India is set to make a "strategic" bid to host both the 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships. This announcement comes on the heels of the successful inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, a World Athletics Gold-level international javelin event held in Bengaluru. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) hopes to secure the hosting rights for one of these prestigious editions.
Adille Sumariwalla, a spokesperson for the national federation, vice-president of World Athletics, and former president of AFI, confirmed the plans. He stated that India would bid for both championships when the process commences later this year. The World Athletics Council is expected to announce the hosts for both the 2029 and 2031 editions in September 2026.
The deadline for member countries to express their interest is October 1, 2025. The initial application submission deadline is April 1, 2026, and the final bid application must be submitted by August 5, 2026.
Sumariwalla explained the strategic approach: "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".
India's decision to bid for both championships is influenced by the fact that Asia is hosting the 2025 and 2027 editions in Tokyo and Beijing, respectively. This could make it more challenging for India to host the subsequent championship immediately after. By bidding for 2031, India aims to improve its chances of securing a major athletics event in the near future. Giving India the 2029 edition would mean that Asia would be hosting the showpiece three times in a row.
The successful Neeraj Chopra Classic has boosted India's confidence in hosting major international athletics events. The inaugural edition of the NC Classic marked a historic moment for Indian athletics, being the first-ever World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Level or World Athletics Category A event held in the country.
Neeraj Chopra won the NC Classic with an 86.18m throw. The event, co-organized by Neeraj himself, along with JSW Sports, AFI, and World Athletics, featured a field of 12 athletes, including seven international stars. Julius Yego of Kenya won silver, and Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage took bronze.
In addition to the World Athletics Championships, India has also expressed interest in hosting the 2028 Junior World Championships. The decision regarding the 2028 and 2030 hosts is expected by December 2025. The initial bid application deadline for this event is September 22, 2025, with the final application due by November 7, 2025. India is also bidding for the World Athletics Relays after the next two editions, with Botswana hosting the 2026 edition and the Bahamas hosting the 2028 edition.
These efforts align with India's broader aspirations to host the 2036 Olympics. Hosting the World Athletics Championships would provide India with invaluable experience and infrastructure, strengthening its bid for the Olympic Games.
