Nairobi Officially Bids to Bring 2029 World Athletics Championships to Africa

Nairobi has officially submitted its formal application to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

Announced by Athletics Kenya with full backing from the national government, the bid positions the Kenyan capital to potentially bring the premier global track and field event to Africa for the first time in the competition's history.

Securing the hosting rights would represent a monumental milestone for both Kenya and the continent, cementing Africa's place on the global sporting map and showcasing its capacity to organize senior elite multi-sport championships.

The core of Nairobi’s proposal centers on the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani as the primary competition venue.

To support the application, the Kenyan government has pledged a full guarantee covering security protocols, organizational frameworks, and necessary infrastructure upgrades to ensure the venue and host city meet international standards.

This submission marks Kenya’s second major attempt to secure the showpiece event after a previous bid for the 2025 championships was awarded to Tokyo.

Refreshed plans for 2029 directly target prior infrastructure and timeline evaluations, offering modernized facilities for competing athletes and visiting international delegations.

Kenya’s candidacy is built on extensive experience in staging major continental and world-level athletics fixtures.

Over the past two decades, the country has consistently demonstrated its operational capacity across multiple event formats.

Nairobi successfully hosted the 2017 World Athletics U18 Championships and the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships.

On the continental and cross-country stages, Kenya organised the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa and the 2010 African Athletics Championships at the Nyayo National Stadium.

Furthermore, the capital regularly hosts top-tier annual fixtures, including the Kip Keino Classic on the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold circuit alongside the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Championships.

Nairobi faces stiff opposition in its bid, competing against three established European host cities that possess major existing stadium infrastructure.

London, United Kingdom, has centered its proposal around the London Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Rome, Italy, is bidding with the iconic Stadio Olimpico as its centerpiece. Meanwhile, Munich, Germany, has submitted a proposal anchored by the historic Olympiastadion.

World Athletics is scheduled to formally announce the selected host cities for both the 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships in mid-September.

The official decision will be delivered by the World Athletics Council following the conclusion of the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hungary.