Historic Win for Kenya
Nairobi has been awarded the 2029 World Athletics Championships, beating rival bids from London, Munich and Rome to become the first African city ever to host the event.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe called it a historic moment: "Taking our championships to Africa for the first time will be historic.
Nairobi has presented a compelling and emotional bid... this is their moment to supercharge the development of our sport in Kenya and across Africa, leaving a compelling legacy that inspires a continent."
Why Nairobi Won
World Athletics pointed to Kenya's strong operational planning and financial guarantees, its track record hosting major athletics events, including the World U18 Championships in 2017 and World U20 Championships in 2021, and exceptional public interest in the sport, with 68 percent of Kenyans surveyed rating their interest in athletics as high, compared to a 39 percent global average.
Kenya is also the second-most successful nation in World Athletics Championships history and finished second in the medal count at Tokyo 2025, a track record that clearly weighed in Nairobi's favour after it missed out on the 2025 championships.
What Happens Next
The championships will be held at Kasarani Stadium, which is already set for a complete structural renovation ahead of hosting the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027.
That means the stadium upgrade Kenya is investing in for AFCON will double as preparation for the 2029 championships, giving Nairobi a two-year head start on venue readiness rather than a rushed, single-purpose build.
For Kenya's economy, a world championship on this scale typically means a multi-year run-up in hotel, transport and hospitality investment, on top of whatever direct spending goes into the stadium and host-city infrastructure.
With Beijing hosting in 2027 and Munich in 2031, Nairobi's turn in between gives Kenya roughly three years to convert a sporting win into a tourism and construction pipeline.
