Kenya will become the first African nation to host the World Athletics Championships in 2029.
The country’s capital, Nairobi, will host the tournament at the 48,000-capacity Kasarani Stadium.
London and Rome missed out on the 2029 hosting rights. Meanwhile, Munich won the rights to stage the 2031 championships.
Kenya’s running heritage makes the difference
Kenya’s rich athletics heritage played a key role in its successful bid.
The country ranks among the most successful nations in World Championships history. Kenya has won 72 gold medals at the event.
It has also claimed 38 Olympic gold medals. Most of those victories have come in middle- and long-distance events.
Kenya has produced many of the sport’s biggest stars. Two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge also supported the country’s bid.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe praised Kenya’s athletics tradition.
“Kenya is one of the great athletics nations,” said Coe.
“The sport is woven into the fabric of the country.
“It was important that the World 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.”
Coe also described Kenya’s bid as “compelling and emotional.”
He said the Council faced a difficult decision after receiving four strong bids for 2029 and 2031.
“The quality, ambition and commitment demonstrated by all four candidates underlines the strength and global appeal of the World Athletics Championships,” Coe added.
He also highlighted the organisation’s plan to take the championships to different regions.
“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.”
Nairobi and Munich ultimately presented the successful bids for the two championships.
“They offer very different but equally exciting opportunities for our sport,” Coe said. “I am delighted that we can now begin working with both cities to stage two world-class championships.”
Hosting experience
The 2029 World Championships will not mark Kenya’s first major athletics event.
Nairobi hosted the 2017 World Under-18 Championships. The city also staged the 2021 World U20 Championships.
Mombasa, Kenya’s coastal city, hosted the 2007 World Cross Country Championships.
Kenya previously missed out on the 2025 World Championships. Tokyo won those hosting rights, with infrastructure concerns reportedly playing a major role.
This time, Kenya presented a stronger infrastructure plan.
The country has accelerated upgrades to existing venues. It has also developed new facilities ahead of major sporting events.
Kenya will co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with Tanzania and Uganda. Those preparations have helped speed up infrastructure projects.
Kasarani Stadium will host the 2029 World Championships. The venue is currently undergoing a major structural overhaul.
The redevelopment will prepare the stadium for Africa’s biggest football tournament. It will also help Nairobi prepare for its historic role as the first African host of the World Athletics Championships.
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