London has officially made its bid to return the World Athletics Championships to the capital in 2029, organizers announced at the weekend. A partnership known as Athletic Ventures—which brings together UK Athletics, the Great Run Company and London Marathon Events—has drawn up a full feasibility study and will lodge a formal expression of interest with World Athletics in September 2025
The feasibility study predicts that hosting the championships in London could be worth more than £400 million in combined economic and social value.
Securing Government Backing
Organizers emphasize that the success of the bid depends on raising around £45 million in government funding to underwrite delivery expenses and legacy programs.
With the right support, we can make a World Athletics Championships in 2029 something to be proud of,” said Dame Denise Lewis, president of UK Athletics and the key figure in the 2017 championships.
Learning from 2017’s Success
London hosted the World Athletics Championships for the last time in 2017, selling out the Olympic Stadium for each evening session and receiving widespread acclaim for its organization and atmosphere.
Formal Expression of Interest
Athletic Ventures will submit its formal expression of interest to World Athletics in September 2025, as part of the international federation’s candidate selection timelines
Athletic Ventures, launched in April 2024, brings together the collective experience of its three founding organisations to stage significant mass-participation and elite events in a sustainable way.
This model of partnership will simplify operational planning, pool resources, and deliver maximum community legacy, creating a new template for bidding and staging major sporting events in the UK.
Through its bid, London will seek to prioritize sustainable delivery of events—reusing existing facilities like the London Stadium and reducing new build.
Environmental factors cover low-carbon travel for athletes and spectators, waste reduction measures, and community outreach programmes intended to promote long-term athletic participation.
Political Support and Oversight
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has publicly supported the 2029 bid, presenting it as the chance to secure London’s reputation as a world sporting capital and to deliver economic growth
Community and Grassroots Benefits
Aside from top-line economic statistics, organizers believe the championships would motivate the future generation of British competitors, with legacy initiatives focusing on schools, local clubs, and under-represented groups. Targeted initiatives would include coaching scholarships, facility enhancements in disadvantaged regions, and disability-friendly participation programs.
Transport and Visitor Experience
London’s integrated transport system—covering everything from the Tube and overground trains to river buses—will be a major selling point during the bid, offering seamless travel to venues and fan zones.
Using 2012 Olympic Infrastructure
The bid will take advantage of the legacy infrastructure of the 2012 London Olympics, particularly the London Stadium in Stratford, specifically constructed for the track and field events and still housing world-class facilities. Broadcast and Sponsorship Appeal
World Athletics and its broadcast partners are attracted to markets with established televisual reach; London’s 2017 championships reached hundreds of millions of international viewers and sold out on-site attendance.
Competitive Landscape
London’s bid will be evaluated alongside Nairobi’s expression of interest, and potentially other emerging markets seeking to host the championships for the first time. While Nairobi offers the appeal of bringing a marquee athletics event to Africa, London counters with tried-and-tested delivery frameworks, extensive transport links, and a track record of sold-out stadiums.
Financial Risk Management
In order to minimize financial risk, the bid consortium has detailed contingency strategies such as multi-tier ticketing, event cancellation insurance policies, and flexible operational budgeting Comprehensive cashflow projections are expected to cater variable attendance levels so that the event remains financially stable even under low revenue estimates.
Legacy Planning
A foundation of the bid is a strong legacy plan: improved community athletics facilities, coach education schemes, and collaboration with UK schools to integrate athletics into physical education courses. Legacy promises also involve research into long-term health gains from greater physical activity and continued support for disability athletics.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Major stakeholders to the bid are UK Sport, the Mayor’s Office, national and local government, and private sector partners Steer group meetings are held regularly to align aims, oversee risk management, and achieve cross-party political agreement before the bid is formally submitted in September.
Public Consultation
Organizers have initiated a public consultation process, calling on Londoners to give their opinions on suggested community programs and transport plans. Initial feedback has picked up on support for local volunteering opportunities, cultural festivals surrounding the championships, and parkland upgrading around major venues.
Media and Marketing Strategy
The bid marketing campaign will utilize London’s international brand, blending legacy images from the 2012 Games with athlete-inspired storytelling to tell the city’s diversity and sports passion story.
Social media activity, influencer collaborations, and fan events in key international markets will be arranged to generate buzz before the World Athletics council vote.
Potential Challenges
Challenges are facing competition from developing bids, persistent public expenditure pressures, and a requirement to be able to evidence measurable social benefit in a restrictive fiscal climate. Organizers will also need to meet World Athletics’ changing sustainability, human rights, and legacy impact criteria in order to finalize selection.
Next Steps and Timeline
After the September 2025 expression of interest, World Athletics should shortlist candidate cities by early 2026. London’s bid team will subsequently develop a detailed candidature file—complete with detailed plans on finance, operations, and legacy—for consideration prior to a host-city vote later in 2026.
A City Poised for Athletics
If successful, London would be one of the rare cities to stage the World Athletics Championships twice, cementing its status as a pre-eminent global sporting hub. The bid highlights the capital’s focus on affordable, sustainable major events and its long-standing passion for track and field.
In an era of economic restraint, London’s bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships is both a bold sporting vision and a strategic attempt to bring wide-ranging benefits to society. As the September deadline looms, the city’s athletics fraternity, politicians and business leaders will be holding their breath—hopeful that the roar of the crowd will once again ring out at the London Stadium for another summer of sporting magic.
