Botswana will host the 2026 World Athletics Relays, scheduled to take place in the capital city of Gaborone on 2-3 May 2026, the World Athletics announced.
Botswana becomes the first African country to host the prestigious event, and it marks the first time the Southern African country will host a senior world event in any sport.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at the 237th World Athletics Council Meeting in Nanjing, China, with the council also awarding the 2028 World Athletics Relays to Nassau in The Bahamas (22-23 April 2028) and the 2026 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships to Brasília in Brazil on 12 April 2026.
The World Athletics Council confirmed the hosts for three World Athletics Series events and made a series of other decisions during the 237th World Athletics Council Meeting in Nanjing, China, on 24-25 March.
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) March 25, 2025
“I am delighted that Botswana’s commitment to athletics, both through their elite athletes and their event hosting capabilities, has led them to hosting the World Athletics Relays next year,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
“This is the fourth World Championship event Africa has staged over the last decade, in addition to the Diamond League and Continental Tour Gold events, and we are seeing a real increase in experience, expertise and skills.”
Jacob Kelebeng, Minister of Sport and Arts, said: “This is a moment of immense pride for Botswana. The World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 will ignite a national passion, drawing the world to our shores and showcasing our unique spirit. We humbly welcome athletes and fans alike, knowing that this event will inspire generations and leave a lasting legacy of triumph and unity.”
Botswana has enjoyed success in global athletics with the emergence of stars like Letsile Tebogo, the reigning Olympic 200-metre champion. The men’s 4x400m relay team are the reigning world relays champions having won gold at the 2024 event held in the Bahamas before clinching a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
They will be looking to defend their title at the upcoming 2025 World Athletics Relays to be held in Guangzhou, China in May.
