Kenya’s capital Nairobi has won the bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, defeating London in the race to stage one of the world’s biggest athletics events.
The decision was made by the 26-member World Athletics Council in Budapest on Tuesday, September 15, with Nairobi securing the rights to host the nine-day championships in September 2029.
Nairobi’s successful bid came despite a major push by London to bring the global athletics spectacle back to the British capital.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the decision to award Nairobi the 2029 World Athletics Championships was reached after a competitive evaluation of several strong bids.
“We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the Council,” stated Coe.
World Athletics also selected Munich, Germany, to host the 2031 edition, with Nairobi and Munich emerging as the preferred candidates after the council assessed the competing proposals.
“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,” added Coe.
The selection process considered several factors, including the quality and ambition of the bids, operational preparedness and the level of commitment demonstrated by each candidate.
Nairobi’s proposal was strengthened by financial guarantees, comprehensive plans for staging the event, experience in hosting international athletics competitions and plans to improve its main athletics stadium.
Why Nairobi?
Nairobi’s successful bid follows an earlier attempt to host the championships in 2025, which the city lost. The capital returned to the bidding process for 2029 with a more developed proposal backed by years of experience hosting major international athletics events.
Nairobi has previously staged major competitions, including the 2017 World Under-18 Championships and the 2021 World Under-20 Championships. Its annual athletics meeting has also helped build the city’s reputation as a capable international sporting destination.
The strong popularity of athletics among Kenyans further boosted Nairobi’s case. According to the assessment, 68 percent of Kenyans surveyed said they had a high interest in athletics, significantly above the global average of 39 percent.
Kenya’s record at the World Athletics Championships was another key strength. The country ranks as the second-most successful nation in the history of the championships and collected 11 medals at the 2025 edition, including seven gold medals.
Nairobi’s selection will see Kenya join the global athletics calendar as host of the prestigious championships in 2029. The event will follow the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, scheduled to take place from September 10 to 19, further expanding the reach of the global athletics programme.
Nairobi's competitor, London’s bid was supported by £45 million (approximately Ksh7.86 billion) from the UK government and the mayor’s office. The proposal also included an agreement with English Championship's West Ham United to use the club’s stadium as one of the event venues.
The award represents a major milestone for Kenya, giving the country an opportunity to showcase its rich athletics heritage while hosting one of the sport’s most prestigious competitions.
Kenya has established itself as one of the world’s leading athletics nations, particularly in middle- and long-distance running, producing generations of globally recognised athletes.
Hosting the championships in Nairobi is expected to put the country’s athletics facilities and organisational capacity under the international spotlight while giving Kenya an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to stage a major global sporting event.
The decision also represents a setback for London, which had sought to host the championships for a second time after successfully staging the event in 2017. The 2017 championships drew huge crowds, with 60,000 spectators attending each of the nine nights of competition.
The global athletics spectacle, expected to attract some of the biggest names in track and field, comes as Kenya accelerates investment in major sports infrastructure. This includes the multibillion-shilling Talanta Stadium, alongside ongoing rehabilitation works at the Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums.
