Nairobi awarded 2029 World Athletics Championships, London misses out

World Athletics has awarded the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Nairobi, Kenya, marking the first time the global track and field showpiece will be held in Africa. The decision was announced on Tuesday, September 15, in Budapest, where the governing body also named Munich, Germany, as the host for the 2031 edition. London's bid for the 2029 event was unsuccessful, despite securing a key agreement with West Ham United for the use of the London Stadium. The bid was backed by approximately £45 million in guaranteed public-sector investment and was led by Athletics Ventures, a joint venture between UK Athletics, London Marathon Events, and The Great Run Company. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described the decision as historic, stating that taking the championships to Africa was a strategic move to grow the sport's global footprint. "Nairobi has presented a compelling and an emotional bid," Coe said, highlighting Kenya's deep-rooted athletics culture and its legacy of producing legendary runners. The Kenyan capital beat out bids from London, Rome, and Munich for the 2029 hosting rights.