The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Nairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, defeating bids from London, Munich and Rome to become the first African city to stage the global outdoor athletics event.
World Athletics announced the decision on Tuesday following a council meeting in Budapest, which hosted the recently concluded Ultimate Championship. Munich was awarded the 2031 edition, while Beijing will host the 2027 championships.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said the decision was difficult because all four bids were strong.
He said awarding the championships to Nairobi would mark a historic moment for athletics, noting that the Kenyan capital had submitted a compelling bid backed by strong plans for the development of the sport.
“This is Kenya’s moment, Africa’s moment,” President William Ruto said, describing the decision as a victory for generations of athletes who have established Kenya as a global athletics powerhouse.
Coe said Nairobi was chosen because the city had demonstrated that it was ready to use the championships to accelerate the growth of athletics in Kenya and across the continent.
The 2029 event will be the first time the World Athletics Championships are held in Africa, marking a major milestone for the continent and Kenyan athletics.
Kenya previously bid unsuccessfully to host the 2025 championships. However, the country has a long history of staging major athletics competitions, including the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, the 2017 World Under-18 Championships and the 2021 World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi.
The capital also hosted the 2010 African Athletics Championships.
Kasarani Stadium to Take Centre Stage
A key part of Nairobi’s successful bid was the ongoing renovation of Kasarani Stadium, which is being upgraded ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Coe said the Nairobi team had learned from its previous 2025 bid and returned with a stronger proposal and improved plans for the event.
He also highlighted Kenya’s deep connection with athletics, pointing to the country’s celebrated athletes, including Olympic and world champion Faith Kipyegon, and praising the strong support athletics enjoys among Kenyan fans.
However, Kenya’s anti-doping record remains a potential concern. More than 140 Kenyan athletes, many of them long-distance runners, have been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit since 2017 for violations involving banned substances.
Meanwhile, Munich was selected to host the 2031 championships. Coe praised Germany’s long record of successfully hosting major athletics events and said Munich had the facilities, audience and experience needed to deliver a spectacular championship.
The decision will see the next three World Athletics Championships take place across Asia, Africa and Europe, with Beijing hosting in 2027, Nairobi in 2029 and Munich in 2031.
Coe said the move reflects World Athletics’ responsibility to expand the reach and development of athletics beyond its traditional European stronghold.
World Athletics is also expected to announce the host city for the 2028 Ultimate Championship before the end of the year, following strong interest from potential hosts.
