Nairobi 2029, Munich 2031: World Athletics Takes Championships to Africa and Back to Germany

World Athletics has confirmed a landmark hosting decision for the next decade, awarding the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Nairobi, Kenya, and the 2031 edition to Munich, Germany. 

The two selections represent significant moments for the sport, with Nairobi set to become the first African city to host the senior World Athletics Championships, while Munich will bring the global event back to Germany for the first time since Berlin staged it in 2009. The decisions were formally ratified during the 242nd World Athletics Council Meeting in Budapest on September 14-15, 2026. Together, the selections create a three-edition sequence that takes the championships across Asia, Africa and Europe, following Beijing's hosting of the 2027 edition.

For Nairobi, the announcement carries particular historical significance. Kenya has long been one of the world's most influential athletics nations, particularly in distance running, yet the continent had never hosted the senior global championships. That changes in 2029.

The decision to award Nairobi the 2029 championships represents a major expansion of World Athletics' geographical footprint. Kenya's record on the international athletics stage provides a strong sporting backdrop to the hosting decision. The country ranks second only to the United States on the all-time World Athletics Championships medal table and finished second at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, winning seven gold medals and collecting 11 podium finishes.

Kenya's athletics legacy includes Olympic and world champions across generations, from Kip Keino and Paul Tergat to contemporary stars such as Faith Kipyegon, Eliud Kipchoge, Hellen Obiri and David Rudisha. The Nairobi bid also presented a substantial domestic audience for the sport. Research cited in the bid process indicated that 68% of surveyed Kenyans have an active interest in athletics, compared with a 39% global average. Kenya also ranks fourth globally for engagement on World Athletics' social platforms.

That combination of sporting heritage and domestic interest gives the 2029 championships an opportunity to connect the world's leading athletes with one of the sport's most passionate audiences.

Kasarani Stadium Set for Transformation

The primary venue for Nairobi 2029 will be the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. The stadium, originally constructed for the 1987 All-Africa Games, has already hosted major athletics events, including the 2017 World Athletics U18 Championships, the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships and the Kip Keino Classic. Infrastructure development is central to the Nairobi project. Kenya's preparations are linked to the country's role in hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with Kasarani undergoing a major modernization programme.

The proposed improvements include a certified Class 1 athletics track, upgraded drainage and floodlighting, improved media and broadacast facilities, athlete facilities and spectator areas. The stadium is expected to have an all-seater capacity of approximately 48,000 following renovation. This approach also allows Kenya to use infrastructure being developed for another major sporting event rather than relying entirely on a standalone construction project for the World Championships.

Two years after Nairobi, the World Athletics Championships will return to Germany. Munich will host the 2031 edition at the Olympiastadion, one of the country's most recognizable sporting venues. Germany previously hosted the championships in Stuttgart in 1993 and Berlin in 2009. The Munich selection builds on the city's successful hosting of the 2022 European Championships. The athletics programme at the Olympic Stadium attracted approximately 267,000 spectators over seven days, demonstrating strong local interest in live athletics.

The 2031 event will also involve a substantial refurbishment of the historic stadium. Built for the 1972 Summer Olympics, the Olympiastadion's iconic canopy requires extensive conservation work. Munich has authorized a capital overhaul projected at approximately €283 million, including work on the stadium roof and internal infrastructure.

The city's plans also emphasize sustainability, public transport, circular resource management and renewable energy, while incorporating cultural and community activities around the championships.

The Nairobi and Munich decisions illustrate the changing approach to hosting the World Athletics Championships. Nairobi brings the competition to a continent that has produced generations of elite athletes but had never staged the senior global event. Munich, meanwhile, provides an established European sporting market with proven infrastructure and experience in hosting major competitions.

Together with Beijing 2027, the three editions will take World Athletics' flagship outdoor championship across three continents in successive editions. For Nairobi, 2029 will be about making history. For Munich, 2031 will represent Germany's return to the global athletics spotlight after more than two decades. The two championships will therefore carry very different stories, but both underline the expanding global reach of track and field.