After 12-year hiatus, Beijing to host 2027 World Athletics Championships

The 2027 World Athletics Championships will bring the creme de la creme of the track and field back to Beijing, a remarkable 12 years after the Chinese capital impressively hosted the prestigious event. This momentous decision was reached during the 234th World Athletics Council Meeting on Wednesday night, following Italy's withdrawal of its bid to hold the tournament in Rome.

"Congratulations to Beijing on their successful bid to host the World Athletics Championships in 2027, 12 years after our athletes lit up the National Stadium for the 15th edition of our global showpiece," World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said in a statement.

"With a population of more than 1.4 billion, China is one of the biggest sports markets in the world. It was the top performer for Wanda Diamond League broadcast consumption in 2023 with a cumulative audience of 368.9 million. This poses a massive opportunity to grow our sport and fan base in one of the biggest commercial markets in the world."

"With the announcement of China as our next host, our last four World Athletics Championships have now been awarded to the world's four largest economies; the U.S. (Oregon), the EU (Budapest), Japan (Tokyo) and China (Beijing)."

Wang Nan, member of the World Athletics Council and vice president of the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA), expressed gratitude towards World Athletics for their recognition and trust in China and Beijing.  

She further emphasized, "The CAA is fully dedicated to collaborating with the Beijing organizing committee, doing its utmost to prepare for the championships. Our aim is to uphold the highest standards of quality, and we are committed to delivering a spectacular World Athletics Championships."  

"Through this endeavor, we hope to make significant contributions to the global development of athletics and create a memorable event that resonates with the world."

The sentiment was echoed by Zhao Wen, director of the Beijing Sports Bureau. He stated, "After hosting the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Beijing has achieved the distinction of being the first city in the world to have hosted both the summer and winter Olympics. Sports have breathed new life and vitality into this historic capital."

"We eagerly await the return of the World Athletics Family to Beijing, so they may experience the allure of this ancient and modern city. With the guidance and assistance of World Athletics, Beijing will spare no effort in preparing for the championships and delivering an extraordinary athletics event that will captivate the world."