September 15, 2026

Nairobi confirmed as host of the 2029 World Athletics Championship

Kenya’s capital Nairobi was confirmed Tuesday as host of the 2029 edition of the World Athletics Championship, the sport’s biggest event outside of the Olympics.

“Taking our championships to Africa for the first time will be historic,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said as he announced the decision following the Ultimate Championship in Hungary. “Athletics is woven into the fabric of Kenya.”

Kenya has long been a superpower in distance running and is second on the all-time worlds medal table behind only the United States.

Salim Mvurya, the Kenyan government minister responsible for sports, said “the world will come to a country where running is more than competition, it is our national story.”

There could be records in store thanks to Nairobi being the highest-altitude World Championships host in history. The thinner air means less resistance for runners, but they may need time to adapt to the conditions.

The championships also return to Germany in 2031 after a 22-year wait, with Munich hosting.

Coe added World Athletics research had shown Kenya was the most passionate market for track and field among those surveyed.

The championships will use a stadium that’s already being upgraded for Kenya co-hosting soccer’s Africa Cup of Nations next year.

“It was important that the World Athletics Championships should come to Africa when we had the right host, the right bid and the right circumstances. Nairobi has demonstrated emphatically that this is their moment,” Coe said.