London snubbed as 2029 World Athletics Championships host

Despite a strong bid from London, the World Athletics Championships for 2029 have been awarded to Nairobi, Kenya, rather than the UK capital. UK Athletics, Mayor of London’s office and the government had all supported the London bid, hoping to host the event for the first time since 2017. The proposal would have generated around £45 million in revenue and would have staged the championships at London Stadium, where West Ham United had previously recorded nine consecutive 60,000 sell-outs.

However, World Athletics chose Nairobi instead, marking the third consecutive World Athletics Championships to be held outside Europe, following Japan and China in 2025 and 2027. Lord Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, expressed disappointment over the decision but praised Nairobi and Munich as strong contenders with unique opportunities for the sport.

Coe, who previously played a significant role in London hosting the 2012 Olympics, had previously been considered for a potential Conservative candidacy in the upcoming London Mayoral election. The snub also comes shortly after Formula 1 chose Milan over London for the start of its next racing season. The Mayor’s office and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport have been asked for their reaction to the decision.