See also: World championship and World cup.
The following is a list of world sports championships, including some sporting events which use a different name with a similar meaning. In some sports, there is a world series, but that term usually has a somewhat different meaning.
Tournaments which are formally defunct or where a further event is not currently planned are marked with a gray background.
Sport ! Competition name | Competing entities ! First held | Current holder ! Next | Frequency ! Details and notes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Air racing | Red Bull Air Race World Championship | Individuals | 2003 | Matt Hall (2019) | Defunct | Annual | Not held in 2011–2013, discontinued for 2020 | |
Auto racing | ||||||||
Formula One World Championship | Max Verstappen | Annual | Most wins:Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton 7, Juan Manuel Fangio 5 | |||||
Red Bull Racing | Most wins:Ferrari 16, McLaren 9, Williams 8 | |||||||
Individuals | Kévin Estre (2024) André Lotterer (2024) | Annual | ||||||
Manufacturers | Toyota (2024) | |||||||
Individuals | Nasser Al Attiyah &<br> Édouard Boulanger (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Co-sanctioned with FIM; replaced World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies | ||||
Teams | Toyota Gazoo Racing (2024) | |||||||
Individuals | 2002 | Nasser Al Attiyah &<br> Mathieu Baumel (2023) | Annual | Baja events split off from cross-country rally competition after original bajas competition was combined with rallies world cup in 2012. | ||||
Teams | Overdrive Racing (2023) | |||||||
Individuals | Thierry Neuville (2024) | Annual | ||||||
Manufacturers | Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT (2024) | |||||||
Individuals | Norbert Michelisz (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||||
Manufacturers | Cyan Racing Lynk & Co (2024) | |||||||
1964 | Ethan Jeff-Hall (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||||
Giuseppe Palomba (2024) | Annual | |||||||
Intercontinental Drifting Cup | Individuals | 2017 | James Deane (2021) | 2022 | Annual | |||
Individuals | 2014 | Pascal Wehrlein (2023–24) | Annual | |||||
Closed cars | 2000 | Janusz Grzyb (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
Competition Cars | Sébastien Petit (2024) | |||||||
Individuals | 2015 | Raphaël Astier (2022) | 2023 | Annual | ||||
RX1 | 2014 | Johan Kristoffersson (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
RX2 | Nils Andersson (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||||
MotoE Individual | 2019 | Héctor Garzó (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
Moto3 Individual | 2012 | David Alonso (2024) | Until 2012 as 125cc | |||||
Moto2 Individual | 2010 | Ai Ogura (2024) | Until 2010 as 250cc | |||||
MotoGP Individual | 2002 | Jorge Martín (2024) | Until 2002 as 500cc | |||||
Moto3 Constructor | 2012 | CFMoto (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
Moto2 Constructor | 2010 | Kalex (2024) | ||||||
MotoGP Constructor | 2002 | Ducati (2024) | ||||||
Individuals | 1974 | Jett Lawrence (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
Motocross World Championship | MXGP Individual | 2003 | Jorge Prado (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||
MX2 Individual | 2003 | Kay de Wolf (2024) | ||||||
MXGP Constructor | 2003 | Honda (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
MX2 Constructor | 2003 | Husqvarna (2024) | ||||||
World Rally-Raid Championship | Riders | 2022 | Luciano Benavides (2023) | 2024 | Annual | Co-sanctioned with FIA; replaced Cross-Country Rallies World Championship | ||
Manufacturers | 2022 | Monster Energy Honda (2023) | ||||||
FIM Bajas World Cup | Riders | 2012 | Mohammed Al-Balooshi (2023) | 2024 | Annual | |||
Manufacturers | 2012 | KTM (2023) | ||||||
FIM World Enduro Championship | E1 | 2004 | Josep García (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||
E2 | 2004 | Andrea Verona (2024) | ||||||
E3 | 2004 | Brad Freeman (2024) | ||||||
Pairs | 1980 | Marvin Vanluchene &<br /> Glenn Janssens (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
Speedway World Team Cup (1960–2000) Speedway World Cup (2001–2017, 2023) Speedway of Nations (since 2018) | National Team | Great Britain (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
Individual Speedway World Championship (1936–1994) Speedway Grand Prix (since 1995) | Individuals | Bartosz Zmarzlik (2024) | Annual | |||||
Individuals[1] | Martin Haarahiltunen (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||||
Pairs | Todd Ellis (driver) &<br /> Emmanuelle Clément (passenger) (2023) | 2024 | Annual | |||||
Team | 1975 | Yamaha Austria Racing Team (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||||
Individuals | Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (2024) | Annual | ||||||
Manufacturers | Ducati (2024) | |||||||
Individuals | Adrián Huertas (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||||
Manufacturers | Ducati (2024) | |||||||
Individuals | 1985 | Maciej Pospieszyński (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||||
Nations | Germany (2024) | |||||||
Individuals | 1937 | Winners in 3 classes (2024) | 2025 | Annual | The duration between World Gliding Championships varies slightly, dependent on the hemisphere of the next planned edition. | |||
Paragliding | Paragliding World Cup | Individual | 1992 | Honorin Hamard (2022) | 2023 | Annual | ||
Practical shooting | IPSC Handgun World Shoots | Individuals | 1975 | Eric Grauffel (2022) Camilla Almici (2022) | 2025 | Triennial | Winner(s) of largest division(s) | |
Motorboat racing < | -- | Individual Boats | 1992 | Team Abu Dhabi (2016) | 2017 | Annual | ||
Individual | 1981 | Jonas Andersson (2023) | Annual | 2020 Season got cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
Individual | 1996 | Samuel Johansson (Runabout GP1), 2024 Quinten Bossche (Ski Division GP1 Man), 2024 Jasmiin Üpraus (Ski Division Woman), 2024 Rashid Al Mulla (Freestyle), 2024 | 2025 | Annual | 2020 Season was made of only one GP as all the remaining GP were cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
Sailing | Class World Championships | Individuals and Teams | Annual | The majority of sailing 100+ Annual World Championships are none gender specific | ||||
Sport ! Competition name | Competing entities ! First held | Current holder ! Next | Frequency ! Details and notes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aikido | Aikido World Championships | Individuals | 1989 | Ikeda Hiroki (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Alpine skiing | FIS Alpine World Ski Championships | Individuals | 1931 | Winners in 6 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
FIS Alpine Ski World Cup | Individuals | 1967 | Marco Odermatt (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Nations | Switzerland (2023–24) | ||||||
American football | IFAF World Championship | Nations | 1999 | (2015) | 2025 | Quadrennial | Not held in 2019 |
Aquatics | Swimming at the World Aquatics Championships | Individuals | 1973 | Winners in 20 events (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Diving at the World Aquatics Championships | Individuals | 1973 | Winners in 5 events (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Synchronised swimming at the World Aquatics Championships | Individuals | 2023 | Winners in 2 events (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Open water swimming at the World Aquatics Championships | Individuals | 1991 | Winners in 2 events (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
High diving at the World Aquatics Championships | Individuals | 2013 | Aidan Heslop (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) | Individuals | 1993 | Winners in 23 events (2022) | 2024 | Biennial | ||
World Aquatics Swimming World Cup | Individuals | 1988–89 | Léon Marchand (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
World Aquatics Diving World Cup | Individuals | 1979 | Winners in 4 events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
FINA Marathon Swim World Series | Individuals | 2007 | Marc-Antoine Olivier (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series | Individuals | 2009 | Aidan Heslop (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Archery | World Archery Championships | Individuals & Nations | 1931 | Winners in 4 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Archery World Cup | Individual recurve | 2006 | Kim Woo-jin (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Individual compound | James Lutz (2024) | ||||||
World Field Archery Championships | Individuals & Nations | 1969 | Winners in 4 events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
World 3D Archery Championships | Individuals & Nations | 2003 | Winners in 5 events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
Artistic roller skating | Artistic Skating World Championships | Individuals | 1980 | Alessandro Liberatore (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in 2020 |
Athletics | World Athletics Championships | Individuals | 1983 | Winners in 24 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | 1983–1991 held quadrennially, biennially starting 1993 |
World Athletics Indoor Championships | Individuals | 1985 | Winners in 13 events (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
World Athletics Cross Country Championships | Individuals | 1973 | Jacob Kiplimo (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
Teams | Kenya (2024) | ||||||
World Mountain and Trail Running Championships | Individuals | 1985 | Winners in 10 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
World Athletics Road Running Championships | Individuals | 1992 | Sabastian Sawe (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | Annually until 2010 | |
Team | 1992 | (2023) | |||||
World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships | Individual & Nations | 1961 | Winners in 4 events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
World Athletics Relays | Nations | 2014 | Winners in 2 events (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
IAU 50 km World Championships | Individuals | 2005 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | 2017, 2018 not held | |
IAU 100 km World Championships | Individuals | 1987 | Haruki Okayama (2022) | 2023 | Annual | ||
IAU 24 Hour World Championship | Individuals | 2001 | Aleksandr Sorokin (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Teams | 2003 | Lithuania (2023) | |||||
IAAF World Marathon Cup | Individuals | 1985 | 2011 | Defunct | Biennial | ||
Badminton | BWF World Championships | Singles | 1977 | Kunlavut Vitidsarn (2023) | 2025 | Annual | Annually since 2006; Not held in Summer Olympic years. |
Doubles | Kang Min-hyuk & Seo Seung-jae (2023) | ||||||
Thomas Cup | Nations | 1949 | (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | Since 1984, it has been held concurrently with the women's Uber Cup. Most wins: 14, 11, 5 | |
Ball Hockey | Ball Hockey World Championship | Nations | 1996 | Canada (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Bandy | Bandy World Championship | Nations | 1957 | (2023) | 2025 | Annual | The second Bandy WCs were held in 1961; from that point, the championships were held biennially until 2003; and annually ever since. |
Baseball | World Baseball Classic | Nations | 2006 | (2023) | 2026 | Triennial | Started in 1938 (as IBAF Baseball World Cup); Restarted in 2006; the first two of these modern WBCs (MLB approved and sanctioned by WBSC) were separated by three years (2006, 2009); moved to quadrennially until 2017. 2021 postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most wins: 3, and 1 |
Baseball World Cup | Nations | 1938 | (2011) | Defunct | Biennial until 2011 | ||
WBSC Premier12 | Nations | 2015 | (2024) | 2027 | Quadrennial | ||
Baseball5 | Baseball5 World Cup | Nations | 2024 | (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Basketball | FIBA Basketball World Cup | Nations | 1950 | (2023) | 2027 | Quadrennial | Following the 2014 edition, the FIBA Basketball World Cup (but not the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup) has been reset on a new quadrennial cycle. The 2014 (men's) World Cup will be followed by the 2019 World Cup, avoiding conflict with the FIFA World Cup. Most wins: 5, 5, 3 |
FIBA 3x3 World Cup | Nations | 2012 | (2023) | 2025 | Annual | Biennial until 2016 | |
FIBA Intercontinental Cup | Clubs | 1966 | Unicaja (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Beach handball | World Men's Beach Handball Championship | Nations | 2004 | Croatia (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Beach soccer | FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup | Nations | 2005 | (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | Most wins: 6, 3, 2 |
Beach volleyball | FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships | Nations | 1997 | Perušič – Schweiner (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Biathlon | Biathlon World Championships | Individuals & Teams | 1958 | Winners in 5 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic Years |
Summer Biathlon World Championships | Individuals | 1996 | Winners in 3 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Cancelled in 2020 | |
Biathlon World Cup | Individuals overall | 1977–78 | Johannes Thingnes Bø (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Nations | 2000–01 | Norway (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | |||
Billiards & Pool | WPA World Eight-ball Championship | Individuals | 2004 | Joshua Filler (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
WPA World Blackball Championship | Individuals | 2006 | Gavin Robinson (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
WPA World Nine-ball Championship | Individuals | 1990 | Fedor Gorst (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
WPA World Ten-ball Championship | Individuals | 2008 | Carlo Biado (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
World Billiards Championship (English billiards) | Individuals | 1870 | David Causier (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
IBSF World Billiards Championship (English billiards) | Individuals | 1926 | Pankaj Advani (2022) | 2023 | Annual | ||
World Cup of Pool | Individuals | 2006 | James Aranas & Johann Chua (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
Bobsleigh | IBSF World Championships | Four man | 1930 | Francesco Friedrich Thorsten Margis Alexander Schüller Felix Straub (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic years |
Two man | 1931 | Francesco Friedrich Alexander Schüller (2024) | |||||
Bobsleigh World Cup | Individuals | 1984–85 | Francesco Friedrich (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Bodybuilding | Mr. Olympia | Open | 1965 | Samson Dauda (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Classic Physique | 2016 | Chris Bumstead (2024) | |||||
212 | 2008 | Keone Pearson (2024) | |||||
Men's Physique | 2013 | Ryan Terry (2024) | |||||
Bowling (ten-pin) | WTBA World Tenpin Bowling Championships | Nations | 1954 | Winners in 4 events (2021) | 2022 | Annual | Biennially until 2010 |
QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup | Individuals | 1965 | Robin Ilhammar (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Bowls | World Bowls Championship | Individuals and Teams | 1966 | Winners in 5 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
World Indoor Bowls Championships | Singles | 1979 | Stewart Anderson (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Pairs | Stewart Anderson & Darren Burnett (2024) | ||||||
Boxing | World Amateur Boxing Championships | Individuals | 1974 | Winners in 13 weight classes (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Canoeing | ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships | Individuals | 1938 | Winners in 8 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships | Individuals and Teams | 1949 | Winners in 5 events (2023) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years | |
Canoe Slalom World Cup | Individuals | 1988 | Winners in 3 disciplines (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
ICF Canoe Polo World Championships | Nations | 1994 | Germany (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships | Individuals | 1988 | Winners in 6 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Wildwater Canoeing World Championships | Individuals | 1959 | Winners in 6 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Climbing | IFSC Climbing World Championships | Individuals | 1991 | Winners in 4 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
IFSC Climbing World Cup | Individuals & Nations | 1989 | Winners in 3 disciplines (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Cricket | ICC Cricket World Cup (ODI format) | Nations | 1975 | (2023) | 2027 | Quadrennial | Most wins: 6, 2, 2,,, 1 each |
ICC Men's T20 World Cup (T20I format) | Nations | 2007 | (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | Changed from odd-numbered years (2007–2009) to even-numbered years (2010–2016). Biennial until 2016. Quadrennial since 2016. Biennial since 2022. Most wins: 2, 2, 2, multiple countries 1 | |
ICC World Test Championship (Test format) | Nations | 2019–21 | (2021–23) | 2023–25 | Biennial | 2 year league format concluding with the final | |
ICC Champions Trophy | Nations | 1998 | (2017) | 2025 | Quadrennial | Biennial until 2017. Quadrennial since 2025. | |
Cross-country skiing | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | Individuals and Teams | 1925 | Winners in 6 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
FIS Cross-Country World Cup | Individuals | 1973–74 | Harald Østberg Amundsen (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
CrossFit | CrossFit Games | Individuals | 2007 | James Sprague (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Curling | World Curling Championships | Nations | 1959 | Sweden (2024) | 2025 | Annual | 2020 cancellation, Most wins: Canada 36, Sweden 12, Scotland 6 |
Cycling | UCI Road World Championships | Road race | 1927 | Tadej Pogačar (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Time trial | 1994 | Remco Evenepoel (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships | Individuals | 1950 | Mathieu van der Poel (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
UCI Mountain Bike World Championships | Individuals | 1990 | Winners in 4 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup | Cross-country | 1990 | Alan Hatherly (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Downhill | 1993 | Loïc Bruni (2024) | |||||
UCI Urban Cycling World Championships | Individuals | 2017 | Park: Kieran Reilly (2023) Flatland: Yu Shoji (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
UCI Track Cycling World Championships | Individuals & Nations | 1893 | Winners in 11 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships | Individuals | 2003 | Simon Andreassen (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
UCI Trials World Championships | Individuals | 1986 | Men's trials, 20 inch: Alejandro Montalvo (2023) Men's trials, 26 inch: Jack Carthy (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
UCI BMX World Championships | Individuals | 1982 | Joris Daudet (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships | Individuals | 1956 | Emilio Arellano (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup | Individuals & Nations | 2021 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup | Individuals | 1993–94 | Eli Iserbyt (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
UCI BMX Supercross World Cup | Individuals | 2010 | Izaac Kennedy (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Darts | |||||||
BDO World Darts Championship | Individuals | 1978 | Wayne Warren (2020) | Defunct | Annual | Replaced by WDF World Darts Championship | |
WDF World Darts Championship | Individuals | 2022 | Andy Baetens (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
PDC World Darts Championship | Individuals | 1994 | Luke Humphries (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Most wins: Phil Taylor 14, Michael van Gerwen 3, Gary Anderson 2 | |
PDC World Cup of Darts | Doubles | 2010 | Luke Humphries & Michael Smith (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Most wins: England 4, Netherlands 4, Wales 2 | |
WDF World Cup | Nations | 1977 | Netherlands (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | The WDF World Cup was first contested in 1977, but a women's championship was not added until 1983 | |
Dodgeball | Dodgeball World Championship | Nations - Foam | 2012 | United States (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Nations - Cloth | 2019 | Austria (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |||
Fencing | World Fencing Championships | Individuals and Teams | 1921 | Winners in 6 events (2023) | 2025 | Annual | Championships are not held for Olympic events in Summer Olympic years |
Fencing World Cup | Individuals and Nations | 1972 | (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Field hockey | FIH Hockey World Cup | Nations | 1971 | (2023) | 2026 | Quadrennial | Most wins: 4, 3, 3, 3 |
Men's Indoor Hockey World Cup | Nations | 2003 | Austria (2023) | 2025 | Quadrennial | Most wins: Germany 3, Austria 2, Netherlands 1 | |
FIH Men's Hockey5s World Cup | Nations | 2024 | Netherlands (2024) | 2028 | Quadrennial | ||
Figure skating | World Figure Skating Championships | Individuals | 1896 | Ilia Malinin (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Finswimming | Finswimming World Championships | Individuals | 1976 | Winners in 17 events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Fistball | Fistball World Championships | Nations | 1968 | Germany (2023) | 2027 | Quadrennial | |
Flag football | IFAF Flag Football World Championship | Nations | 2002 | United States (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Floorball | World Floorball Championships | Nations | 1996 | Sweden (2022) | 2024 | Biennial | |
Freediving | AIDA World Championship | Individuals | 2005 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Team | 1996 | (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |||
Freerunning & Parkour | Parkour World Championships | Individuals | 2022 | Winners in 2 events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Freestyle Skiing | FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships | Individuals | 1986 | Winners in 7 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Football | FIFA World Cup | Nations | 1930 | (2022) | 2026 | Quadrennial | Most wins: 5, 4, 4 |
FIFA Club World Cup | Clubs | 2000 | Manchester City (2023) | 2025 | Quadrennial | Annual until 2023, Most wins: Real Madrid 5, Barcelona 3, Corinthians 2, Bayern Munich 2 | |
FIFA Intercontinental Cup | Clubs | 2024 | 2024 | Annual | |||
Futsal | FIFA Futsal World Cup | Nations | 1989 | (2024) | 2028 | Quadrennial | Most wins: 6, 2, 1, 1 |
AMF Futsal World Cup | Nations | 1982 | (2023) | 2027 | Quadrennial | Originally a triennial event, held quadrennially after 2003 | |
Golf | Mission Hills World Cup | Nations | 1953 | (2018) | 2021 | Biennial | |
World Golf Championships | WGC Championship | 1999 | Collin Morikawa (2021) | Defunct | Annual | ||
WGC Match Play | 1999 | Sam Burns (2023) | 2024 | Annual | |||
WGC Invitational | 1999 | Abraham Ancer (2021) | Defunct | Annual | |||
WGC-HSBC Champions | 2005 | Rory McIlroy (2019) | Defunct | Annual | |||
Gymnastics | World Artistic Gymnastics Championships | Individuals & Teams | 1903 | Winners in 8 events (2023) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in Olympic Years |
Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships | Individual & Teams | 1964 | Winners in 7 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships | Pair and Group | 1974 | Winners in 6 events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
Aerobic Gymnastics World Championships | Individuals | 1995 | Winners in 8 events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
Artistic Gymnastics World Cup | Individuals | 1975 | Winners in various events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Handball | IHF World Men's Handball Championship | Nations | 1938 | (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | Most wins: 6, 4, 4 |
IHF Super Globe | Clubs | 1997 | Veszprém (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Hyrox | Hyrox World Championships | Individuals | 2018–19 | Alexander Roncevic (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | |
Ice Climbing | UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup | Individuals | 2000 | (2023) | 2024 | Annual | |
UIAA Ice Climbing World Championships | Individuals | 2002 | (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
Ice hockey | IIHF World Championship | Nations | 1920 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held from 1940 to 1946 during World War II. Cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most wins: 28, and 27, and 13, 11 |
World Cup of Hockey | Nations | 1976 (as Canada Cup) | (2016) | Unknown | Quadrennial | ||
Inline hockey | IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship | Nations | 1996 | (2017) | Defunct | Annual | The IIHF cancelled the championship in 2019 and can no longer govern inline hockey.[2] |
FIRS Inline Hockey World Championships | Nations | 1995 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Judo | World Judo Championships | Individuals | 1956 | Winners in 7 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Kabaddi | IKF Kabaddi World Cup (Standard style) | Nations | 2004 | India (2016) | 2025 | Quadrennial | |
IKF Kabaddi World Cup (Circle style) | Nations | 2010 | Pakistan (2020) | 2024 | Quadrennial | ||
Karate | Karate World Championships | Individuals & Teams | 1970 | Winners in 8 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Kickboxing | W.A.K.O. Amateur Kickboxing World Championships | Individuals | 1978 | Winners in various weight classes (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Lacrosse | World Lacrosse Championship | Nations | 1967 | (2023) | 2027 | Quadrennial | |
World Lacrosse Box Championships | Nations | 2003 | (2024) | 2028 | Quadrennial | ||
Luge | FIL World Luge Championships | Men's singles | 1955 | Max Langenhan (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Men's doubles | 1955 | Juri Gatt Riccardo Schöpf (2024) | |||||
FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships | Men's singles | 1979 | Alex Gruber (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Men's doubles | 1979 | Patrick Lambacher Matthias Lambacher (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |||
Minifootball | WMF World Cup | Nations | 2015 | Romania (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Modern pentathlon | World Modern Pentathlon Championships | Individual | 1949 | Csaba Bőhm (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Team | 1949 | Hungary (2024) | |||||
Relay | 2004 | South Korea (2024) | |||||
Modern Pentathlon World Cup | Individuals | 1999 | Winners in 5 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Mountain and Trail running | World Mountain and Trail Running Championships | Individuals | 2021 | Winners in 10 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
World Mountain Running Championships | Individuals | 1985 | Joseph Gray (2019) | Defunct | Annual | ||
IAU Trail World Championships | Individuals | 2007 | Jonathan Albon (2019) | Defunct | Annual | ||
Nordic Combined | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | Individuals & Nation | 1925 | Winners in 3 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
FIS Nordic Combined World Cup | Individuals | 1983–84 | Jarl Magnus Riiber (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Orienteering | World Orienteering Championships | Individuals | 1966 | Winners in 2 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Originally biennially, annually since 2003 |
Orienteering World Cup | Individuals | 1986 | Kasper Fosser (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Unofficial title cups held in 1983 and 1984 (first official cup in 1986); held biennially until 2004, now annually | |
World Ski Orienteering Championships | Individuals | 1975 | Winners in various events (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships | Individuals | 2002 | Winners in various events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
World Trail Orienteering Championships | Individuals | 2004 | Winners in various events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Padel tennis | Padel World Championship | Nations | 1992 | Argentina (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Pickleball | World Pickleball Championships | Nations | 2019 | (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Polo | World Polo Championship | Nations | 1987 | (2022) | 2026 | Triennial | Most wins: 5, 3, 2 |
Powerlifting | World Powerlifting Championship | Individuals | 2011 | Winners in various weight classes (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Racquetball | Racquetball World Championships | Nations | 1981 | United States (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Rogaining | World Rogaining Championships | Teams | 1992 | Timmo Tammemäe & Sander Linnus (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Roll Ball | Roll Ball World Cup | Nations | 2011 | Kenya (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Roller derby | Men's Roller Derby World Cup | Teams | 2014 | United States (2018) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Roller hockey | Roller Hockey World Cup | Nations | 1936 | Spain (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | Current FIRS cups restarted in 1958 |
Roller Hockey Intercontinental Cup | Clubs | 1983 | FC Barcelona (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
Rowing | World Rowing Championships | Nations | 1962 | Winners in 3 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Championships are not held for Olympic/Paralympic events in Summer Olympic/Paralympic years |
World Rowing Cup | Nations | 1997 | Winners in varying numbers of events per stage (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Three stages | |
World Indoor Rowing Championships | Individuals and teams | 2018 | Winners in 5 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Rugby league | Rugby League World Cup | Nations | 1954 | (2021) | 2026 | Quadrennial | Quadrennial after 2013, Most wins: 12, 3, 1 |
Rugby union | Rugby World Cup | Nations | 1987 | (2023) | 2027 | Quadrennial | Most wins: 4, 3, 2, 1 |
Rugby sevens | Rugby World Cup Sevens | Nations | 1993 | (2022) | 2026 | Quadrennial | In June 2013, World Rugby (then known as the International Rugby Board) announced that it had reconsidered a previous decision to scrap the Rugby World Cup Sevens. After 2013, the next event will be in 2018, and will be held quadrennially afterwards.[3] |
Sailing | World championships in sailing | Individuals and Pairs | N/A | N/A | N/A | Multiple Annual | Sailing hold multiple male only events See Here mainly in the Olympic discipline |
Sambo | World Sambo Championships | Individuals | 1973 | Winners in various weight classes (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Sepak Takraw | ISTAF World Cup | Nations | 2011 | Thailand (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |
Seven-a-side football | Kings World Cup Nations | Nations | 2025 | 2025 | Annual | ||
Kings World Cup | Clubs | 2024 | Porcinos FC (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Shooting | ISSF World Shooting Championships | Individuals & Nations | 1897 | Winners in 28 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
ISSF World Shotgun Championships | Individuals & Nations | 1934 | Winners in 4 events (2022) | 2023 | Biennial | ||
World Running Target Championships | Individuals & Team | 1961 | (Winners in 10 events) (2022) | 2024 | Quadrennial | ||
ISSF World Cup | Individuals | 1986 | China (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Skateboarding | World Skateboarding Championship | Park | 2016 | Augusto Akio (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Street | 2010 | Toa Sasaki (2024) | 2025 | ||||
Skeleton | IBSF World Championships | Individual | 1982 | Christopher Grotheer (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic years |
Skeleton World Cup | Individual | 1986–87 | Matt Weston (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Ski jumping | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | Individuals & Teams | 1962 | Winners in 3 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
FIS Ski Flying World Championships | Individuals | 1972 | Stefan Kraft (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
National Team | 2004 | Slovenia (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |||
FIS Ski Jumping World Cup | Individuals | 1979–80 | Stefan Kraft (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Snooker | World Snooker Championship | Individuals | 1927 | Kyren Wilson (2024) | 2025 | Annual | This championship is open to both sexes, but no woman has ever won the event.[4] Most wins in modern era: Stephen Hendry 7, Steve Davis 6, Ronnie O'Sullivan 7 |
IBSF World Snooker Championship | Individuals | 1963 | Muhammad Asif (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Also known as the World Amateur Snooker Championship | |
Six-red World Championship | Individuals | 2008 | Ding Junhui (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
Snooker World Cup | Individuals | 1979 | John Higgins&Stephen Maguire (2019) | Defunct | Annual | ||
Snowboarding | FIS Snowboard World Championships | Individuals | 1996 | Winners in 6 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
FIS Snowboard World Cup | Individuals | 1994 | Winners in 6 disciplines (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Softball | Men's Softball World Cup | Nations | 1966 | (2022) | 2025 | Triennial | Quadrennially from 1970 to 2010, biennially till 2019, now triennially |
Speed skating | World Allround Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1889 | Jordan Stolz (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
World Sprint Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1970 | Ning Zhongyan (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
World Single Distance Championships | Individuals and Teams | 1996 | Winners in 8 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | In Winter Olympic years, the World Single Distance Championships are not held | |
World Short Track Speed Skating Championships | Individuals and Teams | 1976 | Winners in 4 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Although the International Skating Union did not conduct an official World Short Track Championship until 1981, it began organising international events in 1976. All annual ISU-sanctioned international championships from 1976 to 1980 are now retrospectively recognised as World Championships | |
World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships | Nations | 1991 | (2011) | Defunct | Annual | Discontinued after 2011 | |
Squash | PSA World Championship | Individuals | 1976 | Diego Elías (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
World International Doubles Squash Championships | Doubles teams | 1997 | Elliott Lowe & Raphael Segal (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
WSF World Team Squash Championships | Nations | 1967 | (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | 2021 Championship cancelled | |
Strength athletics | World's Strongest Man | Individuals | 1977 | Tom Stoltman (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Sumo | Sumo World Championships | Openweight | 1992 | Winners in various weight classes (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Surfing | World Surfing Games | Individuals & Team | 1964 | Gabriel Medina (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Table tennis | World Table Tennis Championships | Singles | 1926 | Fan Zhendong (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Doubles | Wang Chuqin & Fan Zhendong (2023) | ||||||
World Team Table Tennis Championships | Nations | 1926 | China (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
Taekwondo | World Taekwondo Championships | Individuals | 1973 | Winners in 8 weight classes (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Nations | (2023) | ||||||
World Cup Taekwondo Team Championships | Teams | 2006 | (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Tchoukball | World Tchoukball Championship | Nations | 1971 | Chinese Taipei (2023) | 2027 | Quadrennial | |
Teqball | Teqball World Championships | Men's singles | 2017 | Adrian Duszak (2023) | 2024 | Annual | |
Men's doubles | 2017 | Csaba Banyik & Balázs Katz (2023) | 2024 | Annual | |||
Tennis | Davis Cup | Nations | 1900 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Note: The Davis Cup is not formally a world championship, but is traditionally held as equivalent in status. Only the teams in the World Group actually compete for the Davis Cup proper; other teams play to (eventually) reach the World Group. Most wins: 32, 28, 10 |
World Team Cup | Nations | 1978 | Serbia (2012) | Defunct | Annual | ||
ATP Cup | Nations | 2020 | Canada (2022) | Defunct | Annual | ||
Triathlon | World Triathlon Championship Series | Individuals | 2009 | Alex Yee (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
World Triathlon Long Distance Championships | Individuals | 1994 | Antonio Benito (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
World Triathlon Duathlon Championships | Individuals | 1990 | Javier Martín (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
World Triathlon Long Distance Duathlon Championships | Individuals | 1997 | Émile Blondel-Hermant (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
World Triathlon Aquathlon Championships | Individuals | 1998 | Kevin Viñuela (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
World Triathlon Winter Championships | Individuals | 1997 | Franco Pesavento (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
World Triathlon Cross Championships | Individuals | 2011 | Michele Bonacina (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Ironman World Championship | Individuals | 1978 | Patrick Lange (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Ironman 70.3 World Championship | Individuals | 2006 | Rico Bogen (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
Volleyball | Men's World Championship | Nations | 1949 | (2022) | 2025 | Biennial | Most wins: 6, 4, 3, 3 |
FIVB Volleyball Men's World Cup | Nations | 1965 | (2019) | Defunct | Quadrennial | ||
FIVB Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup | Nations | 1993 | (2017) | Defunct | Quadrennial | ||
FIVB Men's Volleyball Nations League | Nations | 2018 | France (2024) | 2025 | Annual | It replaced the FIVB Volleyball World League (1990–2017) | |
FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship | Clubs | 1989 | Sir Sicoma Perugia (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
Wakeboarding | World Wakeboard Championship | Individuals | 1994 | Winners in various events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |
Water polo | Water polo at the World Aquatics Championships | Nations | 1973 | (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | Biennially since 2001 |
FINA Water Polo World Cup | Nations | 1979 | (2023) | 2025 | Quadrennial | Biennially until 2002 | |
Water skiing | Water Ski World Championships | Individuals | 1949 | Louis Duplan-Fribourg (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Weightlifting | World Weightlifting Championships | Individuals | 1891 | Winners in 10 weight classes (2023) | 2024 | Annual | |
Windsurfing | Windsurfing World Championships | Individuals | 1974 | Lars Kleppich (2023) | 2024 | Annual | |
Wrestling (amateur) | World Wrestling Championships | Individuals | 1904 | Winners in 8 events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years |
Wrestling World Cup (freestyle) | Nations | 1973 | United States (2022) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Wrestling World Cup (Greco-Roman) | Nations | 1980 | (2022) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Wushu | World Wushu Championships | Individuals | 1991 | Winners in 22 events (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |
Sport ! Competition name | Competing entities ! First held | Current holder ! Next | Frequency ! Details and notes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Archery | World Archery Championships | Team recurve male – female pair | 1931 | South Korea (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Team compound male – female pair | 1995 | United States (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||||
Athletics | World Athletics Championships | 4×400 mixed relay | 2019 | (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
World Athletics Cross Country Championships | Mixed relay | 2017 | (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |||
World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships | Mixed relay | 2024 | (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |||
World Athletics Relays | 4×400 m mixed relay | 2017 | (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | |||
2×2×400 m mixed relay | 2019 | (2021) | Defunct | |||||
Shuttle hurdles mixed relay | (2021) | |||||||
Badminton | BWF World Championships | Mixed Doubles | 1977 | Seo Seung-jae & Chae Yoo-jung (2023) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years. | |
Sudirman Cup | Nations | 1989 | (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | |||
Biathlon | Biathlon World Championships | 4 × 7.5 km M+W relay | 2005 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in the Winter Olympic Years | |
6 km M + 7.5 km W single relay | 2021 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in the Winter Olympic Years | |||
Bowls | World Indoor Bowls Championships | Mixed Pairs | 2004 | Stewart Anderson & Ceri Ann Glen (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
CrossFit | CrossFit Games | Mixed teams | 2007 | Raw Iron CrossFit Mayhem Thunder (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Cycling | UCI Mountain Bike World Championships | Cross-country Team relay | 1999 | United States (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
UCI Urban Cycling World Championships | Team trials | 1999 | Spain (2022) | 2023 | Annual | |||
Curling | World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship | National mixed teams male – female pair | 2008 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | 2020 cancellation | |
World Mixed Curling Championship | National mixed teams (4 players) | 2015 | (2024) | 2026 | Annual | 2020–2022 championships were cancelled | ||
Diving | World Diving Championships | Individuals | 1973 | Winners in 3 events (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Dodgeball | Dodgeball World Championship | Nations - Foam | 2016 | Canada (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
Nations - Cloth | 2022 | Austria (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||||
Equestrian | Dressage World Cup | Individuals | 1986 | Patrik Kittel (2023–24) | 2024–25 | Annual | ||
Driving World Championships | Teams and Individuals | 1972 | Boyd Exell (individual, 2024) Netherlands (team, 2024) | 2026 | Biennial | |||
Show Jumping World Cup | Individuals | 1979 | Henrik von Eckermann (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||
Figure skating | World Figure Skating Championships | National pairs male – female pair from the same nation | 1908 | Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Ice Dance male – female pair from the same nation | 1952 | Madison Chock & Evan Bates (2024) | ||||||
Frisbee | WFDF World Ultimate and Guts Championship | Individuals | 1983 | United States (2024) | 2028 | Quadrennial | ||
Gymnastics | Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships | Teams | 2016 | Belgium (2024) | 2026 | Biennial | ||
Mixed pairs | 1974 | |||||||
Korfball | IKF World Korfball Championship | 4 females and 4 males | 1978 | Netherlands (2023) | 2027 | Quadrennial | ||
Modern Pentathlon | World Modern Pentathlon Championships | Mixed Relay | 2001 | (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Luge | FIL World Luge Championships | Nations | 1989 | Germany (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships | Nations | 2001 | Evelin Lanthaler & Alex Gruber (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | Not held in 2015, 2017 and 2019 | ||
Open water swimming | World Aquatics Championships | Teams | 2011 | Australia (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Orienteering | World Orienteering Championships | Sprint relay | 2014 | Switzerland (2024) | 2025 | Annual | Not held in 2019, 2020 | |
Quidditch | IQA World Cup | Nations | 2012 | United States (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | Quidditch has rules based on gender, not sex, calling itself a mixed-gender sport | |
Rogaining | World Rogaining Championships | Nations | 1992 | Guntars Mankus & Irita Pukite (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Rowing | World Rowing Championships | PR2 Mixed double sculls 1 Male & 1 Female | 2013 | (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||
PR3 Mixed double sculls 1 Male & 1 Female | 2013 | (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||||
PR3 Mixed coxed four 2 Male & 2 Female plus an open coxswain | 2013 | (2023) | 2024 | Annual | ||||
World Indoor Rowing Championships | Mixed 2000m relay 2 Male & 2 Female | 2018 | Team FINLAND (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||
Sailing | Mixed Nacra 17 World Championship | Male and Female Pair | 2013 | Winners in various events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Mixed Offshore Doubles World Championship | Male and Female Pair | 2021 | Winners in various events (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||
Swimming | World Aquatics Championships | 4×100 m Mixed freestyle relay | 2015 | (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
4×100 m Mixed medley relay | 2015 | (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||||
World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) | 4×50 m Mixed freestyle relay | 2014 | (2022) | 2024 | Biennial | |||
4×50 m Mixed medley relay | 2014 | (2022) | 2024 | Biennial | ||||
Synchronized skating | ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships | Teams | 2000 | Les Suprêmes (2024) | 2025 | Annual | ||
Synchronized swimming | World Aquatics Championships | Duet free routine | 2015 | Cheng Wentao and Shi Haoyu (2024) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Duet technical routine | Nargiza Bolatova and Eduard Kim (2024) | 2025 | ||||||
Team free routine | 2023 | China (2024) | 2025 | |||||
Team technical routine | China (2024) | 2025 | ||||||
Acrobatic routine | China (2024) | 2025 | ||||||
Table tennis | World Table Tennis Championships | Mixed doubles | 1926 | Wang Chuqin & Sun Yingsha (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Tennis | Hopman Cup | National teams male – female pair | 1989 | (2019) | Defunct | Annual | Competitions are played in traditional order: women's singles, men's singles, and mixed doubles | |
United Cup | National teams of men and women | 2024 | Germany (2024) | 2025 | Annual | |||
Teqball | Teqball World Championships | Nations | 2017 | Phakpong Dejaroen & Suphawadi Wongkhamchan (2023) | 2025 | Biennial | ||
Triathlon | World Triathlon Mixed Relay Championships | National teams of two men and two women | 2003 | Germany (2024) | 2025 | Annual |
See main article: world championships.
See main article: world cups.