Nairobi wins 2029 World Athletics Championships; Munich awarded 2031
September 15, 2026 at 10:29 AM · Updated 31d ago
Coverage
7 reports · over 8 hours
World Athletics Championships 2029: Kenyan capital Nairobi becomes first African host of World Athletics Championships
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Why were the 2029 World Athletics Championships given to Nairobi in Kenya ahead of London?
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World Athletics Championships 2029: How Kenya beat London, Munich and Rome to host
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Africa to stage World Athletics Championships for first time
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Nairobi to host Africa’s first World Athletics Championships in 2029
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London snubbed in favour of Nairobi for 2029 World Athletics Championships
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World Athletics Championships 2029: London misses out on bid to Nairobi
(opens the publisher’s site)World Athletics has awarded the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Nairobi, the first African city to host the event, while Munich will stage the 2031 edition.
- World Athletics has awarded the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Nairobi, making it the first African city to host the event.
- World Athletics also awarded the 2031 championships to Munich, while bids from London and Rome missed out.
- President Sebastian Coe said the council deliberated long over four outstanding bids and will work with Nairobi and Munich to stage the championships.
- The 2027 World Athletics Championships will take place in Beijing in September.
- Kenya's President William Ruto hailed the decision as 'coming home' and a 'victory for generations of athletes'.
- UK Athletics chief executive Jack Buckner said London was 'deeply disappointed' to miss out on the 2029 event.
- Kenya's bid official Barnaba Korir credited lessons from the failed 2025 bid for the improved infrastructure that helped secure the win.