Kenya Wins Historic Right To Host 2029 World Athletics Championships

Kenya have been awarded the right to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships after beating competition from the United Kingdom.

World Athletics announced the decision on Tuesday during the 242nd World Athletics Council Meeting in Budapest, confirming Nairobi as the host city. The 2029 championships will be the first edition of the global athletics competition to be staged on African soil.

Nairobi previously failed in its bid to host the 2025 championships, which went to Tokyo. However, Kenya has strengthened its credentials by successfully hosting major athletics events, including the World U18 Championships in 2017 and the World U20 Championships in 2021.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe praised Nairobi’s bid and said the decision fulfilled the federation’s ambition to bring its flagship championships to Africa for the first time.

“Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

“Kenya is one of the great athletics nations. The sport is woven into the fabric of the country.”

Meanwhile, Munich will host the 2031 World Athletics Championships at the Olympic Stadium, bringing the competition back to Germany for the first time since Berlin hosted the event in 2009.

“Germany has proved time and again that it is an outstanding and dependable host for major athletics events,” Coe said.