Following the success of 2012 and 2017, London is aiming to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. This could force West Ham to temporarily vacate their stadium in the middle of the Premier League season.

Government support and World Athletics' ambitions

Last week, the UK government officially announced financial support for the bid to host the athletics championship. £35 million is to come from the Treasury, with another £10 million added by the Mayor of London’s office. That’s a total of £45 million in public funds, aimed at helping prepare London Stadium to serve as host of one of the biggest events in the global sporting calendar.

A new initiative from World Athletics positions the World Championships as the grand finale of the international track and field season, meaning the event is likely to take place in September 2029 — overlapping with the start of the 2029/30 Premier League season. While formal bids will also include alternative dates in July and August, September remains the preferred option for World Athletics.

© London Stadium

West Ham left without a roof?

For West Ham, this could mean a forced exit from their home ground for two or three weeks mid-season. While the conversion of the seating layout to accommodate an athletics track is now faster — reduced from 15 to around 4 days — the full process still takes time. Additional days are needed for preparations, the event itself, and the post-event reconfiguration.

According to organisers, the stadium would likely be unavailable for football for up to three weeks. In practice, this would require West Ham to play all matches away from home during that period. Although such solutions are sometimes used during stadium renovations, they pose a major logistical challenge when aligned with a packed fixture list and international breaks.

Contract clauses and delicate cooperation

According to The Times, the agreement governing the use of London Stadium allows for a limited number of major global sporting events to take precedence over football matches. In effect, this means that the World Athletics Championships could take over the stadium even at the expense of Premier League fixtures.

We are delighted that London Stadium is seen as a potential venue for the World Athletics Championships in 2029, one of the biggest events on the world sporting calendar. The 2017 Championships we hosted to sold-out crowds were a huge success, bringing investment and more than £100million in economic benefits to London, said a spokesperson for the venue.

However, they added that the bidding process is early days in the process for 2029 and full details of any bid are to be developed, including potential dates for the event. The spokesperson also assured that the stadium will work closely with West Ham and all other stakeholders to make sure any benefits to the venue, city and country are considered fully alongside all other requirements.

© London Stadium

Third time in London?

There’s a ton of work. But to get to the start line, it feels great. And that level of backing and support is massive really. London has the crowd, the energy, the passion for the sport. This place touches a real deep emotional chord, people remember 2012 and 2017. It kind of feels like a home of the sport really, said UK Athletics chief Jack Buckner.

The 2017 championships were held before capacity crowds and delivered real financial benefits for the city. According to organisers, their total economic impact exceeded £100 million.

The final decision on the host city for the 2029 World Athletics Championships will be made next year. London is not the only contender, as World Athletics is also considering other cities.