Nairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, giving Africa its first staging of the sport’s flagship global championships.
The decision was made during the 242nd World Athletics Council Meeting in Budapest on Monday and Tuesday 14-15, when the Council chose Nairobi and Munich for the 2029 and 2031 editions. Munich will host in 2031 for a third time.
Why Nairobi’s selection matters
The choice ends a bidding process described as one of the strongest in the history of the event. For Nairobi, the successful bid builds on a strong athletics record that already includes the 2017 World U18 Championships, the 2021 World U20 Championships and a major role in global athletics through the World Cross Country Championships and the Kip Keino Classic.
Support for the bid also came from the renovated Kasarani Stadium, which is undergoing a complete structural overhaul ahead of AFCON 2027. That project gives Nairobi a more modern venue base as it prepares for another major international event.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the Council had four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and that the decision was not an easy one. He also said the quality, ambition and commitment shown by all four candidates underlined the global appeal of the World Athletics Championships.
Coe added that the Council decision continues World Athletics’ mission to grow athletics worldwide, with championships in Asia, Africa and Europe over the next three editions. He said Nairobi and Munich ultimately presented two compelling propositions, and that both cities offered very different but equally exciting opportunities for the sport.
Kenya’s interest in athletics
The selection also comes with a strong local audience behind it. Survey data cited by World Athletics showed 68% of respondents in Kenya rated interest in athletics as high, compared with a global average of 39%. That level of interest helps explain why Nairobi has remained a familiar stop on the international calendar and why its bid carried weight.
The decision also fits a broader timeline of African hosting milestones. Gaborone hosted the World Athletics Relays in 2026, the first edition of that event to be held in Africa, while Kampala hosted the World Cross Country Championships in 2017. Nairobi’s turn in 2029 now pushes that pattern even further.
For Africa, the significance is straightforward: the continent will finally host the World Athletics Championships. For Nairobi, it is a rare global spotlight and another chance to show it can stage one of athletics’ biggest events.
