Sebastian Coe has played down suggestions that sparse crowds at the European championships in Birmingham could harm London’s bid to stage the world championships in 2029. The World Athletics president said the two situations should be judged on their own terms, while stressing that the host decision will be made through a formal process next month.
His comments came after empty seats became one of the talking points earlier in the week in Birmingham, where criticism focused on ticket prices, marketing and the way the championships were staged. But Coe was clear that one event in one city does not automatically define another bid, especially when London has already shown it can fill major arenas.
“It’s horses for courses”
Coe’s most direct response was to insist that each championship has its own set of circumstances. “It’s horses for courses,” he said, making the point that Birmingham’s experience should not be treated as a blanket verdict on London’s chances.
He added that Birmingham had faced a difficult set of conditions. “I think it was a challenge. It’s always a challenge starting a championship on a Monday morning … local circumstances, middle of the summer, pretty hot out there, not a lot of covering in the stadium, I think there will be a whole series of things.”
That explanation matters because the attendance debate had quickly become a broader test of the event rather than just a local problem. European Athletics said on Friday that the final four days were close to a sellout, while peak audiences exceeded two million people and the recorded a 20% market share.
Why London still feels well placed
Coe pointed to London’s recent record as evidence that the city can deliver full stadiums for major championships. He referenced the Olympics in 2012 and the world championships in 2017, both of which were staged in London and both of which provided the kind of atmosphere officials want to see again.
That is the key reason he does not believe Birmingham’s issues should become a stain on London’s bid. The argument is not that attendance problems do not matter. It is that the evaluation will also look at the host city’s wider ability to deliver a major championships package, and London already has a proven track record.
“The council will hear the case, the evaluation panel will give a preference to the council,” Coe said, underlining that the process is structured rather than subjective. He added: “It’s a pretty coherent process, and it takes the beauty parade element out of it, but it still gives the council the opportunity to properly interrogate beyond the work of the evaluation.”
Who decides next?
The 2029 world championships host will be decided next month by the World Athletics Council, after the evaluation process has been completed. That means London’s bid will not live or die on the optics of Birmingham alone, even if the sparse early crowds triggered uncomfortable questions.
For now, Coe’s message is straightforward: Birmingham had its own challenges, the championships have still drawn strong viewing figures, and the final decision on 2029 will be made through a formal assessment rather than a reflex reaction to one week’s debate.
