Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, will make history after being selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, marking the first time the global track and field showpiece will be staged in Africa.
The decision was reached during the World Athletics Council meeting in Budapest, where Nairobi was chosen to host the 2029 edition, while Munich, Germany, was awarded the 2031 championships.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said Nairobi presented a strong and compelling bid, adding that the event would come to Africa at the right time and under the right conditions.
“Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” Coe said.
The selection is a major milestone for Kenya, a country with a strong athletics tradition and a long record of producing world and Olympic champions. Kenya finished second on the medal table at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, winning seven gold medals and 11 medals overall.
Nairobi’s hosting credentials have been strengthened by its experience in staging major international competitions. The city hosted the World U18 Championships in 2017 and the World U20 Championships in 2021. It also stages the Kip Keino Classic, one of Africa’s leading one-day athletics meetings, which has been part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold since 2020.
The renovated Kasarani Stadium is expected to play a central role in the 2029 championships. The facility is undergoing major upgrades ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, two years before Kenya hosts the global athletics event.
The championships will also build on Africa’s growing experience in hosting international athletics competitions. Kampala hosted the 2017 World Cross Country Championships, while Gaborone staged the 2026 World Athletics Relays—the first edition of the event held on the continent.
Kenya’s strong public interest in athletics was another factor supporting Nairobi’s bid. World Athletics research identified Kenya as the market with the highest reported interest in the sport among those surveyed.
The next World Athletics Championships will be held in Beijing, China, from September 10 to 19, 2027, before the event moves to Nairobi in 2029.
