Kigali is making history this week as it hosts the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, the first time cycling’s most prestigious annual event has been staged on African soil. The Rwandan capital will welcome 919 riders from 110 nations between 21 and 28 September, alongside more than 5,000 international guests, in what is being hailed as a landmark moment for the sport and for the continent.
For decades the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has aspired to bring the Road World Championships to Africa, recognising the region’s untapped talent and growing enthusiasm for cycling. Rwanda has now delivered on that ambition, positioning itself at the heart of world cycling. Johnston Busingye, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Malta and Ireland, described the occasion as a milestone that reflects Rwanda’s journey of transformation and resilience. He said it demonstrated the country’s ability to welcome the world, with Kigali standing ready as a modern, dynamic city capable of hosting events of the highest international standard.
The scale of the Championships underscores its global reach. Competitors have flown in from across the world, with 38 African nations represented alongside 35 from Europe, 20 from the Americas, 16 from Asia and three from Oceania. The event unites seasoned professionals and rising stars in a spirit of competition and camaraderie. Kigali’s undulating terrain, framed by striking hills, will provide one of the most demanding courses in recent memory, with steep climbs and rapid descents ensuring the racing will be as much about endurance as tactical skill.
Among the participants is Team Great Britain, whose presence reflects the deepening ties between Rwanda and the United Kingdom. Beyond sport, both nations have sought to strengthen cooperation across diplomacy, trade and cultural exchange. Their collaboration in cycling underlines the broader potential of these partnerships.
While the races capture the world’s attention, organisers and officials are keen to emphasise the broader legacy of the event. Hosting the Championships has already spurred investment in Kigali’s infrastructure, including upgraded road networks and enhanced hospitality facilities. Tourism authorities predict a surge in visitors not only during the event but in the months to come, as Rwanda’s profile as a sporting and cultural destination grows. The Championships are also expected to inspire a new generation of African cyclists, offering young riders a vision of the world stage from within their own continent.
Busingye stressed that the event is about more than one week of competition. To him it symbolises partnerships, opportunity and inspiration. It shows young cyclists across Rwanda, Africa and beyond that their dreams have no limits.
For Rwanda, the symbolism of hosting such a globally significant occasion is profound. The country has worked hard to position itself as a hub for international conferences and sporting spectacles as part of a wider strategy to foster diplomacy, investment and cultural exchange. By staging the Road World Championships, Rwanda not only asserts itself within world cycling but also highlights its capacity for resilience and reinvention on the global stage.
As the races unfold across Kigali’s streets, the Championships stand as a reminder of the unifying power of sport, its ability to bring nations together, forge friendships and create lasting change. “Hosting this event is about where Rwanda is today, but also where we are going,” Busingye said. “Forward with hope, ambition and a spirit of unity.”
By Johnston Busingye
The High Commissioner of Rwanda to the United Kingdom, Malta and Ireland.
