India to bid for 2029, 2031 World Athletics Championships
What's the story
India is planning to submit a "strategic" bid for the 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships. Adille Sumariwalla, a spokesperson for India's national athletics federation and a vice-president of World Athletics, confirmed this on Sunday. The bidding process will start later this year with an expression of interest due by October 1, 2025.
Bidding strategy
What is the bidding process?
Sumariwalla said, "We are going to do strategic bidding for 2029 and 2031 (Championships). Both editions will be awarded together and whichever edition we get is fine." The initial application submission deadline is April 1, 2026, with the final bid application due by August 5, 2026. The host cities for both the 2029 and 2031 editions will be announced by the World Athletics Council in September 2026.
Hosting considerations
Why India is bidding for both editions
India's decision to bid for both championships is strategic, considering that Asia will host the 2025 and 2027 editions in Tokyo and Beijing, respectively. This may make it difficult for India to host the next championship after these two. By bidding for 2031, India hopes to increase its chances of getting a major event in the near future.
Junior events
Eyeing Junior World Championships
Apart from the World Athletics Championships, India has also expressed interest in hosting the 2028 Junior World Championships. The decision was taken after World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe's visit to India toward the end of 2024. The host cities for both the 2028 and 2030 editions of the Junior World Championships will be announced by December 2025, with an initial bid application deadline of September 22, 2025. Interested countries must submit their final bid applications by November 7, 2025.
Relay bid
Plans to host World Athletics Relays
India is also planning to bid for the World Athletics Relays after the next two editions. The 2026 edition will be hosted by Botswana, while the Bahamas will host the 2028 edition. These bids are part of India's larger strategy to host high-profile events as it eyes hosting the 2036 Olympics.