my great pleasure to announce that the 2029 World Athletics Championships has been awarded to the city of Nairobi in Kenya,” Coe said before announcing Munich, Germany, as the host of the 2031 edition.
Nairobi emerged from a competitive bidding process involving four cities, with Munich, Rome and London also presenting proposals for the championships.
Coe said the quality of the bids made the decision difficult for the World Athletics Council, which assessed the ambition, capacity and commitment of the competing cities.
“We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the Council,” he said.
The World Athletics president said the decision would help advance the organisation’s goal of expanding athletics across different regions of the world.
“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 said.
He described Nairobi and Munich as compelling hosts that would provide 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,” Coe added.
The decision is a major milestone for Kenya, which has established itself as one of the world’s leading athletics nations. The country has produced some of the sport’s most celebrated athletes, including Kipchoge Keino, Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon.
Nairobi also has experience hosting major international athletics competitions. The city staged the 2017 World U18 Championships and the 2021 World U20 Championships at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The award is expected to place Kenya’s athletics facilities under greater focus as preparations for the 2029 championships begin. Kasarani and other training and competition facilities will require continued investment to meet the standards expected for a senior World Athletics Championships.
Beyond sport, the event is expected to provide opportunities for tourism, hospitality, employment and business while giving Kenya a global platform to showcase its athletics heritage.
The championships will also offer a significant opportunity to inspire young athletes across Africa, particularly in a country where athletics has played a central role in Kenya’s sporting identity.
Nairobi’s successful bid means the World Athletics Championships will finally be staged on African soil, adding a new chapter to the continent’s growing role in hosting major international sporting events.
For Kenya, the 2029 championships will be both a sporting milestone and an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to host one of the world’s biggest athletics competitions.
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