Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, has been chosen to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, making it the first time the event will be held in Africa outside the framework of the Olympic Games. This decision was made by World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field, which also awarded the 2031 edition of the biennial championships to Munich, Germany. London, Rome, and Munich were all in the running for the 2029 event. London had previously hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2017 at the London Stadium, a venue also used for the 2012 Olympics and the annual London Diamond League. The city’s bid for 2029 also aimed to use this stadium, but it faced challenges, particularly in resolving scheduling conflicts with the football club West Ham United. A deal was eventually reached among the London mayor’s office, Athletics Ventures, and the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which satisfied West Ham and allowed the bid to proceed. Despite this, the UK government’s support for London’s bid did not secure the event for the city. World Athletics selected Nairobi instead, a decision that came as a major setback for London, which had been considered a strong contender. The choice was made during the 242nd World Athletics Council meeting in Budapest, following recommendations from a selection panel. London’s bid organizers expressed disappointment, noting they had already secured about £45 million in guaranteed public funding for the event. World Athletics president Seb Coe praised the decision to bring the championships to Africa, emphasizing the importance of expanding the sport's global presence. He stated that the selection was based on thorough analysis, not just the historic significance of hosting the event in Africa for the first time. Nairobi had previously bid for the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which were ultimately held in Tokyo. The 2029 edition will be the last to include the marathon, which will then move to a standalone world championship. Following Nairobi in 2029, the event will be held in Beijing in 2027 and Munich in 2031. The decision to award Nairobi the 2029 event comes at a time of other disappointments for London, including missing out on hosting the 2029 Champions League final, which will instead take place at Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium.