Kenya has officially been awarded the hosting rights for the 2029 World Athletics Championships after beating competitive bids from the United Kingdom.
The milestone decision was announced on Tuesday during the 242nd World Athletics Council Meeting held in Budapest, Hungary. The host selection marks a historic triumph for both Kenya and African sports development.
Interestingly, the 2029 edition will become the very first World Athletics Championships staged on African soil. Nairobi previously mounted an unsuccessful bid for the 2025 championships, which was awarded to Tokyo.
However, the Kenyan capital previously staged the World U18 Championships in 2017 and the World U20 Championships in 2021.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe praised Nairobi’s proposal as compelling and deeply emotional. He emphasised that awarding the flagship event to Kenya fulfills a long-held vision.
“Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
“Kenya is one of the great athletics nations. The sport is woven into the fabric of the country.”
Munich returns to global stage for 2031 Championships
At the same meeting, World Athletics confirmed that Munich will host the 2031 event at the Olympic Stadium. The decision brings the showcase back to Germany for the first time since Berlin hosted in 2009.
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“Germany has proved time and again that it is an outstanding and dependable host for major athletics events,” Coe said.
The dual awarding signifies World Athletics’ strategic goal of expanding global reach across diverse continents. African athletics leaders celebrated the landmark announcement as a transformative moment for regional talent.
Fans across Kenya now anticipate welcoming the world’s finest athletes to Nairobi in 2029.
