The IAAF has awarded the 2021 World Championships to Eugene, Oregon. It will be the first time a World Championship will be held in the United States.

USATF bid on the 2019 World Championships last September and presented their bid in November of 2014. They eventually lost to Doha, Qatar. However, the IAAF was so impressed with the feedback and support for Eugene that in a special vote at the IAAF Council Meeting (taking place currently in Beijing) they awarded the 2021 championships to Eugene.

“We believe that what we have is an unprecedented opportunity to use the platform of the World Outdoor Championships to take the sport to another level of popularity and visibility and frankly, corporate engagement” said Max Seigel, USATF’s chief executive officer.

“We have enjoyed a long-standing dynamic and innovative partnership with TrackTown USA and the collaboration has been fantastic with all of the events that we have hosted, and the IAAF has been a great partner of ours since we expressed an interest hosting an international event. I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the leadership of our president Stephanie Hightower, the board chair Steve Miller and the hard work that Bob Hersh on the IAAF council did on this bid and others.”

The championships will take place at historic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. “This has all been a long term vision for the sport of track and field and the United States,” Vin Lananna said. Lananna, who has played a huge part in helping the U.S. secure major track and field events, mentioned hosting the Olympic Trials in 2008 and 2012, World Junior Championships in 2014, as well as countless NCAA and USATF National Championships as a part of this vision.

However, the seating capacity is likely to stir controversy. According to goducks.com, the seating capacity is that of 10,500. It is expandable, and Lananna mentioned a specific timeline of the Hayward Field expansion.

“Now that we know the specifications, and what we’re aiming to get done, our goal is fully engaged in the NCAAs for the next seven years and our priority to host the nationals in 2015 and the Olympic Trials in 2016," Lananna said. "What we will be doing is we’ll be looking at all those different events on our calendar and come up with a sensible way to work around it, so our hope is to begin sometime after the Olympic Trials in 2016.”