Nairobi beats London to host World Athletics Championships 2029 as Africa gets historic first

Nairobi has beaten London and Rome to win the right to host the World Athletics Championships 2029. The decision was confirmed at a World Athletics council meeting in Budapest. It will be the first time the global athletics championships are held in an African city.London had hoped to bring the event back to the city after successfully hosting the 2017 championships. Its bid was centred on the London Stadium, which also hosted athletics during the 2012 Olympic Games. However, Nairobi’s bid impressed the council and secured the historic opportunity for Kenya and the continent.Nairobi wins historic World Athletics Championships 2029 bidWorld Athletics president Sebastian Coe praised Nairobi’s proposal after the decision. He said the Kenyan capital presented “a compelling and emotional bid”.“We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the council. With this 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. Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic”, said Coe.The decision is a major moment for Kenya. The country has a long and successful history in middle- and long-distance running. Kenyan athletes have regularly challenged for medals at major global competitions.“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”, he added.Kenya finished second in the medal table at the 2025 World Athletics Championships. The team won seven gold medals and 11 medals overall.Nairobi had previously tried to host the 2025 championships. However, Tokyo was selected instead. The city has now secured another chance to stage the biggest event in international athletics.A major factor in the successful bid is the renovation of Kasarani Stadium. The venue is being upgraded ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027. The improvements strengthened Nairobi’s case and provided confidence about its ability to host a major international sporting event.London’s bid was led by Athletic Ventures. The group included UK Athletics, London Marathon Events and the Great Run Company.The London Stadium was planned as the main venue. It has hosted the Olympic Games, the annual London Diamond League and the 2017 World Athletics Championships.Jack Buckner, CEO of UK Athletics and co-founder of Athletic Ventures, said the organisation was disappointed by the decision.Rome was the other city that missed out. World Athletics also confirmed that Munich will host the 2031 championships.For Nairobi, the 2029 event will be more than a major sporting competition. It will mark the first World Athletics Championships on African soil and give Kenya an opportunity to showcase its athletics culture to a global audience!Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.