Nairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, becoming the first African city to stage the global track and field event.
World Athletics announced the decision on Tuesday following a council meeting in Budapest, with Munich, Germany, selected to host the 2031 edition.
Kenya had previously bid for the 2025 championships but lost the hosting rights to Tokyo. This time, the country’s long-standing athletics record supported Nairobi’s bid, along with plans to upgrade its sporting infrastructure and experience hosting major international competitions.
Kenya is one of the most successful nations in World Athletics Championships history, with its achievements particularly concentrated in middle- and long-distance running. Olympic champions including Eliud Kipchoge, David Rudisha and Faith Kipyegon have helped build the country’s global reputation in the sport.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described Nairobi’s successful bid as “compelling and emotional”, saying athletics was deeply embedded in Kenyan society.
The championships will be centred on Kasarani Stadium, a 48,000-capacity venue currently undergoing major renovations ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Tanzania and Uganda.
The upgrades are intended to address some of the infrastructure concerns that affected Kenya’s unsuccessful 2025 bid.
Kenya also has recent experience staging international athletics events. Nairobi hosted the World Under-18 Championships in 2017 and the World Under-20 Championships in 2021, while Mombasa hosted the World Cross Country Championships.
President William Ruto welcomed the decision, describing the championship as a major moment for generations of Kenyan athletes and saying his government would honour the commitments made to secure the event.
The hosting decision nevertheless leaves Kenya with a substantial preparation programme over the next three years.
Transport around Kasarani Stadium will be closely watched, particularly after previous concerns over crowd management during football matches at the venue. Organisers will also have to ensure sufficient accommodation, security, ticketing and event infrastructure for thousands of athletes, officials and spectators.
The Kenyan government is expected to provide the main public funding for the championships, with sponsorship forming another part of the financing model.
Attendance will also be an important measure of the event’s success. Kenya has a large and passionate athletics following, but organisers will need to make tickets accessible enough to attract strong domestic crowds while generating sufficient revenue.
Another challenge is Kenya’s record on doping violations. The country has faced repeated cases involving athletes in recent years, placing additional pressure on national authorities and organisers to demonstrate strong anti-doping systems around the championships.
The 2029 event will give Africa its first opportunity to host the World Athletics Championships and represents a significant expansion of the competition’s geographic reach.
For Kenya, the next three years will focus on turning the successful bid into a championship that meets World Athletics’ technical standards while showcasing the country’s athletics culture to a global audience.
