Members of World Athletics Bid Evaluation Panel will be in the country this week to assess Kenya’s readiness to host the World Athletics Championships in 2029 or in 2031.
On Monday evening, sources indicated that the panel will be in the country for three days to assess the country’s capability of hosting the senior global track and field championships.
It is the second time Kenya is bidding to host World Athletics’ flagship competition. Kenya’s bid to host the 2025 edition of the championship flopped mainly due to lack of a modern, world-class stadium.
Kenya’s Vincent Keter celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the men’s 1,500m race during the World Under 20 World Athletics Championship at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi on August 21,2021.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
At the time, Kenya had entered Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, as the candidate venue. Tokyo was eventually chosen ahead of Nairobi.
Back in 2022, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe noted that while the council acknowledged Kenya’s immense passion for the sport, the necessary time frame and resources required to fully refurbish or build a new stadium were a major concern.
Kenya has successfully hosted three global championships – the 2007 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, the 2017 World Athletics Under-18 Championships in Nairobi, and the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi.
The World Athletics Bid Evaluation Panel will focus on the government’s commitment to facilitate the championships financially, and the infrastructure involved, including the main competition venue, warm-up venues, accommodation, transport and medical facilities.
Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani is the heart of Kenya’s bid, and Nyayo National Stadium is the secondary venue that is designated as the official training venue.
The refurbished 48,000-seater MISC Kasarani was constructed in August 1987 specifically for the 1987 African Games while the 30,000-seater Nyayo National Stadium was constructed in 1983.
On November 6, 2024, Kipchumba Murkomen who was then Cabinet Secretary for Sports, revealed that Kenya had officially applied to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships when he visited Athletics Kenya offices.
Murkomen said all the loopholes that cost Kenya chance to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships had since been sealed.
Kasarani Stadium has already received a canopy in readiness for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and a new running tartan track will be laid immediately after the continental football championship.
Jamaica’s woman relay team celebrates after winning the 4x100m finals during the Under-20 World Athletics Championship at Moi International Sports, Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi on August 22, 2021.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
The warm up track at Kasarani will also get a new tartan track as Kenya hopes to meet all the requirements set by the World Athletics to host the championships, which will be the first to be staged in Africa if Nairobi’s bid succeeds.
Technical experts from the World Athletics were due in Nairobi on Monday evening to assess Kenya’s bid to host the global Championships.
Kenya’s bid has already gone past the pre-qualification and candidature phase, paving way for the World Athletics Bid Evaluation Panel to visit.
In the pre-qualification stage, a host nation outlines its strategic vision before the candidature phase in which the official bid is submitted detailing the country’s plan in terms of venues, security and legacy.
Any lobbying by interested parties during the bidding period can result in disqualification.
The World Athletics Bid Evaluation Panel will then present its findings to the World Athletics Council for review. Kenya beat the deadline for pre-qualification form submission for both phases on October 1, 2025.
After last year’s event in Tokyo, the next World Athletics Championships will be held in Beijing in 2027.
Kenya’s bid committee is headed by legendary distance runner, Ibrahim Hussein. Other cities bidding to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships are Addis Ababa, London, Munich, Rome, Seoul and New Delhi.
The host city for the 2029 World Athletics Championships will be announced during the World Athletics Council meeting in September this year.
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