分类： sports

In a landmark decision that has sent waves of celebration across the entire African continent, World Athletics announced Tuesday that Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, has secured the right to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. This will mark the first time the sport’s flagship global event has ever been held on African soil, with Nairobi beating out two former Olympic host cities, London and Rome, to claim the historic bid.

For decades, East Africa has been a powerhouse of global track and field, producing some of the sport’s most legendary champions and record-breaking athletes. That legacy makes the 2029 announcement feel like a homecoming for the sport, according to many local figures. A 2026 World Athletics survey underscores this deep cultural connection: 68% of Kenyan respondents reported high personal interest in athletics, reflecting the sport’s unique place in the nation’s identity. The 2029 championships will be held at the 48,000-seat Kasarani Stadium, which is already undergoing major redevelopment work to prepare for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Legendary Ethiopian long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie, a two-time Olympic 10,000m gold medalist, was among the first to celebrate the announcement, calling the decision wonderful news for the entire continent. Gebrselassie predicted that the home-field advantage will create an unparalleled atmosphere for both athletes and fans. “Like in soccer, playing at home and playing away is different,” he noted. “It’s a big chance for Kenyans, it’s a big chance for Ethiopians, in 2029, to win a race.” The running great added that he plans to attend the event in person, and he expects the global community will be impressed by Kenya’s ability to host a world-class tournament. He also argued that the win will open doors for other African cities to bid for major global events in the future, saying “If Nairobi can host this championship, why not Addis Ababa? Why not Lagos or South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda? In 2029, I think the whole world will be surprised at how well they host.”

2015 javelin world champion Julius Yego echoed that optimism, describing the bid win as a transformative moment for the entire continent. “I’m so happy that the world will come to Kenya,” Yego told BBC World Service. “Africa has produced the best of athletes but we’ve never had a chance to witness such a big championship. It is something that will bring people to Africa. And people will know Africa.” Yego added that the milestone should give African nations the confidence to pursue even larger global sporting events, including the Olympic Games. “As Africans, we need to think big and plan ahead and think ‘Yes, it is possible for Africa to host a championship like the World Championships’,” he said. “Same of course for the Olympics. Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa, so I think we’re capable of hosting big events. Let’s dream of hosting the Olympics and bring the best of the world in sports to Africa – to feel Africa, to enjoy Africa.”

Current and former Kenyan stars have emphasized that the 2029 event will be more than a one-off celebration: it is expected to be a catalyst for a new generation of African athletic talent. Retired 800m world champion Janeth Jepkosgei, who now works as a coach, said the announcement has already electrified the young athletes she trains. “It means a lot for the youth and the juniors because it makes the dream really big,” she explained. “This is the time where the youth and juniors should begin dreaming of winning at home. We have three years for those athletes who are really promising. It is a good way to make them stay dedicated to it, focused and disciplined to the event. I’ve been speaking to my athletes and they’re saying ‘It has come home, we have to be there, on that starting line’.”

Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala, holder of the African 100m record, knows firsthand how a home global youth event can shape an athletic career: he was inspired by Nairobi’s hosting of the 2017 Under-18 World Championships. Now, he says the 2029 senior championships will give a massive boost to both current and future athletes. “I can imagine what this is going to do to up-and-coming athletes,” Omanyala said. “They’re going to see all these stars coming into the country and they’ll be having this chance to watch them warm up and compete. That will be a huge motivation.” He added that hosting the World Championships has always been a dream for the Kenyan athletics community.

The 2029 World Athletics Championships fits into a growing pipeline of major global sporting events coming to Africa over the next four years. The first of these is the Youth Olympics, set to kick off in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31 to November 13 this year. Next year, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will co-host the men’s Cricket World Cup, and in 2030, the men’s FIFA World Cup will return to the continent for the first time since South Africa’s 2010 tournament, when Morocco co-hosts alongside Spain and Portugal. Both Egypt and South Africa have already publicly expressed interest in bidding to host the 2036 Olympic Games, building on the momentum of recent major event wins across the continent.

A pre-match display of solidarity with the Spanish North African autonomous city of Ceuta has stirred unexpected controversy in La Liga, after three of Real Madrid’s star players obscured the official message printed on unity T-shirts ahead of their dramatic Tuesday clash against Elche.

Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and new signing Ibrahima Konate rolled their pre-match T-shirts up to chest level, hiding part of the slogan that read “Todos somos caballas” — translated as “We are all Ceutans” — that had been distributed to both squads to show support for the territory amid an ongoing migration crisis. While the three Real Madrid players adjusted their shirts, all other members of both Real Madrid and Elche kept the garments fully visible through all pre-match formalities. Mbappe and Vinicius went a step further, removing the shirts entirely before the traditional pre-match handshake between the two sides, while Konate left his on for several additional minutes. Representatives for all three players have been approached for comment on their choice to modify the solidarity garment.

The pre-match tribute was organized as part of a broader La Liga-wide campaign to back Ceuta, which faced an unprecedented migration emergency in late July. Over two days, July 30 and 31, more than 72,000 migrants crossed the border from Morocco into the small Spanish territory, many swimming around the fortified border fence that divides the two territories. Ceuta’s mayor confirmed that at least 100 migrants lost their lives during the dangerous crossing. While the vast majority of arrivals have returned to Morocco, an estimated 5,000 people remain, staying in unregulated makeshift camps or sleeping rough on city streets and public beaches. The unplanned influx has sparked social unrest in the city, with local residents voicing widespread public safety concerns, and some locals taking extreme action including destroying migrant shelters and blocking humanitarian aid convoys.

This is not the first public show of support for Ceuta from Real Madrid as a club. Earlier this season, ahead of a Champions League group stage match against Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu on September 8, fans in the stadium’s south stand arranged a card display featuring Ceuta’s official coat of arms, and the entire crowd joined the tribute with a unanimous round of applause.

The controversy over the T-shirts emerged minutes before a memorable match for Real Madrid, who fought back from surrendering an early two-goal lead to secure a last-gasp 3-2 win. Carlos Espina scored the decisive winning goal in second-half stoppage time, with Mbappe among the club’s goal scorers on the night, and Vinicius named in the starting lineup.

The incident also brings to light divides across La Liga over the Ceuta solidarity initiative. Barcelona declined to participate in the T-shirt campaign entirely, while players at most other top-flight fixtures across the league wore the garments as planned.

As a side note, Real Madrid has enjoyed a blistering start to the current season, winning six of their seven matches across all competitions, cementing their position as one of the title favorites for the 2025-26 La Liga campaign.

For two teenage Scottish brothers from Partick Thistle, the dream of international football recognition is taking an unexpected and historic turn. Eighteen-year-old goalkeeper Olly Fisher and 16-year-old striker Seb Fisher are on track to represent Uganda, a path they never could have anticipated just a year ago. What makes this opportunity even more remarkable is their eligibility through birthright: their mother Kate was born in Uganda, after their grandfather moved there to teach and spent four or five years raising a family in the East African nation. If they earn their spots in the national youth teams, the siblings will become the first white players to ever wear an Uganda national football shirt, a milestone that has already captured attention across both countries.

The chain of events that led to this unique opportunity started with a casual conversation years ago. The Fished’ father struck up a chance chat with a football consultant at a match in Nigeria, and six months ago, the family learned that Uganda’s national youth program was interested in bringing the brothers in for trials. By early August, the pair received official invitations to join the under-20 and under-17 national training camps respectively. They traveled to Jinja, in eastern Uganda, last week and are set to stay for another week to complete their camp assessments.

Both brothers have described their shock and deep honor at receiving the call-ups. “I couldn’t believe it when I got the invitation,” Seb recalled in an interview with BBC Sport Scotland. “It’s the kind of opportunity that you never imagine coming your way, even in your wildest dreams. Most people I’ve told can barely believe it either.” Olly echoed his brother’s reaction, noting that the news brought a flood of conflicting emotions: “I was really shocked because I never thought this was a possibility. But at the same time, I felt so honored to be asked to represent Uganda. It’s a huge opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.” Their mother Kate, who was born in the country her sons are now set to represent, is ecstatic about the experience, telling the boys it will be life-changing no matter what happens.

There is already a strong Scottish connection guiding the brothers through this process, as Laryea Kingston, the current head coach of Uganda’s under-20 national team, is a former Hearts and Ghana midfielder with deep ties to Scottish football. Coach Kingston is the one who first highlighted the historic nature of the Fisher brothers’ potential call-ups, a point that is not lost on the teenagers. “Coach Kingston told us we’d be the first white players to represent Uganda, which means this would be history in the making,” Seb said. “That makes it really, really special.” Olly agreed, adding that breaking new ground for the nation’s football program makes the entire experience feel one-of-a-kind.

Growing up, the brothers heard countless stories about Uganda from their grandparents, so the country already feels like a connected part of their family history, even before they set foot on its soil. Though they have had to adapt to oppressively warm training conditions that they never experienced back in Scotland, the brothers say they have been embraced wholeheartedly by their new teammates. “Everyone has been so brilliant and welcoming,” Seb explained. “Some of the boys actually come from the same area where my mum was born, so we’ve had a lot to talk about already, and it’s helped us build those connections fast.”

After the training camp concludes, the brothers will return to Scotland to resume their everyday lives: Olly will split his time between playing for Partick Thistle and starting university, while Seb will go back to playing for the club and finishing secondary school. But both are already planning ahead for their return to Uganda to join their international teammates. Olly has his sights set on securing a spot on the under-20 squad if Uganda qualifies for next year’s Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, while Seb is hoping to earn a place on the under-17 roster for the Under-17 World Cup scheduled for November in Qatar. For the young footballers, this opportunity is exactly what every aspiring player dreams of. “That’s what you want as a footballer, being in an international environment,” Seb said. “Pushing yourself against top talent and competing at this level will only make you a better player. I’m sure this experience will benefit us a lot when we go back to Scotland and continue playing for Partick Thistle.”

In a surprising turn of events for global track and field, Kenya’s capital Nairobi has defeated London to win the right to host the 2029 World Athletics Championship. The announcement marks a historic milestone for African athletics, bringing one of the sport’s most prestigious global competitions to the region for a landmark edition.

Following the confirmation of the bidding result, Kenyan President William Ruto publicly celebrated the successful bid, emphasizing that Kenya has long proven its status as a great sporting nation with a deep-rooted passion for athletics. The outcome not only recognizes Kenya’s growing influence in the global sports community but also paves the way for the country to showcase its organizational capabilities and cultural heritage to audiences around the world.

London, which had previously hosted successful editions of the World Athletics Championship, was widely seen as a leading contender in the bidding process, making Nairobi’s victory all the more notable for the global athletics community. As preparations now begin, stakeholders across the sport are looking ahead to what will be a momentous 2029 championship in East Africa.

In a landmark decision that shifts the global center of gravity for elite track and field, the Kenyan capital Nairobi has officially secured hosting rights for the 2029 World Athletics Championships. This milestone marks the first time in the tournament’s decades-long history that the prestigious athletics event will be held on African soil.BBC Sport Africa journalist Celestine Karoney has broken down the process, the significance, and the context behind this historic selection. For years, African athletes have dominated distance running and produced some of the biggest global stars in athletics, but the continent has never been given the opportunity to host the sport’s flagship event — a gap that this 2029 tournament will finally close.Kenya’s long-standing legacy of elite athletic performance, paired with growing infrastructure development in Nairobi and widespread regional support from athletics federations across the African continent, all played key roles in securing the hosting bid. The announcement has already sparked excitement across the global athletics community, with many observers noting that this move will not only celebrate Africa’s deep contributions to the sport but also inspire a new generation of young athletes across the continent to pursue excellence at the highest level of competition.