Nairobi Bids to Host 2029 World Athletics Championships

Nairobi, Kenya (August 10, 2026) – Nairobi has officially submitted its formal application to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, presenting a compelling case to bring the global flagship event to African soil.

The submission places the Kenyan capital firmly in the running for the global selection process.

Kenya has put forward a robust, government-backed bid that is expected to serve as a strong, historic push for the African continent.

If successful, the selection of Nairobi would mark the first time the senior World Athletics Championships are held in Africa.

Kenya has hosted major global athletics events in the past, namely the World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa in 2007, the World Athletics Under-18 Championships in Nairobi in 2017 and World Athletics Under-20 Championships, also in Nairobi, in 2021.

Kenya also hosts annual World Athletics Gold Label events, namely the Kip Keino Classic track and field meeting in Nairobi and the Sirkwa Classic Cross Country Championships in Uasin Gishu County.

Nairobi also hosted the 2010 African Athletics Championships at the Nyayo National Stadium.

The last time Kenya bid for the event, Nairobi lost its bid to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships to Tokyo, Japan. World Athletics announced the decision on July 15, 2022, during a council meeting in Eugene, Oregon, noting that Tokyo presented a compelling proposal to mark the 100th anniversary of the Japanese Association of Athletics Federations.

The government has committed its full support to the bid, ensuring the necessary organizational framework, security measures, and modern infrastructure required to host a world-class global showpiece.

Nairobi faces competition from London, Rome, and Munich for the 2029 edition.

The Nairobi bid team and other bidding nations will make a defence of the bid this Thursday virtually to the World Athletics Evaluation Panel.

The winning host cities for both the 2029 and 2031 championships will be announced by World Athletics after the Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hungary scheduled for September 13/14, 2026.