Nairobi has officially entered the race to host the 2029 championships, going head-to-head with bids from London, Rome and Munich. World Athletics is expected to announce its decision next month.
The case for Kenya
Few nations can match Kenya’s résumé on the track. The country holds 72 World Championship gold medals and 38 Olympic titles, built almost entirely on a legacy of middle- and long-distance dominance.
Kenyan athletes currently own 17 world records across track and road events, including both the men’s and women’s marathon.
That dominance was on full display last year in Tokyo, where Kenya finished second in the overall medal table at the World Championships, taking home seven golds among 11 total podium finishes.
Athletics Kenya says its bid is backed by full government support, including funding for infrastructure, security and organizational planning.
“The government has committed its full support to the bid, ensuring the necessary organisational framework, security measures and modern infrastructure required to host a world-class global showpiece,” the federation said in a statement.
Kasarani Stadium, with a 48,000-seat capacity, is the expected venue.
Betting on experience
Kenya isn’t a newcomer to hosting international athletics. Nairobi has previously staged the World Under-18 Championships in 2017 and the World U20 Championships in 2021, while Mombasa hosted the World Cross Country Championships back in 2007.
Nairobi also hosted the 2010 African Athletics Championships.
The country’s last bid, for the 2025 World Championships, fell short. A successful 2029 bid would mark a major milestone, arriving the same year Kenya co-hosts the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
The continent is already moving
Kenya wouldn’t be the first African nation to break new ground in global athletics hosting.
In May, Botswana became the first African country to host the World Athletics Relays, staging the event in Gaborone, a sign that the sport’s biggest events may finally be opening the door to Africa.
If Nairobi’s bid succeeds, Kenya would turn decades of athletic dominance into something it has never had: a home crowd at the world’s biggest stage.