Nairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, making the Kenyan capital the first African city to stage the sport’s premier global track and field event.

World Athletics announced the decision Tuesday after a council meeting in Budapest, also awarding the 2031 championships to Munich, Germany.

The decision gives Kenya another chance to host the senior world championships after its bid for the 2025 edition was unsuccessful. Tokyo ultimately won the right to host that event.

For Nairobi, the 2029 championships will build on a growing record of hosting major international athletics competitions. The city staged the World Under-18 Championships in 2017 and the World U20 Championships in 2021.

Nairobi wins historic World Athletics bid

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described Nairobi’s proposal as a strong case for bringing the championships to Africa for the first time.

“Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” Coe said.

“Kenya is one of the great athletics nations. The sport is woven into the fabric of the country.” Kenya’s athletics record was central to the bid. The country has won 72 World Championship and 38 Olympic gold medals, with much of its success coming in middle- and long-distance running.

Two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge was among the prominent figures who supported Nairobi’s campaign.

Kenya has also hosted the World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa in 2007, adding to its experience with major international athletics events.

Kasarani Stadium upgrades support preparations

Infrastructure was a key weakness in Kenya’s unsuccessful bid for the 2025 championships. For the 2029 campaign, organizers have pointed to upgrades to existing venues as evidence of greater readiness.

Kasarani Stadium, the main venue for the championships, is undergoing a major renovation ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Tanzania and Uganda.

The stadium is expected to host matches during the continental soccer tournament, while its upgrades will also strengthen Nairobi’s ability to stage large international athletics events.

The 2029 championships will be held in September, following the same month used for the 2027 edition in Beijing.

Nairobi to bring World Athletics to Africa

For Africa, the Nairobi event will carry significance beyond Kenya’s long record of success on the track. The continent has produced some of the sport’s most celebrated athletes but has never hosted the senior World Athletics Championships.

Munich will host the 2031 edition at the Olympic Stadium, bringing the championships back to Germany for the first time since Berlin hosted the event in 2009.

“Germany has proved time and again that it is an outstanding and dependable host for major athletics events,” Coe said.

The Nairobi decision means the world championships will reach Africa for the first time in 2029, giving Kenya the opportunity to showcase its athletics heritage while putting its upgraded sporting infrastructure on the international stage.