Kenya Begin 2029 World Championships Work as Jackson Tuwei Reveals First Major Deadline

Kenya's preparations for the 2029 World Athletics Championships have already begun, with Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei warning that the country cannot afford to spend too long celebrating Nairobi's historic hosting success.

Nairobi was confirmed as the host of the 2029 World Athletics Championships last week, making Kenya the first African country to stage the senior global athletics showpiece.

But Tuwei insists the hard work starts immediately.

Speaking after returning from Copenhagen, where Kenya's successful bid was confirmed, the Athletics Kenya president revealed that the first World Athletics inspection team is expected in the country within the next two weeks.

"The work starts now," Tuwei said, stressing that preparations for 2029 must begin immediately.

World Athletics inspection team heading to Kenya

The first major test for Kenya will come quickly.

Tuwei said World Athletics officials will visit Kenya to inspect competition venues and other facilities, meaning preparations will move from the bidding process into detailed planning and assessment.

The inspection will be particularly important as Kenya works towards ensuring that Nairobi can meet the requirements of the global championships.

World Athletics confirmed that Nairobi's bid included a renovated Kasarani Stadium, which is undergoing a major structural overhaul ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The wider preparation will also involve training facilities, accommodation, transport, medical services, security and event operations.

The Star previously highlighted the scale of the task facing Kenya, noting that hosting a championship of this size requires considerably more than simply having a suitable stadium.

Kenya have a tight international timeline

Tuwei also pointed to the unusual calendar Kenya must work around before Nairobi takes centre stage.

The 2027 World Athletics Championships will be held in Beijing, followed by the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Then comes Nairobi in 2029.

"Next year we have the World Championships in Beijing, then after that we have the LA 2028 Olympics. After LA, it's now Nairobi's turn," Tuwei said.

That gives Kenya roughly three years to turn its successful bid into a fully operational championship.

The timeline also means preparations will take place alongside two of the biggest competitions on the international athletics calendar.

Historic moment for Africa

Nairobi's selection has significance well beyond Kenya.

World Athletics confirmed that the 2029 championships will be the first edition of its flagship outdoor global event to be held in Africa.

The decision also builds on Nairobi's recent experience hosting major international athletics competitions.

Kenya hosted the World Cross Country Championships in 2007, the World Under-18 Championships in 2017 and the World Under-20 Championships in 2021.

Tuwei pointed to that record as evidence of the experience already available within the country's athletics structures.

"The only one remaining was this World Championships," he said.

World Athletics also highlighted Kenya's deep connection with the sport, noting that the country finished second on the medal table at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo with seven gold medals and 11 medals overall.

Tuwei calls for unity

With the bid won, Tuwei's focus has now shifted towards bringing together Athletics Kenya, government agencies and the wider sporting community.

He called on Kenyans and the athletics fraternity to work together to deliver the championship, acknowledging that Kenya has never previously hosted the senior World Athletics Championships.

"We have not done this before, but let's believe we can do this," Tuwei said.

The preparations will therefore be closely watched from the outset, particularly as World Athletics begins its inspections.

For Kenya, winning the 2029 hosting rights was the landmark moment.

Now comes the considerably bigger task of making Nairobi ready.