Athletics Kenya has unveiled its 2026–2027 competition calendar, outlining a season of cross-country, track and field, road running and mountain running as Kenyan athletes prepare for major international championships, including the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China.
The calendar, drafted on October 27, 2026, features competitions across Kenya and international venues through December 2027, with national championships and selection trials forming key stages of the programme.
The season began on October 24 with the first Athletics Kenya Cross Country Weekend Meeting at Machakos Teachers Training College. The opening fixture marked the start of the federation’s preparations for the Beijing championships, with reports earlier in October saying that the cross-country and track-and-field series would provide athletes with a structured pathway towards national selection and international competition.
The Machakos meeting featured senior and junior races as athletes began assessing their form and endurance for the season. Fredrick Chebii and Emmaculate Jepkosgei won the senior men’s and women’s 10km races, respectively, at the opening event.
The cross-country programme will continue at different venues before the National Cross Country Championships on February 13, 2027, at Lobo Village in Eldoret. According to Athletics Kenya’s calendar, the championships will also serve as trials for the African Cross Country Championships scheduled for March 20 in Mbabane, Eswatini.
The federation has scheduled its National Championships for June 24–26, 2027, at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru. The event will be followed by national trials for the World Athletics Championships and the African Games, listed for July 29–31 at Kipchoge Stadium in Eldoret.
The calendar also identifies the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, United States, on July 3 as a trials event for the women’s 5,000 metres and men’s 10,000 metres ahead of the Beijing championships.
World Athletics has confirmed that the 2027 World Athletics Championships will take place from September 10–19 at Beijing’s National Stadium. The dates were adjusted from the previously scheduled September 11–19, making the federation’s published calendar outdated on the opening date.
Other international competitions listed include the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Yangzhou, China, on March 28, 2027, and the African Games in Cairo, Egypt.
The domestic programme also features the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour Gold meeting at Nyayo National Stadium on April 30, 2027, alongside numerous road races, community runs and mountain-running events.
The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon is scheduled for October 31, 2027, while the Chepsaita Cross Country Tour Gold meeting is listed for December 4, 2027.
Athletics Kenya says the programme is intended to provide a structured and competitive environment for athletes at all levels while working with affiliates, event organisers and other stakeholders to promote the growth and development of athletics in the country.
