New Delhi, India – India plans to make a “strategic” bid to host both the 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships. The country’s athletics federation hopes to secure the rights for at least one of these prestigious events as part of a broader push to host the 2036 Olympics.
Timeline for World Athletics Championships Bid
World Athletics, the sport’s global governing body, is set to announce the hosts for the 2029 and 2031 championships in September 2026. Prospective host nations must express their interest by October 1, 2025. The initial bid applications are due by April 1, 2026, with final submissions required by August 5, 2026.
Strategic Reasoning Behind Dual Bid
While India initially considered bidding solely for the 2029 championships, the addition of a bid for 2031 is a strategic move. This is largely due to the fact that Asia is already slated to host the two preceding championships: Tokyo in 2025 and Beijing in 2027. Awarding the 2029 event to India would mean Asia hosts the championships three consecutive times, making the 2031 edition a more probable opportunity for India.
Bidding for Junior Championships and World Relays
In addition to the senior championships, India has also expressed interest in hosting the 2028 World Junior Championships. The host cities for the 2028 and 2030 junior events will be announced in December 2025. The initial application deadline for this bid is September 22, 2025, with final applications due by November 7, 2025.
Separately, the upcoming World Relays events will see Botswana host in 2026, followed by the Bahamas in 2028.
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