Kenya's Bid to Host 2029 World Athletics Championships Enters Key Stage

Kenya is once again chasing the dream of hosting the World Athletics Championships, with officials from the World Athletics Bid Evaluation Panel expected in the country this week to inspect the nation’s preparedness for a possible 2029 or 2031 hosting opportunity.

As reported by Nation Sport, the delegation is expected to spend three days in Kenya assessing whether the country has the infrastructure, financial backing and organisational capacity required to stage one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

This marks Kenya’s second serious attempt to secure hosting rights for the prestigious athletics championships after Nairobi lost out on the 2025 edition to Tokyo.

At the time, concerns were raised over the country’s readiness, particularly the lack of a fully modernised stadium capable of meeting global standards.

Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, had been presented as the proposed venue, but World Athletics felt more work was needed before Kenya could successfully stage the event.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe previously acknowledged Kenya’s deep connection to athletics but noted that timelines for upgrading facilities were a major challenge.

Since the failed 2025 bid, Kenya has intensified efforts to upgrade its sporting infrastructure in a move aimed at strengthening its latest proposal.

Kasarani Stadium remains the centrepiece of the bid, while Nyayo National Stadium has been earmarked as the official training venue.

The government has already begun major renovations at Kasarani, including the installation of a canopy ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

A new tartan track is also expected to be installed after the continental football tournament, with additional upgrades planned for the warm-up facilities.

Officials believe the improvements could help Kenya finally become the first African nation to host the World Athletics Championships.

During their visit, the evaluation team is expected to inspect competition venues, athlete accommodation, transport systems, medical facilities and training grounds.

The panel will also evaluate the government’s financial commitment to the event and Kenya’s long-term vision for athletics development.

Kenya’s bid has already progressed through the pre-qualification and candidature stages, meaning the country is now among the serious contenders for hosting rights.

Despite previous setbacks, Kenya has successfully hosted several major athletics events over the years. These include the 2007 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, the 2017 World Under-18 Championships in Nairobi and the 2021 World Under-20 Championships.

Those events boosted confidence in Kenya’s ability to organise global competitions and showcased the country’s passionate athletics culture.

Kenya faces stiff competition from several international cities also bidding to host the 2029 championships. Among them are London, Rome, Munich, Seoul, Addis Ababa and New Delhi.

The Kenyan bid committee is led by legendary distance runner Ibrahim Hussein, with authorities hopeful that the country’s athletics heritage and ongoing infrastructure upgrades will strengthen Nairobi’s case.

The final decision on the 2029 host city is expected during the World Athletics Council meeting scheduled for September.