Kenya has been awarded the right to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. Nairobi will become the first African city to stage the senior World Championships.
The decision was announced on Tuesday by World Athletics following its council meeting in Budapest. London missed out in the bid, along with Rome. However, Munich and Germany were selected to host the 2031 edition.
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Kenya’s Strong Credentials that Won the Bid
In athletics, Kenya has sustained its place as a global powerhouse, especially in middle- and long-distance events. It has a rich medal history at both the World Championships and Olympics.
Nairobi had previously hosted the World Under-18 Championships in 2017 and the World Under-20 Championships in 2021.
The country also staged the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa. After an unsuccessful bid for the 2025 edition, which was awarded to Tokyo, Kenya returned with a stronger proposal that ultimately won the day.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described Nairobi’s proposal as a “compelling and emotional bid.”
“Kenya is one of the great athletics nations. The sport is woven into the fabric of the country,” Coe said. “It was important that the World 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.”
Jack Buckner, CEO of UK Athletics, said:
“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.”
President Ruto’s Reaction
President William Ruto celebrated the news on X, describing it as a proud moment for Kenya and Africa:
The championships will take place at Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium (Moi International Sports Centre), which is currently undergoing major renovations ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
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