London has missed out on hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Nairobi in Kenya.
The World Athletics council meeting in Budapest, Hungary, confirmed the decision, announcing it will be the first time that an African city has hosted the competition.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said: “We were fortunate to have four outstanding bids for 2029 and 2031, and this was not an easy decision for the council.
“With this decision today, we continue to fulfil our mission of growing athletics worldwide with the hosting of our World Athletics Championships in Asia, Africa and Europe over its next three editions.
“Nairobi and Munich ultimately presented two compelling propositions.
“They offer very different but equally exciting opportunities for our sport, and I am delighted that we can now begin working with both cities to stage two world-class championships.”
The London Stadium, home of West Ham United, was the proposed venue.
The ground was used for the 2012 Olympics and for the last time London hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2017.
London has missed out on hosting the World Athletics Championships
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PA
Rome also missed out on hosting, with Munich being confirmed to host the Worlds in 2031.
The news comes despite London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan’s plan to bring more major sporting events to the capital.
Khan openly spoke about his ambition for the World Athletics Championships to be hosted in London, telling The Times in the summer: “I am continuing to work closely with Athletics Ventures, the Government and our wider partnership to progress plans to make this vision a reality.
“As part of this, we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with West Ham United as part of the bid.”
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe confirmed the announcement
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GETTY
Sir Jim Raticllife and former Mayor of Greater Manchester, now Prime Minister Andy Burnham, both said they want to host more sport in Manchester, including the women’s World Cup final.
In response to their comments, Khan said: “I am hugely excited that the UK is bidding to host the 2035 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
“London is playing an integral role as a host-city partner by putting forward four venues – the most of any city.
“As Mayor of London, I am always backing our city to stage the biggest sporting events.
Sir Sadiq Khan previously expressed his desire for more sports to be held in the capital
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PA“We are proud to have the best and most prestigious football stadium in the world with our 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium.
“We have successfully hosted some of the biggest matches in global football, not least the Women’s Euro 2022 final, that was famously won by our Lionesses.
“So it will come as no surprise that – if our bid is successful – I would like to see the 2035 Women’s World Cup final back in London, the sporting capital of the world.”
