Africa will host the World Athletics Championships for the first time after Nairobi was awarded the 2029 edition of the global showpiece.
The World Athletics Council selected the Kenyan capital on Tuesday, September 15, alongside Munich, which will host the 2031 championships.
The decision was announced at the 242nd World Athletics Council Meeting in Budapest following what World Athletics described as one of the strongest bidding processes in the history of the championships.
Nairobi’s selection marks a major milestone for African athletics and rewards Kenya’s growing experience in hosting major international competitions.
Kenya hosted the World U-18 Championships in 2017 and the World U-20 Championships in 2021, both at Kasarani Stadium. The country also hosts the Kip Keino Classic, which has been part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold since 2020.
Nairobi previously bid to host the 2025 World Championships but lost out to Tokyo. Its successful 2029 bid was based on its experience, operational plans, financial guarantees and the redevelopment of Kasarani Stadium. The stadium is currently undergoing a major structural overhaul ahead of its planned use for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe praised all four bids but said Nairobi and Munich presented compelling proposals.
“We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the Council,” Coe said.
“The quality, ambition and commitment demonstrated by all four candidates underline the strength and global appeal of the World Athletics Championships.”
Coe said the decision also supports World Athletics’ ambition to expand the sport globally.
“With this Council 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,” he added.
Nairobi’s selection continues the growth of major World Athletics events in Africa. Kampala hosted the World Cross Country Championships in 2017, while Gaborone staged the World Athletics Relays in 2026, becoming the first African host of the event.
