Nairobi wins bid to host 2029 World Athletics Championships
By William Muthama, September 15, 2026Nairobi has won the bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, beating London, Rome and Munich to secure the right to stage the global athletics showpiece.
World Athletics announced the decision on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, following its 242nd World Athletics Council Meeting in Budapest.
Munich, Germany, was selected to host the 2031 edition, with the two cities emerging from what World Athletics described as one of the strongest bidding processes in the history of the championships.
The decision means the World Athletics Championships will be held in Africa for the first time when Nairobi stages the 2029 edition.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the quality of the bids made the decision difficult before Nairobi and Munich ultimately presented compelling proposals.
“We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the Council,” Coe said.
“The quality, ambition and commitment demonstrated by all four candidates underline the strength and global appeal of the World Athletics Championships.”
Coe said the decision would help advance the sport’s global reach, with the championships set to be staged in Asia, Africa and Europe over the next three editions.
“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,” he said.
Nairobi to make Athletics history
Nairobi’s selection marks a major milestone for Kenya and the wider African athletics community.
The Kenyan capital has previously hosted major World Athletics events, including the 2017 World U18 Championships and the 2021 World U20 Championships.
Nairobi also hosts the Kip Keino Classic, one of Africa’s leading one-day athletics meetings and part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series.
The 2029 bid builds on this experience, with the city presenting a plan centred on the renovated Kasarani Stadium, which is undergoing a major overhaul ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Coe praised Kenya’s deep connection with athletics and said Nairobi had demonstrated that it was ready to host the global championships.
“Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” Coe said.
“Kenya is one of the great athletics nations. The sport is woven into the fabric of the country.”
He also highlighted Kenya’s rich history in the sport, mentioning world and Olympic champions including Faith Kipyegon, Vivian Cheruiyot, Eliud Kipchoge, Hellen Obiri, David Rudisha and Kip Keino.
“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,” Coe said.
Kenya’s strong athletics record
Kenya’s successful bid comes against the backdrop of the country’s strong record at the World Athletics Championships.
The country is the second-most successful nation in championships history and finished second on the medal table at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, winning seven gold medals and 11 medals overall.
World Athletics fan research also found strong interest in the sport in Kenya, with 68% of people surveyed rating their interest in athletics as high, compared with a global average of 39%.
The 2029 championships will therefore allow Kenya to showcase its athletics heritage on home soil while bringing the world’s best athletes to Nairobi for the first World Athletics Championships on African soil.
The event will also build on a growing record of major international athletics competitions hosted on the continent, including the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala and the 2026 World Athletics Relays in Gaborone.