Athletics Coming Home - Munich awarded to host 2031 World Athletics Championships

Athletics are coming home: World Athletics awarded Munich the hosting rights for the 2031 World Athletics Championships today. This brings the biggest international athletics event back to Germany. Following an outstanding European Championships in 2002 and an unforgettable European Championships as part of the 2022 European Championships, Munich's Olympic Park will be the venue for the World Athletics Championships in 2031.

Even during the bidding process, the organising team from the Olympiapark München GmbH and the German Athletics Association, with the support of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Free State of Bavaria, and the City of Munich, developed a clear vision and objectives: a compact event concept, iconic venues, outstanding infrastructure, and an inspiring atmosphere for athletes and guests from all over around the world.

The Olympic Park will become a melting pot for the world of athletics. Top-level sport and the enthusiasm of the people will combine with the special flair of an arts and culture festival to create a unique and impressive overall experience. The vision for the 23rd World Championships: a packed Olympic Stadium, a vibrant park, an impressive atmosphere that will create unique moments and lasting memories for everyone involved.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: "Germany has proved time and again that it is an outstanding and dependable host for major athletics events. Berlin 2009 remains one of the memorable editions of the World Championships, and we have since seen tremendous support for the sport at the European Championships in Berlin in 2018 and Munich in 2022.

We wholeheartedly believe in the vision for Munich Olympic Park – one of the iconic venues in world sport – to merge elite sport and the Germany people’s enthusiasm for athletics with the special flair of an art and culture festival to create a unique and powerful overall experience. There are few places in the world that can combine these elements in such a comparable, mutually enriching way. The atmosphere in 2022 was exceptional and the attendance figures demonstrated the appetite that exists in the city and across Germany for major events. 

The Olympic Park is also a symbol of sustainability, and we are assured that this will be a core value in the planning and implementation of the World Championships, aligned with international best practices and the Athletics for a Better World Gold Event standard.

It is encouraging to see German athletics enjoying renewed competitive success. Five medals at the World Championships in Tokyo last year were followed by an outstanding European Championships in Birmingham this summer. A home World Championships in 2031 gives the sport another major opportunity to build on that momentum.

We know Munich can deliver major championships. We know Germany has an audience for athletics. And we believe Munich 2031 has all the ingredients to be a spectacular World Athletics Championships.”

In 2031, the World Championships will be held in Germany for the third time. Previously, Stuttgart in 1993 and Berlin in 2009 thrilled the athletics world. Now, Munich will become the stage for international top-level sport and welcoming the world's best athletes from over 200 federations.

Since 1972, the Bavarian state capital has demonstrated how major events can leave a significant legacy for athletes, the city, and the sport itself. Short distances, unobstructed sightlines, and spacious warm-up and training areas will ensure optimal conditions for the athletes. Furthermore, this international event will provide a major boost to grassroots, youth, and club sports and will send message to society as a whole about the importance of sports in Germany.

The Olympic Park will provide the ideal setting for impressive images and unforgettable experiences at one of the world's largest sporting events. The close bond between fans and athletes, underpinned by a strong sporting culture and a diverse arts and cultural scene, will create an open, inclusive event experience that will thrill athletes, visitors and the global television audience alike, and will be remembered for a long time to come.

You can find the full press release, including all statements regarding the awarding of the 2031 World Athletics Championships to Munich, here.

 Photo credits: Olympiastadion: Marc Müller / Munich2022; Olympiapark