Nairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, making Kenya the first African country to stage the global athletics showpiece.
World Athletics announced the decision on Tuesday following a council meeting in Budapest, awarding the 2031 championships to Munich, Germany. Nairobi’s successful bid marks a major milestone for African athletics and comes after the Kenyan capital’s unsuccessful attempt to host the 2025 edition, which was awarded to Tokyo.
The championships will be held at Kasarani Stadium, which is currently undergoing renovations ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Nairobi has previously hosted major international athletics events, including the World U18 Championships in 2017 and the World U20 Championships in 2021.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described Nairobi’s bid as “compelling and emotional,” saying taking the championships to Africa for the first time would be historic. He also highlighted Kenya’s deep connection with athletics, noting that the sport is “woven into the fabric of the country.”
The 2029 championships will be another landmark moment for Kenya, a nation renowned for producing some of the world’s greatest distance runners. Hosting the event will give Nairobi an opportunity to showcase African athletics on the biggest stage while further strengthening the continent’s position as a destination for major international sporting events.
The 2031 championships will return to Germany and will be staged at Munich’s Olympic Stadium, marking the first time the event has been held in the country since Berlin hosted in 2009.
Both the 2029 and 2031 championships will take place in September, following the schedule planned for the 2027 edition in Beijing.
