India to Bid for 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships

India has announced plans to bid for the 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships, according to Adille Sumariwalla, a top official from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). The decision was shared on July 6, 2025, in Bengaluru. India hopes to host at least one of the two major global sporting events, as part of its larger aim to bring the Olympics to India in 2036.

India’s Bid for Global Athletics

India will submit bids to host either the 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships. Both editions will be awarded at the same time by World Athletics in September 2026. According to Adille Sumariwalla, who is also a vice-president of World Athletics, India is preparing a “strategic” bid, meaning it is open to hosting whichever year is available.

The deadline to express interest is October 1, 2025, followed by a detailed application due on April 1, 2026. Final bid documents must be submitted by August 5, 2026.

Why 2031 May Be a Better Chance

India originally planned to bid only for the 2029 edition, but now wants to include 2031 as well. This is because Asia is already hosting the 2025 edition in Tokyo and the 2027 edition in Beijing. Hosting again in 2029 would mean three Asian editions in a row, which may reduce India’s chances. So, India sees 2031 as a more likely option.

This move is part of India’s long-term plan to host big sports events and eventually the 2036 Olympics. The AFI is actively working on creating strong bids to show India’s readiness for such global events.

Junior and Relay Events Also in Focus

Besides the senior championships, India has already shown interest in hosting the 2028 Junior World Championships. The World Athletics body will announce the host for the 2028 and 2030 junior events in December 2025. India submitted its interest when World Athletics President Sebastian Coe visited the country in late 2024.

India is also planning to bid for World Athletics Relays after the 2026 edition in Botswana and 2028 edition in the Bahamas. This shows India’s growing interest in being a regular host for international athletics events.