Olaf Brockmann is widely celebrated as an absolute journalistic legend in the world of track and field, establishing himself as a global media record-holder for major athletics events. By the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, he celebrated covering all 20 outdoor editions since the event's inception in 1983.
This unmatched milestone was formally honored by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) alongside high-jump world record holder Javier Sotomayor.
Beyond his flawless World Championship attendance, Brockmann's storied career spans over five decades of top-tier sports storytelling across multiple prestigious forums. His extensive resume includes a historic "Europe Record" for covering 15 European Athletics Championships since 1978. Additionally, he is a seasoned Olympic veteran, having reported on the 1972 Munich Olympic Games as well as every Summer Olympics from 1984 through 2012.
That’s why he’s in the best position to offer predictions ahead of the naming of the host cities for the 2029 and 2031 World Championships.
Here are his thoughts:
First London 2026 – Then Munich 2031? But Nairobi is the Dark Horse
The World Athletics Council is deciding in Budapest on Tuesday which cities will host the 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships.
After Ahmedabad withdrew its candidacy, London, Munich, Nairobi, and Rome are still in the running. However, Nairobi remains the only city on the verge of being awarded for 2029. Rome, on the other hand, is unlikely to be chosen.
It is already clear that one of the two simultaneous world championships after Tokyo 2025 and Beijing 2027 will surely return to Europe, with London being the only one. Munich, however, has been given priority for both World Championships, but has explicitly stated that 2031 is the priority. Rome, in turn, has no chance of being awarded due to the not-so-brightly conducted 2024 European Championships. See also the comment from my colleague Franco Fava (Rom) below.
London has recently proven to be an excellent venue for the 2012 Olympics and the 2017 Athletics World Championships. (Photo / Olaf Brockmann)
First for Africa?
The key question remains whether the World Athletics Council can manage to award the World Championships to Africa for the first time. As a big fan of Kenya, I would be very happy. At the 2017 U18 and 2021 U20 Championships, I was the Press Delegate for the World Athletics in Nairobi.
The enthusiasm was boundless at both World Championships. Unforgettable was the final weekend of the U18 World Championships, when the Kasarani Stadium was sold out and had to be evacuated by the police. However, doubts remain as to whether Nairobi can successfully host a "big" athletics World Championship and whether the security and funding will be guaranteed.
Evaluation panels
The Council consists of 26 members. The British World President Sebastian Coe had already announced that he would not support London's application. In addition, the Council is heavily relying on the report of the Evaluation Panels chaired by the Finn Annti Pihlakoski. This panel has thoroughly examined and internally evaluated all applications in recent years.
London: Stadium Problem Solved
London has recently proven to be an excellent venue for the 2012 Olympics and the 2017 Athletics World Championships. The problem with the stadium's availability due to West Ham United was resolved, but that's also the reason why London is only applying for the 2029 event. A counterargument for London is that it recently hosted a London World Championship. However, in all aspects such as safety, logistics, or funding, London is perfect. The fact that the European Championship in Birmingham was poorly attended in the first days of the event doesn't matter at all. London would be sold out for every evening session.
This would be the third major sporting event in Germany after the World Championships in Stuttgart 1993 and Berlin 2009. (Photo / Olaf Brockmann)
Munich: Modernised Olympic Park
The application with the modernized Olympic stadium in the Munich Olympic Park is also brilliant. The 2022 Athletics World Championships were a complete success in all respects. The city, Bavaria, and the federal government are fully behind the funding. The 2031 date is ideal for Munich, and other major sporting events will also take place in Munich in 2029. In terms of a German Olympic application starting in 2036 (Munich is in the running alongside Berlin and Cologne/Rhein-Ruhr), the application for the cologne Athletics World Championships would be ideal. This would be the third major sporting event in Germany after Stuttgart 1993 and Berlin 2009.
Two in a Row for Europe?
The sequence of London 2029 and Munich 2031 seems quite feasible. This option would guarantee two excellent venues for the World Athletics Championships. The last time this happened was with Paris 2003 and Gothenburg 2005, with two consecutive World Championships in Europe. After that, these title fights were alternately held in Asia, North America, and Europe. As mentioned, Africa would finally be included as well.
Rome has no chance of being awarded due to the not-so-brightly conducted 2024 European Championships. (Photo / Olaf Brockmann)
