Nyayo Stadium officially confirmed as host venue of 2026 Kip Keino Classic
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 12.03.26. | 16:23
The facility last hosted the gold label event in 2024, having earlier served as the venue for the inaugural edition in 2020
It is now official that the 2026 edition of the Kip Keino Classic will take place at the Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, 24 April.
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This is after World Athletics on Wednesday, 11 March published the 2026 World Athletics Continental Tour calendar, which will include a record number of more than 280 meetings this year.
As per the calendar, the Kip Keino Classic will officially take place at Nyayo Stadium, making its return to the facility for the first time since 2024.
The outdoor season is fast approaching 🤩
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) March 11, 2026
The 2026 #ContinentalTourGold is set to kick off once again in Melbourne 🇦🇺
Check out all the key dates and essential info 🔗 https://t.co/SEulzr3iCU pic.twitter.com/LBh1U8c8Dj
The event, which will be entering its seventh edition, will be the second Gold level meeting of the year, coming after the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on 27-28 March.
Mozzart Sport last month fore-sighted the probability of the meet returning to the 18,000-seater stadium, days after Athletics Kenya Youth Development chairman Barnaba Korir revealed that discussions to use Nyayo were at an advanced stage.
During his site-visit with Sports Stadia Director General Timothy Kilimo, Korir said the chances were very high that the Kip Keino Classic would be hosted at Nyayo, adding that the event’s success would “open the door to a Diamond League meet, and eventually the World Championships.”
Today at the Nyayo National Stadium, I met with Sports Stadia Director General Mr. Timothy Kilimo, Julius, Diana, and Jimmy as we work to confirming the venue for the Kip Keino Classic on April 24.
— Barnaba Korir. (@KorirOfficial) February 19, 2026
The chances are very high that we’ll host it here! pic.twitter.com/Dxiz1metIv
In September last year, Kenya formally submitted its bid to host the World Athletics Championships for 2029 and/or 2031, while in a recent interview with Mozzart Sport, Head of Technical at Sirikwa Classic - Ibrahim Hussein - said that he had been informed of a possibility of Kenya going for a Diamond League event, in the event a country pulled out from hosting its leg.
Kip Keino Classic stands as one of three World Athletics Gold Label events that Kenya currently hosts, joined by the aforementioned Sirikwa Classic the Great Chepsaita World Cross Country.
Earlier doubts surrounding Nyayo’s ability to host this year’s Kip Keino Classic were hinged upon its potential closure ahead of next year’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with it being used as a training facility.
In other news, this year’s continental tour is set to see a number of countries host meetings for the first time, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Korea, Lesotho, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The Continental Tour will feature 11 Gold meetings across five continental areas in 2026.
Gold level meetings in the 2026 World Athletics Continental Tour
27-28 March: Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne (AUS)
24 April: Kip Keino Classic – Nairobi (KEN)
17 May: SEIKO Golden Grand Prix – Tokyo (JPN)
29 May: Irena Szewińska Memorial – Bydgoszcz (POL)
3 June: Paavo Nurmi Games – Turku (FIN)
6 June: USATF Lone Star Grand Prix – College Station, TX (USA)
13-14 June: USATF LA Grand Prix – Los Angeles (USA)
16 June: Ostrava Golden Spike – Ostrava (CZE)
21 June: FBK Games – Hengelo (NED)
26 June: Boris Hanžeković Memorial – Zagreb (CRO)
14 July: Gyulai István Memorial – Budapest (HUN).