Nairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, making Kenya the first African country to stage the global governing body’s flagship outdoor championship.
World Athletics announced the decision following its Council meeting in Budapest, with Munich selected to host the 2031 edition. The governing body said the selection followed a competitive bidding process for the two championships.
A first for Africa
The 2029 championships will mark a significant milestone for a continent that has produced generations of world and Olympic champions but has never hosted the senior World Athletics Championships.
Kenya has built experience staging international athletics competitions. Nairobi hosted the World U18 Championships in 2017 and the World U20 Championships in 2021, both at the Kasarani complex.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the quality of the bids demonstrated the strength of global interest in hosting the championships. The Nairobi award also expands the geographical footprint of one of the sport’s biggest events.
From athletics powerhouse to host nation
Kenya’s reputation in global athletics has traditionally been built on competition, particularly in middle and long-distance events. Hosting the championships adds a different dimension: the country will now be responsible for the infrastructure, organisation and international delivery of athletics’ premier global event.
The award comes as Nairobi continues preparations for other major sporting events, including infrastructure work linked to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Tanzania and Uganda.
For African sport, Nairobi 2029 represents a shift from participation to hosting at the highest level of global athletics. Attention will now turn to preparations, venue readiness and the legacy Kenya intends to build around the championships.
Sources
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