List of world sports championships
 | This article needs to be updated. (May 2016) |
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.
Male
| Sport | Competition name | Competing entities |
First held |
Current holder | Next | Frequency | Details & notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine skiing | FIS Alpine World Ski Championships | Downhill | 1931 |  Patrick Küng (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Super G | 1987 |  Hannes Reichelt (2015)
|
||||||
| Giant slalom | 1931 |  Ted Ligety (2015)
|
||||||
| Slalom | 1931 |  Jean-Baptiste Grange (2015)
|
||||||
| Super combined | 1932 | Marcel Hirscher (2015)
|
||||||
| FIS Alpine Ski World Cup | Individuals | 1967 | Marcel Hirscher (2015–16)
|
2017 | One year | |||
| Nations | Austria (2015–16)
|
|||||||
| IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships | Individuals | 1972 | Winners in 30 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | |||
| American football | IFAF World Championship | Nations | 1999 | United States (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | ||
| Aquatics | FINA World Aquatics Championships | Individuals[R] | 1973 | Winners in 30 events (2015) |  2017
|
Biennial | ||
| FINA Diving World Cup | Individuals | 1979 | Most medals:  China
|
2018 | Biennial | |||
| FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) | Individuals[R] | 1993 | Winners in 20 events (2014) | 2016
|
Biennial | |||
| FINA Water Polo World Cup | Nations | 1979 |  Serbia (2014)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | Biennially until 2002 | ||
| FINA Water Polo World Championship | Nations | 1973 | Serbia (2015)
|
2017
|
Biennial | Biennially since 2001 | ||
| Archery | World Archery Championships | Individual recurve | 1931 |  Kim Woo-jin (2015)
|
 2017
|
Biennial | ||
| Individual compound | 1995 |  Stephan Hansen (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| Team recurve | 1931 | South Korea (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| Team compound | 1995 |  Iran (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| Association football | FIFA World Cup | Nations | 1930 |  Germany (2014)
|
 2018
|
Quadrennial | ||
| FIFA Confederations Cup | Nations | 1992 |  Brazil (2013)
|
2017
|
Quadrennial | |||
| FIFA Club World Cup | Clubs | 2000 |  FC Barcelona (2015)
|
 2016
|
Annual | |||
| ConIFA World Football Cup | Nations | 2006 |  Abkhazia (2016)
|
2018 | Two years since 2010 | |||
| Athletics | IAAF World Championships in Athletics | Individuals[R] | 1983 | Winners in 24 events (2015) |  2017
|
Biennial | 1983–1991 held quadrennially, biennially starting 1993 | |
| IAAF Continental Cup | Continents | 2010 | Europe (2014) |
2018 | Quadrennial | |||
| IAAF World Indoor Championships | Individuals[R] | 1985 | Winners in 13 events (2016) | 2018
|
Biennial | |||
| IAAF World Cross Country Championships | Individuals | 1973 |  Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| Teams |  Ethiopia (2015)
|
|||||||
| IAAF World Half Marathon Championships | Individuals | 1992 | Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor (2016)
|
2018
|
Biennial | Untill 2010 Annual | ||
| Team | 1992 | Kenya (2016)
|
||||||
| IAU 100 km World Championships | Individuals | 1987 |  Jonas Buud (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | |||
| IAU 24 Hour World Championship | Individuals | 2001 | Florian Reus (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| Teams | 2003 | Great Britain (2015)
|
||||||
| IPC Athletics World Championships | Individuals | 1994 | Most medals: China (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| Australian rules football | Australian Football International Cup | Nations | 2002 |  Papua New Guinea 2014 (2014)
|
2017 | Triennial | ||
| Auto racing see the open section below[1] | ||||||||
| Badminton | BWF World Championships | Singles | 1977 | Chen Long (2015)
|
 2017
|
Annual | Annually since 2006; Not held in Summer Olympic years. | |
| Doubles |  Mohammad Ahsan & Hendra Setiawan (2015)
| |||||||
| Thomas Cup | Nations | 1949 | Denmark (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | Since 1984, it has been held concurrently with the women's Uber Cup. | ||
| Bandy | Bandy World Championship | Nations | 1957 | Russia (2016)
|
2017
|
Annual | The second Bandy WCs were held in 1961; from that point, the championships were held biennially until 2003; and annually since. | |
| Bandy World Cup | Clubs | 1974 | Västerås SK (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Baseball | World Baseball Classic | Nations | 2006 |  Dominican Republic (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | Started in 1938 (as IBAF Baseball World Cup); Restarted in 2006; the first two of these modern WBCs (MLB approved and sanctioned by IBAF) were separated by three years (2006, 2009); moved to quadrennially in 2013 and after. | |
| Basketball | FIBA Basketball World Cup | Nations | 1950 | United States (2014)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | After the 2014 edition, the FIBA Basketball World Cup (but not the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup) will be 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. | |
| FIBA 3x3 World Championships | Nations | 2012 | Serbia (2016)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| FIBA Intercontinental Cup | Clubs | 1966 |  Guaros de Lara (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Beach soccer | FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup | Nations | 1995 |  Portugal (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Beach volleyball | Swatch FIVB World Championships | Nations | 1997 | Alison Cerutti–Bruno Schmidt (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Biathlon | Biathlon World Championships | Sprint 10 km | 1974 | Martin Fourcade (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic Years | |
| Pursuit 12.5 km | 1997 | Martin Fourcade (2016)
|
||||||
| Mass start 15 km | 1999 |  Johannes Thingnes Bø (2016)
|
||||||
| Individual 20 km | 1958 | Martin Fourcade (2016)
|
||||||
| Relay 4x7.5 km | 1966 | Norway (2016)
|
||||||
| Billiards | WPA World Nine-ball Championship | Individuals | 1990 | Albin Ouschan (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| World three-cushion billiards championship | Individuals | 1928 | Torbjörn Blomdahl (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | |||
| IBSF World Billiards Championship | Individuals | 1926 | Time:  Pankaj Advani Points:  Peter Gilchrist (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | |||
| Bobsleigh | FIBT World Championships | Four man | 1930 | Maximilian Arndt Alexander Rödiger Kevin Korona Ben Heber (2016) |
2017 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic years. | |
| Two man | 1931 | Francesco Friedrich Thorsten Margis (2016) |
||||||
| Boxing | World Amateur Boxing Championships | Individuals | 1974 | Winners in 10 weight classes (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | ||
| WBA World Champion | Individuals | Upto 17 title are awarded | Ongoing | Various | Authorised by the World Boxing Association | |||
| WBC World Champion | Individuals | Upto 17 title are awarded | Ongoing | Various | Authorised by the World Boxing Council | |||
| WBO World Champion | Individuals | Upto 17 title are awarded | Ongoing | Various | Authorised by the World Boxing Organization | |||
| Ring World CHampion | Individuals | Upto 17 title are awarded | Ongoing | Various | Authorised by the rings | |||
| Lineal World Champion | Individuals | Upto 17 title are awarded | Ongoing | Various | Authorised by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board | |||
| Canoeing | ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships | Individuals and teams | 1938 | Winners in 18 events (2015) | 2017 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years. | |
| ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships | C-1 | 1949 | David Florence (2015)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years. | ||
| C-1 team | 1949 |  Slovakia (2015)
|
||||||
| C-2 | 1949 | Franz Anton & Jan Benzien (2015)
|
||||||
| C-2 team | 1949 | France (2015)
|
||||||
| K-1 | 1949 |  Jiří Prskavec (2015)
|
||||||
| K-1 team | 1949 | Czech Republic (2015)
|
||||||
| ICF Canoe Polo World Championships | Nations | 1994 |  Italy (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |||
| Cricket | ICC Cricket World Cup | Nations | 1975 |  Australia (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | ||
| Indoor Cricket World Cup | Nations | 1995 | Australia (2016)
|
2018 | Two years | |||
| ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup | Nations | 1988 |  West Indies (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |||
| ICC Champions Trophy | Nations | 1998 | India (2013)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| ICC World Twenty20 | Nations | 2007 | West Indies (2016)
|
2020 | Biennial | The World Twenty20 for both sexes changed from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, effective 2010. | ||
| Cross-Country Skiing | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | 15 km & 18 km | 1925 | Johan Olsson (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| 50 km | 1925 | Petter Northug (2015)
|
||||||
| Skiathlon 15+15 km | 1993 | Maxim Vylegzhanin (2015)
|
||||||
| Sprint | 2001 | Petter Northug (2015)
|
||||||
| Relay 4x10 km | 1933 | Norway (2015)
|
||||||
| Team sprint | 2005 | Norway (2015)
|
||||||
| IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Championships | Individuals | 1974 | Winners in 19 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | |||
| Curling | World Curling Championships | Nations | 1959 |  Canada (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Cycling | UCI Road World Championships | Road race | 1927 | Peter Sagan (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Time trial | 1994 | Tony Martin (2016)
|
||||||
| Team time trial | 2012 |  Etixx-Quick Step (2016)[2]
|
||||||
| Team time trial (nations) | 1962 | Italy (1994)[2]
|
Defunct | |||||
| UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships | Individuals | 1950 | Wout Van Aert (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships | Cross-country | 1990 | Nino Schurter (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Downhill | 1990 | Danny Hart (2016)
|
||||||
| Cross-country eliminator | 2012 | Daniel Federspiel (2016)
|
||||||
| Four cross | 2002 |  Mitja Ergraver (2016)
|
||||||
| Trials 20-inch | 1992 | Abel Mustieles (2016)
|
||||||
| Trials 26-inch | 1995 | Jack Carthy (2016)
|
||||||
| UCI Track Cycling World Championships | Individuals and nations | 1893 | Winners in 10 events (2016); Most medals: United Kingdom
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships | Individuals and nations | 2007 | Australia (Most medals); Winners in 15 events (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Darts | BDO World Darts Championship | Individuals | 1978 |  Scott Waites (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| PDC World Darts Championship | Individuals | 1994 | Gary Anderson (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Equestrian see the mixed section below[3] | ||||||||
| Fencing | World Fencing Championships | Foil | 1926 | Yuki Ota (2015)
|
2017 | Annual | Championships are not held for Olympic events in Summer Olympic years. | |
| Foil team | 1930 | Italy (2015)
|
||||||
| Épée | 1921 | Géza Imre (2015)
|
||||||
| Épée team | 1930 |  Ukraine (2015)
|
||||||
| Sabre | 1922 | Aleksey Yakimenko (2015)
|
||||||
| Sabre team | 1930 | Italy (2015)
|
||||||
| Field hockey | Hockey World Cup | Nations | 1971 | Australia (2014)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | ||
| Indoor Hockey World Cup | Nations | 2003 |  Netherlands (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | |||
| Figure skating | World Figure Skating Championships | Individuals | 1896 | Javier Fernández (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Fistball | Fistball World Cup | Nations | 1968 | Germany (2015)
|
2019 | Four years | ||
| Floorball | World Floorball Championships | Nations | 1996 | Sweden (2014)
|
2016 | Biennial | ||
| Freestyle Skiing | FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships | Moguls | 1986 | Anthony Benna (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Dual Moguls | 2001 | Mikaël Kingsbury (2015)
|
||||||
| Aerials | 1986 | Qi Guangpu (2015)
|
||||||
| Half-pipe | 2005 | Kyle Smaine (2015)
|
||||||
| Ski cross | 2005 | Filip Flisar (2015)
|
||||||
| Slopestyle | 2011 | Fabian Bösch (2015)
|
||||||
| Futsal | FIFA Futsal World Cup | Nations | 1989 | Russia (2016)
|
2020 | Quadrennial | ||
| AMF Futsal World Cup | Nations | 1982 |  Colombia (2015)
|
2019 | quadrennial | Originally a triennial event, held quadrennially after 2003 | ||
| Intercontinental Futsal Cup | Clubs | 1996 | Magnus Futsal (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Gliding see the mixed section below | ||||||||
| Golf | Mission Hills World Cup | Nations | 1953 | Australia (2013)
|
2016 | Two years after 2009 | ||
| Gymnastics | Artistic Gymnastics World Championships | Individuals & Teams | 1903 | Winners in 8 Events (2015) | 2017 | Annual | Not held in Olympic Years | |
| Trampoline World Championships | Individual & Teams | 1964 | Winners in 7 Events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | |||
| Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships | Pairs | 1974 | Russian Federation (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |||
| Groups | 1974 | China (2016)
|
||||||
| Artistic Gymnastics World Cup | Individuals | 1975 | 14 winners (one for each apparatus) | 2016 | Every year | |||
| Handball (Field handball) | World Men's Handball Championship | Nations | 1938 | France (2015)
|
2017 | Two years | ||
| IHF Super Globe | Clubs | 1997 | Füchse Berlin (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Handball (Beach Handball) | World Men's Beach Handball Championship | Nations | 2004 |  Croatia (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | ||
| Ice hockey | Ice Hockey World Championships | Nations | 1920 | Canada (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Inline skating | IIHF InLine Hockey World Championship | Nations | 1996 | Canada (2015)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| International rules football | International Rules Series | Nations | 1984 | Australia (2014)
|
2017 | Triennial | Two series are played every three years | |
| Lacrosse | World Lacrosse Championship | Nations | 1967 | Canada (2014)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | ||
| World Indoor Lacrosse Championship | Nations | 2003 | Canada (2015)
|
2019* | Quadrennial | |||
| Luge | FIL World Luge Championships | Men's singles | 1955 | Felix Loch (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Men's doubles | 1955 | Tobias Wendl Tobias Arlt (2016) |
2017 | Annual | ||||
| FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships | Men's singles | 1979 | Patrick Pigneter (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| Men's doubles | 1979 | Patrick Pigneter Florian Clara (2015) |
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| Modern Pentathlon | World Modern Pentathlon Championships | Individual | 1949 | Valentin Belaud (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Team | 1949 |  Egypt (2016)
|
||||||
| Relay | 2004 | South Korea (2016)
|
||||||
| Motorcycling see the mixed section below[4] | ||||||||
| Nordic Combined | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | 10 km individual normal hill | 1925 | Johannes Rydzek (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| 10 km individual large hill | 1999 | Bernhard Gruber (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| 10 km mass start | 2009 | Todd Lodwick (2009)
|
Only held in 2009 | N/A | Suspended | |||
| National Team Normal Hill 4 x 5 km | 2011 | Germany (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| National Team Large Hill 2 x 7.5 km | 1982 | France (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| FIS Nordic Combined World Cup | Individuals | 1983–84 | Eric Frenzel (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | One year | |||
| Orienteering | World Orienteering Championships | Sprint | 2001 | Jerker Lysell (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Short distance | 1991 |  Pasi Ikonen (2001)
|
defunct | Biennial | ||||
| Middle distance | 2003 | Matthias Kyburz (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Originally biennially, annually since 2003 | |||
| Long distance | 1966 | Olav Lundanes (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Originally biennially, annually since 2003 | |||
| Relay | 1966 | Norway (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Originally biennially, annually since 2003 | |||
| Paddle | Paddle World Championship | Nations | 1992 | Spain (2014)
|
2016 | Biennial | ||
| Pitch and putt | Pitch and Putt World Cup | Nations | 2004 |  Ireland (2012)
|
2016 | Quadrennial | ||
| World Strokeplay Championship | Individuals | 2009 | John Walsh (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | |||
| Polo | World Polo Championship | Nations | 1987 |  Chile (2015)
|
2019 | Triennial | ||
| Real tennis | Real Tennis World Championship | Individuals[D] | 1740 | Camden Riviere (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | ||
| Roller derby | Men's Roller Derby World Cup | Nations | 2014 | United States (2014)
|
2016 | not stated | ||
| Roller hockey | Roller Hockey World Cup | Nations | 1936 |  Argentina (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | Current FIRS cups restarted in 1958 | |
| Rowing | World Rowing Championships | Nations | 1962 | Winners in 13 events (2015) | 2017 | Annual | Championships are not held for Olympic/Paralympic events in Summer Olympic/Paralympic years | |
| FISA Rowing World Cup | Nations | 1997 | Winners in 8 events (2016) | 2017 | Annual | |||
| Rugby league | Rugby League World Cup | Nations | 1954 | Australia (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial after 2013 | ||
| World Club Challenge | Clubs | 1976 | North Queensland Cowboys (2016)
|
2017 | Annual after 2000 | |||
| Rugby union | Rugby World Cup | Nations | 1987 |  New Zealand (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | ||
| Rugby union sevens | Rugby World Cup Sevens | Nations | 1993 | New Zealand (2013)
|
2018 | 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.[5] | |
| Sculling | World Sculling Championship | Individuals | 1831 | Evans Fischer (1957) | 2008 | Annual | Annually until 1957; revived in 2008 | |
| Sailing | Over 30 Various Titles | Individuals and Teams | Annually | See World Championships in Sailing | ||||
| Shooting | ISSF World Shooting Championships | Individuals and nations | 1897 | Winners in 18 events (2014) | 2018 | Quadrennial | ||
| ISSF World Shotgun Championships | Individuals and nations | 1934 | Winners in 12 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | |||
| Skeleton | FIBT World Championships | Individual | 1930 |  Martins Dukurs (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic years. | |
| Ski jumping | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | Individuals normal hill | 1962 | Rune Velta (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Individuals large hill | 1925 | Severin Freund (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| National Team normal hill | 2001 | Austria (2011)
|
Biennial | Not held in 2007 and 2009,after 2011 mixed team replaced this event | ||||
| National Team large hill | 1962 | Norway (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||||
| FIS Ski-Flying World Championships | Individuals | 1972 | Peter Prevc (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |||
| National Team | 2004 | Norway (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | ||||
| Ski mountaineering | World Championships of Ski Mountaineering | Nations, individuals, teams, relays, long distances | 2002 | Winners in 5 Events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | Relays held since 2004; Long Distance only 2008. | |
| Snooker | World Snooker Championship | Individuals | 1927 | Mark Selby (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | This championship is not only for Male competitors[6] | |
| IBSF World Snooker Championship | Individuals | 1963 | Pankaj Advani (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | |||
| Snowboarding | FIS Snowboard World Championships | Big air | 2003 | Roope Tonteri (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Slopestyle | 2011 | Ryan Stassel (2015)
|
||||||
| Halfpipe | 1996 | Scotty James (2015)
|
||||||
| Snowboard cross | 1997 | Luca Matteotti (2015)
|
||||||
| Parallel slalom | 1996 | Roland Fischnaller (2015)
|
||||||
| Parallel giant slalom | 1999 | Andrey Sobolev (2015)
|
||||||
| Speed skating | World Allround Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1889 | Sven Kramer (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| World Sprint Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1970 | Pavel Kulizhnikov (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| World Single Distance Championships | 500m | 1995 | Pavel Kulizhnikov (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | In Winter Olympic years, the World Single Distance Championships are not held. | ||
| 1000m | Pavel Kulizhnikov (2016)
| |||||||
| 1500m | Denis Yuskov (2016)
| |||||||
| 5000m | Sven Kramer (2016)
| |||||||
| 10000m | Sven Kramer (2016)
| |||||||
| Team Pursuit | 2005 | Netherlands (2016)
| ||||||
| Mass start | 2015 | Lee Seung-hoon (2016)
| ||||||
| World Short Track Speed Skating Championships | 500m | 1976 | Sándor Liu Shaolin (2016)
|
2017 | 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. | ||
| 1000m | Charles Hamelin (2016)
| |||||||
| 1500m | Han Tianyu (2016)
| |||||||
| 3000m | Han Tianyu (2016)
| |||||||
| 5000m Relay | China (2016)
| |||||||
| Overall | Han Tianyu (2016)
| |||||||
| World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships | Nations | 1991 | South Korea (2011)
|
Discontinued after 2011 | Annual | |||
| Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship | Individuals | 2010 | Scott Croxall (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | |||
| Squash | PSA World Championship | Individuals | 1976 | Karim Abdel Gawad (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| World International Doubles Squash Championships | Doubles teams | 1997 | Stewart Boswell & Anthony Ricketts (2006)
|
2016 | Intermittent | |||
| WSF World Team Squash Championships | Nations | 1967 | England (2013)
|
2017 | Biennial | 2015 Championship Cancelled | ||
| Table tennis | World Table Tennis Championships | Singles | 1926 | Ma Long (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Doubles | Xu Xin & Zhang Jike (2015)
|
|||||||
| World Team Table Tennis Championships | Nations | 1926 | China (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |||
| Tchoukball | World Tchoukball Championship | Nations | 1970 |  Republic of China (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Ten-pin bowling | WTBA World Championships | Nations | 1954 | Winners in 6 events (2014) | 2018 | Quadrennial | Biennially until 2010 | |
| Tennis | Davis Cup | Nations | 1900 | Great Britain (2015)
|
2016 | 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. | |
| World Team Cup | Nations | 1978 | Serbia (2012)
|
Defunct | Annual | |||
| Triathlon | ITU World Triathlon Series | Individuals | 1989 | Mario Mola (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Volleyball | FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship | Nations | 1949 |  Poland (2014)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | ||
| FIVB Volleyball Men's World Cup | Nations | 1965 | United States (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | |||
| FIVB Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup | Nations | 1993 | Brazil (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | |||
| FIVB Volleyball World League | Nations | 1990 | Serbia (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| FIVB Club World Men's Championship | Clubs | 1989 | Sada Cruzeiro (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Wrestling (amateur) | World Wrestling Championships | Individuals and Nations | 1904 | Winners in 16 events (2015) | 2016 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years. | |
| Wrestling World Cup (freestyle) | Nations | 1973 | Iran (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| Wrestling World Cup (Greco-Roman) | Nations | 1980 | Iran (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
Female
| Sport | Competition name | Competing entities |
First held |
Current holder | Next | Frequency | Details & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine skiing | FIS Alpine World Ski Championships | Downhill | 1931 | Tina Maze (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Super G | 1987 | Anna Fenninger (2015)
|
|||||
| Giant slalom | 1931 | Anna Fenninger (2015)
|
|||||
| Slalom | 1931 | Mikaela Shiffrin (2015)
|
|||||
| Combined | 1932 | Tina Maze (2015)
|
|||||
| FIS Alpine Ski World Cup | Individuals | 1967 | Lara Gut (women) (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | One year | ||
| Nations | Austria (2015–16)
|
||||||
| IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships | Individuals | 1972 | Winners in 30 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | ||
| Archery | World Archery Championships | Individual recurve | 1931 | Ki Bo-Bae (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Individual compound | 1995 | Kim Yun-hee (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| Team recurve | 1931 | Russia (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| Team compound | 1995 | Ukraine (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| Association football | FIFA Women's World Cup | Nations | 1991 | United States (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | |
| Aquatics | FINA World Aquatics Championships | Individuals[R] | 1973 | Winners in 20 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | |
| FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) | Individuals[R] | 1993 | Winners in 20 events (2014) | 2016 | Biennial | ||
| Athletics | IAAF World Championships in Athletics | Individuals[R] | 1983 | Winners in 24 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | 1983–1991 quadrennially, biennially from 1993 |
| IAAF World Indoor Championships | Individuals[R] | 1985 |  United States (most medals); Winners in 13 events (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | ||
| IAAF World Cross Country Championships | Individuals | 1973 | Agnes Jebet Tirop (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Teams | Ethiopia (2015)
|
||||||
| IAAF World Half Marathon Championships | Individuals | 1992 | Peres Jechirchir (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | ||
| Teams | Kenya (2015)
|
||||||
| IAU 100 km World Championships | Individuals | 1987 | Camile Herron (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | ||
| IAU 24 Hour World Championship | Individuals | 2001 | Katalin Nagy (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | ||
| Teams | 2003 | United States (2015)
|
|||||
| IPC Athletics World Championships | Individuals | 1994 | Winners in 76 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | ||
| Auto racing see the mixed section below[1] | |||||||
| Badminton | BWF World Championships | Singles | 1977 | Carolina Marín (2015)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years |
| Doubles | Tian Qing & Zhan Yunlei (2015)
|
||||||
| Uber Cup | Nations | 1957 | China (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | Biennially since 1984 it has been held concurrently with the men's Thomas Cup. | |
| Bandy | Bandy World Championship | Nations | 2004 | Sweden (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | Annually from 2006 to 2008, then biennially |
| Bandy World Cup Women | Clubs | 2003 | Rekord Irkutsk (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Baseball | Women's Baseball World Cup | Nations | 2004 | Japan (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |
| Basketball | FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup | Nations | 1953 | United States (2014)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | |
| FIBA 3x3 World Championships | Nations | 2012 | Czech Republic (2016)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Beach volleyball | Swatch FIVB World Championships | Nations | 1997 | Bárbara Seixas–Ágatha Bednarczuk (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Biathlon | Biathlon World Championships | Sprint 7.5 km | 1984 | Tiril Eckhoff (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic Year. |
| Pursuit 10 km | 1997 | Laura Dahlmeier (2016)
| |||||
| Mass start 12.5 km | 1999 | Marie Dorin Habert (2016)
| |||||
| Individual 15 km | 1984 | Marie Dorin Habert (2016)
| |||||
| Relay 4x6 km | 1984 | Norway (2016)
| |||||
| Team | 1984 | Russian Federation (1998)
|
Defunct | Annual | |||
| Bobsleigh | FIBT World Championships | Two woman | 2000 | Anja Schneiderheinze-Stöckel Annika Drazek (2016) |
2017 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic years. |
| Boxing | World Amateur Boxing Championships | Individuals | 2001 |  Kazakhstan (Most medals); Winners in 13 weight classes
|
2018 | Biennial | |
| Canoeing | ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships | Individuals and teams | 1938 | Winners in 11 events (2015) | 2017 | Annual | Not held in Winter Olympic years |
| ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships | K-1 | 1949 | Kateřina Kudějová (2015)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years | |
| K-1 team | 1949 | Czech Republic (2015)
|
|||||
| C-1 | 2009 | Jessica Fox (2015)
|
|||||
| C-1 team | 2011 | Australia (2015)
|
|||||
| ICF Canoe Polo World Championships | Nations | 1994 | New Zealand (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | ||
| Cricket | Women's Cricket World Cup (one-day international) | Nations | 1973 | Australia (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | |
| ICC World Twenty20 (Twenty20 format) | Nations | 2009 | West Indies (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | Biennially from 2010 | |
| Cross-country skiing | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | 10 km | 1954 | Charlotte Kalla (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Skiathlon 15 km | 1993 | Therese Johaug (2015)
|
|||||
| 30 km | 1980 | Therese Johaug (2015)
|
|||||
| Sprint | 2001 | Marit Bjørgen (2015)
|
|||||
| Team Sprint | 2005 | Norway (2015)
|
|||||
| Relay 4x5 km | 1954 | Norway (2015)
|
|||||
| IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Championships | Individuals | 1974 | ??? (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | ||
| Curling | World Curling Championships | Nations | 1979 |  Switzerland (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| Cycling | UCI Road World Championships | Road race | 1958 | Amalie Dideriksen (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | The UCI Road World Championships were first contested in 1927, but women's championships were not added until 1958. |
| Time trial | 1994 | Amber Neben (2016)
|
|||||
| Team time trial (trade) | 2012 | Boels-Dolmans (2016)[2]
|
|||||
| Team time trial (nations) | 1987 | Russia (1994)
|
1994 | ||||
| UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships | Cross-country | 1990 | Annika Langvad (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Downhill | 1990 | Rachel Atherton (2016)
|
|||||
| Cross-country eliminator | 2012 | Linda Indergard (2016)
|
|||||
| Four-cross | 2002 | Caroline Buchanan (2016)
|
|||||
| Trials | 2001 | Nina Reichenbach (2016)
|
|||||
| UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships | Individuals | 2000 | Thalita de Jong (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | The UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships were first contested in 1950, but a women's championship was not added until 2000. | |
| UCI Track Cycling World Championships | Individuals and nations | 1958 | Winners in 9 events (2016) | 2017 | Annual | The UCI Track Cycling World Championships were first contested in 1893, but women's championships were not added until 1958. | |
| UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships | Individuals and nations | 2007 | Great Britain (Most medals); Winners in 15 events (2016)
|
2017 | |||
| Darts | BDO World Darts Championship | Individuals | 2001 | Trina Gulliver (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | The BDO World Darts Championship was first contested in 1978, but a women's championship was not added until 2001. |
| Equestrian see the mixed section below[3] | |||||||
| Fencing | World Fencing Championships | Foil | 1929 | Inna Deriglazova (2015)
|
2017 | Annual | Championships are not held for Olympic events in Summer Olympic years |
| Foil team | 1932 | Italy (2015)
| |||||
| Épée | 1988 | Rossella Fiamingo (2015)
| |||||
| Épée team | 1988 | China (2015)
| |||||
| Sabre | 1999 | Sofiya Velikaya (2015)
| |||||
| Sabre team | 1999 | Russian Federation (2015)
| |||||
| Field hockey | Women's Hockey World Cup | Nations | 1974 | Netherlands (2014)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | |
| Figure skating | World Figure Skating Championships | Individuals | 1906 | Evgenia Medvedeva (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| Fistball | Fistball World Cup | Nations | 1994 | Germany (2016)
|
2018 | ||
| Floorball | Floorball World Championships | Nations | 1997 | Sweden (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Freestyle Skiing | FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships | Moguls | 1986 | Justine Dufour-Lapointe (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Dual Moguls | 2001 | Hannah Kearney (2015)
|
|||||
| Aerials | 1986 | Laura Peel (2015)
|
|||||
| Half-pipe | 2005 | Virginie Faivre (2015)
|
|||||
| Ski cross | 2005 | Andrea Limbacher (2015)
|
|||||
| Slopestyle | 2011 | Lisa Zimmermann (2015)
|
|||||
| Futsal | AMF Futsal Women's World Cup | Nations | 2008 | Colombia (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | |
| Gliding | Women's World Gliding Championships | Individuals | 2001 | Winners in 3 classes (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | The duration between World Gliding Championships varies slightly, dependent on the hemisphere of the next planned edition. |
| Gymnastics | World Artistic Gymnastics Championships | Individuals and nations | 1903 | Winners in 6 events (2015) | 2017 | Annual | Not held in years with a Summer Olympics |
| World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships | Individuals and nations | 1963 | Winners in 9 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | Changed from 2005 | |
| Trampoline World Championships | Individual & teams | 1964 | Winners in 7 Events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | ||
| Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships | Pairs | 1974 | Russian Federation (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | ||
| Groups | 1974 | Russian Federation (2016)
|
|||||
| Handball | World Women's Handball Championship | Nations | 1957 | Norway (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Handball (Beach Handball) | World Women's Beach Handball Championship | Nations | 2004 | Spain (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |
| Ice hockey | IIHF World Women's Championships | Nations | 1990 | United States (2016)
|
2017 | Annually | Originally held every two years (no championship in 1996). Since 1997, annual except in Winter Olympic years for the top level of competition (champion listed here). Lower levels of the championships used the same schedule until 2014, when they adopted an annual schedule including championships in Olympic years. |
| Indoor hockey | Indoor Hockey World Cup | Nations | 2003 | Netherlands (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | |
| Lacrosse | Women's Lacrosse World Cup | Nations | 1982 | United States (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | |
| Luge | FIL World Luge Championships | Individual | 1955 | Natalie Geisenberger (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships | Individual | 1979 | Evelyn Lanthaler (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Motorcycling see the mixed section below[7] | |||||||
| Motorcycling | FIM Women's Motocross World Championship | Individuals | 2008 | Livia Lancelot (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| FIM Women's Enduro World Championship | Individuals | 2010 | Laia Sanz (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Modern Pentathlon | World Modern Pentathlon Championships | Individual | 1981 | Sarolta Kovács (2016)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Team | 1981 | Hungary (2016)
|
|||||
| Relay | 2004 | Germany (2016)
|
|||||
| Netball | World Netball Championships | Nations | 1963 | Australia (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | |
| Orienteering | World Orienteering Championships | Sprint | 2001 | Maja Alm (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Originaly biennially, annualy since 2003 |
| Short distance | 1991 | Hanne Staff (2001)
|
defunct | Biennial | |||
| Middle Distance | 2003 | Tove Alexandersson (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Originally biennally, annually since 2003 | ||
| Long distance | 1966 | Tove Alexandersson (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Originally biennally, annually since 2003 | ||
| Relay | 1966 | Russian Federation (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Originally biennally, annually since 2003 | ||
| Orienteering | Orienteering World Cup | Individuals | 1986 | Tove Alexandersson (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | Unofficial title cups held in 1983 and 1984 (first official cup in 1986); held biennially until 2004, now annually |
| Real tennis | Real Tennis World Championship | Individuals[D] | 1740 | Winners in 2 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | |
| Ringette | World Ringette Championships | Nations | 1990 | Finland (2016)
|
2019 | Triennial | Biennially 1990–2004 |
| Ringette World Club Championship | Clubs | 2008 | LL-89 (2011)
|
Triennial | 2014 event cancelled | ||
| Roller derby | Roller Derby World Cup | Nations | 2011 | United States (2014)
|
2017 | Triennial | |
| Roller hockey | Women's Roller Hockey World Cup | Nations | 1992 | Spain (2016)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Rowing | World Rowing Championships | Nations | 1974 | Winners in 9 events (2015) | 2017 | Annual | Championships are not held for Olympic/Paralympic events in Summer Olympic/Paralympic years |
| FISA Rowing World Cup | Nations | 1997 | Winners in 6 events (2016) | 2017 | Annual | ||
| Rugby league | Women's Rugby League World Cup | Nations | 2000 | Australia (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | Quadrennially after 2013 |
| Rugby union | Women's Rugby World Cup | Nations | 1991 | England (2014)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | After the first event in 1991, a consistent four-year cycle was established in 1994. After the 2014 event, a new four-year cycle was established, with the next Women's World Cup to be held in 2017. |
| Rugby union sevens (women) | Rugby World Cup Sevens | Nations | 2009 | New Zealand (2013)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | The Rugby World Cup Sevens was first contested in 1993, but a women's tournament was not added until 2009[5] |
| Sailing | Over 30 Various Titles | Individuals and Teams | Annually | See World Championships in Sailing | |||
| Shooting | ISSF World Shooting Championships | Individuals and nations | 1958 | Winners in 23 events (2014) | 2018 | Quadrennial | |
| World Shotgun Championships | Individuals and nations | 1967 | Winners in 4 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | ||
| Skeleton | FIBT World Championships | Individual | 2000 | Tina Hermann (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in years with Winter Olympics. |
| Ski jumping | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | Individuals normal hill | 2009 | Carina Vogt (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Ski mountaineering | World Championships of Ski Mountaineering | Nations, individuals, teams, relays, long distances | 2002 | Winners in 6 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | Relays added (2004); Long Distance added (2008) |
| Snowboarding | FIS Snowboard World Championships | Individuals halfpipe | 1996 | Xuetong Cai (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Individuals slopestyle | 2011 | Miyabi Onitsuka (2015)
|
|||||
| Individuals snowboard cross | 1997 | Lindsey Jacobellis (2015)
|
|||||
| Individuals parallel slalom | 1996 | Ester Ledecka (2015)
|
|||||
| Individuals parallel giant slalom | 1999 | Claudia Riegler (2015)
|
|||||
| Individuals big air | 2015 | Elena Könz (2015)
|
|||||
| Softball | Women's Softball World Championship | Nations | 1965 | United States (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | Quadrennially from 1970–2010, now biennially |
| World Cup of Softball | Nations | 2005 | Japan (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Speed skating | World All-Round Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1933 | Martina Sáblíková (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| World Sprint Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1970 | Brittany Bowe (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| World Single Distance Championships | 500m | 1995 | Lee Sang-hwa (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | In Winter Olympic years, the World Single Distance Championships are not held. | |
| 1000m | Jorien ter Mors (2016)
|
||||||
| 1500m | Jorien ter Mors (2016)
|
||||||
| 3000m | Martina Sáblíková (2016)
|
||||||
| 10000m | Martina Sáblíková (2016)
|
||||||
| Mass start | 2015 | Ivanie Blondin (2016)
|
|||||
| Team pursuit | 2005 | Netherlands (2016)
|
|||||
| World Short Track Speed Skating Championships | 500m | 1976 | Fan Kexin (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Note: 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. | |
| 1000m | Choi Min-jeong (2016)
|
||||||
| 1500m | Marianne St-Gelais (2016)
|
||||||
| 3000m | Suzanne Schulting (2016)
|
||||||
| 3000m relay | South Korea (2016)
|
||||||
| Overall | Choi Min-jeong (2016)
|
||||||
| World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships | Nations | 1991 | South Korea (2011)
|
Discontinued after 2011 | Annual | ||
| ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup | Individuals and Nations | 1999/2000 | Kwak Yoon-gy (Overall winner); Winners in 6 events (2015/16)
|
2015/16 | One year | ||
| Squash | PSA World Championship | Individuals | 1979 | Nour El Sherbini (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | |
| World Doubles Squash Championships | Doubles teams | 1997 | Shelley Kitchen & Tamsyn Leevey (2006)
|
TBA | Intermittent | ||
| WSF World Team Squash Championships | Nations | 1979 | England (2014)
|
2016 | Biennial | ||
| Table tennis | World Table Tennis Championships | Singles | 1926 | Ding Ning (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Doubles | Liu Shiwen & Zhu Yuling (2015)
|
||||||
| World Team Table Tennis Championships | Nations | 1933 | China (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | ||
| Tchoukball | World Tchoukball Championships | Nations | 1980 | Republic of China (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Ten-pin bowling | WTBA World Championships | Nations | 1963 | Winners in 6 events (2015) | 2017 | Biennial | |
| Tennis | Fed Cup | Nations | 1963 | Czech Republic (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | Note: The Fed Cup is not formally a world championship, but is traditionally held as equivalent in status. It was called Federation Cup until 1995. |
| Triathlon | ITU World Triathlon Series | Individuals | 1989 |  Flora Duffy (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| Volleyball | Women's World Championship | Nations | 1952 | United States (2014)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | |
| Women's World Cup | Nations | 1973 | China (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | ||
| FIVB Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup | Nations | 1993 | Brazil (2013)
|
2017 | Quadrennial | ||
| FIVB World Grand Prix | Nations | 1993 | Brazil (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| FIVB Club World Women's Championship | Clubs | 1991 |  Eczacibaşi Istanbul (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Water polo | FINA Water Polo World Cup | Nations | 1979 | Serbia (2014)
|
2018 | Quadrennial | Originally biennially, quadrennially after 2002 |
| FINA Water Polo World Championship | Nations | 1986 | United States (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | Biennially since 2001 | |
| Wrestling (amateur) | World Wrestling Championships | Individuals | 1987 | Winners in 8 events (2015) | 2016 | Annual | |
| Wrestling World Cup | Nations | 2001 | Japan (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | ||
Open
| Sport | Competition name | Competing entities | First held |
Current holder | Next | Frequency | Details and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Cushion (Billiards) |
Three-Cushion World Cup | Individuals | 1986 | Dani Sánchez (2015)
|
2016 | Insertual | |
| Air racing | Red Bull Air Race World Championship | Individuals | 2003 | Matthias Dolderer (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in 2011–2013 |
| Auto racing | Formula One World Championship | Individuals | 1950 | Lewis Hamilton (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | |
| Constructors | 1958 | Mercedes (2015)
|
|||||
| FIA World Endurance Championship | Individuals | 2012 | Timo Bernhard Mark Weber Brendon Hartley (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | ||
| Manufacturers | Porsche (2015)
|
||||||
| FIA GT1 World Championship | Individuals | 2010 | Marc Basseng and Markus Winkelhock (2012)
|
Defunct | Annual | Annually until 2012 | |
| Teams | Münnich Motorsport (2012)
| ||||||
| FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup | Individuals | 1993 |  Nasser Al-Attiyah (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | ||
| Teams | BMW (2011)
|
||||||
| FIA Formula E Championship | Drivers | 2014–15 | Sébastien Buemi (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | Annual | ||
| Teams | Renault e.dams (2015–16)
| ||||||
| World Rally Championship | Individuals | 1977 | Sébastien Ogier (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Manufacturers | 1973 | Volkswagen (2016)
|
|||||
| World Touring Car Championship | Individuals | 1987 | José María López (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | ||
| Manufacturers | Citroën (2015)
|
||||||
| World Manufacturers' Championship | Manufacturers | 1925 | Delage (1927)
|
Defunct | Annual | Annually until 1927 | |
| World Sportscar Championship | Manufacturers; from 1985 teams |
1953 | Peugeot Talbot Sport (1992)
|
Defunct | Annual | Annually until 1992 | |
| Individuals | 1981 | Yannick Dalmas Derek Warwick (1992)
|
Annual | ||||
| Karting World Championship | Individuals | 1964 | Paolo De Conto (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Biathlon | Biathlon World Cup | Individuals | 1977–78 | Martin Fourcade (men) Gabriela Soukalova (women) (2015–16) |
2016–17 | One year | |
| Nations | 1996–97 | Norway (men) Germany (women) (2015–16) |
|||||
| Bobsleigh | Bobsleigh World Cup | Two-man | 1984–85 | Won Yun-jong (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | One year | |
| Four-man | 1984–85 | Maximilian Arndt (2015–16)
|
|||||
| Combined man | 1984–85 | Nico Walther (2015–16)
|
|||||
| Two-woman | 1994–95 | Kaillie Humphries (2015–16)
|
|||||
| Cross-Country Skiing | FIS Cross-Country World Cup | Individuals | 1973–74 | Martin Johnsrud Sundby (men) Therese Johaug (women) (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | One year | |
| Equestrian | Dressage World Cup | Individuals | 1986 | Hans Peter Minderhoud (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| World Four-in-Hand Championships | Teams and Individuals | 1972 | Boyd Exell (individual) Netherlands (team); (2014)
|
2016 | Biennial | ||
| Eventing World Cup | Individuals | 2003 | Michael Jung (2010)
|
Suspended | Annual | No final since 2010; final ranking leader is World Cup Champion | |
| FEI World Equestrian Games | Individuals | 1990 | Winners in 27 events (2014) | 2018 | Quadrennial | ||
| Mounted Games World Individual Championships | Individuals | 1986 | Colin Verdelhan (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Mounted Games World Pairs Championships | Pairs | 1992 | Mitch Lyons& April Wilson (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Mounted Games World Team Championships | Team | 1986 | France (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Show Jumping World Cup | Individuals | 1979 | Steve Guerdat (2016)
|
2017 | One year | ||
| Gliding | FAI World Glider Aerobatic Championships | Individuals | 1985 | Ferenc Tóth
|
2016 | Annual | |
| Nations | Czech Republic (2015)
|
||||||
| World Gliding Championships | Individuals | 1937 | Winners in 6 classes (2016) | 2018 | Biennial | The duration between World Gliding Championships varies slightly, dependent on the hemisphere of the next planned edition. | |
| Paragliding | Paragliding World Cup | Individual | 1992 | Winners in 5 competitions (2015) | 2016–17 | Annual | |
| Korfball | Korfball World Championship | Nations | 1978 | Netherlands (2015)
|
2019 | Quadrennial | |
| Luge | Luge World Cup | Men's singles | 1977–78 | Felix Loch (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | One year | |
| Men's doubles | 1977–78 | Tobias Wendl & Tobias Arlt (2015–16)
|
|||||
| Women's singles | 1977–78 | Natalie Geisenberger (2015–16)
|
|||||
| Motorcycling | FIM MotoGP Championship | MOTO3 Individual | 2012 |  Brad Binder (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Untill 2012 as 125cc |
| MOTO2 Individual | 2010 | Johann Zarco (2016)
|
Untill 2010 as 250cc | ||||
| MOTOGP Individual | 2002 | Marc Márquez (2016)
|
Untill 2002 as 500cc | ||||
| MOTO3 Constructor | 2012 | KTM (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| MOTO2 Constructor | 2010 | Kalex (2016)
|
|||||
| MOTOGP Constructor | 2002 | Honda (2016)
|
|||||
| Supercross World Championship | Individuals | 2003 | Ryan Dungey (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Motocross World Championship | MX2 Individual | 2003 | Jeffrey Herlings (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| MXGP Individual | 2003 | Tim Gajser (2016)
|
|||||
| MX2 Constructor | 2003 | KTM (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |||
| MXGP Constructor | 2003 | Honda (2016)
|
|||||
| FIM World Enduro Championship | E3 | 2004 | Mathias Bellino (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| E2 | 2004 | Antoine Méo (2016)
|
|||||
| E1 | 2004 | Eero Remes (2016)
|
|||||
| FIM sidecarcross World Championship | Pairs | 1980 | Jan Hendrickx Ben van den Bogaart (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Speedway World Team Cup (1960–2000) Speedway World Cup (since 2001) |
National Team | 1960 | Poland (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Speedway World Pairs Championship | National pair | 1970 | Sweden (1993)
|
Defunct | Annual | Annually until 1993 | |
| Individual Speedway World Championship (1931–1994) Speedway Grand Prix (since 1995) |
Individuals | 1931 | Greg Hancock (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Individual Ice Racing World Championship | Individuals[8] | 1966 | Dmitri Khomitsevich (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Team Ice Racing World Championship | Nations | 1979 | Russia (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Sidecar World Championship | Pairs | 1949 | Pekka Päivarinta (driver) & Kirsi Kainulainen (passenger) (2016) |
2017 | Annual | ||
| Endurance FIM World Championship | Team | 1975 | Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Superbike World Championship | Individuals | 1988 | Jonathan Rea (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Manufacturers | Kawasaki (2016)
|
||||||
| Supersport World Championship | Individuals | 1999 | Kenan Sofuoğlu (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Manufacturers | Kawasaki (2016)
|
||||||
| FIM Superstock 1000 Championship | Individuals | 2000 | Raffaele De Rosa (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Manufacturers | Ducati (2016)
|
||||||
| Pétanque | Pétanque World Championships | Nations | 1959 | France (2012)
|
2016 in Dakar | Biennial | |
| Pitch and putt | Pitch and Putt World Cup | Nations | 2012 | Ireland (2012)
|
2016 | Quadrennial | |
| Motorboat racing | Class 1 World Powerboat Championship | Individual Boats | 1992 | MTI (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | |
| UIM Powerboat GPS World Championship | Individual boats | 2003 | Winners in 3 classes | Defunct | Annual | Annually until 2011, known as Powerboat P1 World Championship up to 2009 | |
| F1 Powerboat World Championship | Individual | 1981 | Philipe Chiape (2015)
|
2016 | Annual | ||
| Aeromodelling | FAI F1D World Championships for Free Flight Indoor Model Aircraft | Individual | 1960 | Yuan Kang Lee (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |
| FAI F2 World Championships for Control Line Model Aircraft | Individual | 1960 | Winners in 4 classes | 2018 | Biennial | ||
| FAI F3A World Championship for Aerobatic Model Aircraft | Individuals and nations | 1960 | Christophe Paysant Le-Roux
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| United States
| |||||||
| FAI F3C World Championships for Model Helicopters | Individuals and nations | 1985 | Hiroki Ito
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Japan
| |||||||
| FAI F3N World Championships for Model Helicopters | Individuals and nations | 2013 | Eric Weber
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
 Israel
| |||||||
| FAI F3P World Championship for Indoor Aerobatic Model Aircraft | Individuals and nations | 2011 | Gernot Bruckmann
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Austria
| |||||||
| FAI F3D World Championship for Pylon Racing Model Aircraft | Individuals and nations | 1985 | Randy Bridge
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Czech Republic
| |||||||
| FAI F3K World Championship for Model Gliders | Individuals and nations | 2011 | Alex Hewson
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| New Zealand
| |||||||
| FAI F3F World Championship for Model Gliders | Individuals and nations | 2012 | František Ruisl
|
2016 | Biennial | ||
| France
| |||||||
| FAI F3J World Championship for Model Gliders | Individuals and nations | 1998 | Jan Littva
|
2016 | Biennial | ||
| New Zealand
| |||||||
| FAI F4 World Championships for Scale Model Aircraft | Individual | 1970 | Winners in 2 classes | 2018 | Biennial | ||
| FAI F5 World Championships for Electric Model Aircraft | Individuals and nations | 1986 | Winners in 2 classes | 2018 | Biennial | ||
| FAI S World Championships for Space Models | Individual | 1972 | Robert Kreutz
|
2018 | Biennial | ||
| Radio-controlled racing | IFMAR 1:8 IC Track World Championship | Individual | 1977 | Simon Kurzbuch (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| IFMAR 1:10 Electric Off-Road World Championship, 2WD | Individual | 1985 | Spencer Rivkin (2015)
|
2017 | Double header single host event | ||
| IFMAR 1:10 Electric Off-Road World Championship, 4WD | Individual | Bruno Coehlo (2015)
| |||||
| IFMAR 1:5 Touring Car World Championship | Individual | 2001 | Russell Grenenger (2015)
|
2017? | |||
| IFMAR 1:8 IC Off-Road World Championship | Individual | 1986 | David Ronnefalk (2016)
|
2018 | |||
| IFMAR 1:12 Electric Track World Championship | Individual | 1982 | Naoto Matsukura (2016)
|
2018 | Double header single host event since 2002, triple in 2000 with PRO 10 | ||
| IFMAR ISTC World Championship | Individual | 2000 | Ronald Völker (2016)
| ||||
| IFMAR 1:10 200mm Nitro Touring Car World Championship | Individual | 2002 | Dominic Greiner (2016)
|
2018 | |||
| IFMAR PRO 10 World Championship | Individual | 1992 | Masami Hirosaka (2000)
|
Defunct | Biennial until 2000, single host event with 1:12 on-road in 1996–2000 | ||
| IFMAR 1:10 235mm Touring Car World Championship | Individual | 2000 | Brian Berry (2002)
|
Defunct | Biennial until 2002 | ||
| IFMAR 1:12 Electric Track World Championship – Stock | Individual | 1982 | Bud Bartos (1984)
|
Defunct | Biennial until 1984 | ||
| Radio Controlled Sailing | IRSA – 10 Rater World Championships | Individual | 1999 | Brad Gibson (2016)
|
Authorised by World Sailing and the International Radio Sailing Association | ||
| IRSA – A Class World Championships | Individual | Graham Bantock (GBR)
|
Undefined | Various | |||
| IRSA – Marblehead World Championships | Individual | Brad Gibson (GBR)
|
2016 | Various | |||
| IRSA – One Metre World Championship | Individual | 1994 | Brad Gibson (GBR)
|
2017 | Bi-Annual | ||
| Sailing | Over 80 Various Titles | Individuals and Teams | Annually | See World Championships in Sailing | |||
| Shooting | ISSF World Cup | Individuals | 1988 | Winners in 15 events (2016) | 2017 | One year | |
| Skeleton | Skeleton World Cup | Men | 1986–87 | Martins Dukurs (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | One year | |
| Women | 1996–97 | Tina Hermann (2015–16)
|
|||||
| Ski Jumping | FIS Ski Jumping World Cup | Individuals | 1979–80 | Peter Prevc (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | One year | |
| National Team | ? | Norway (2015–16)
|
2016–17 | One year | |||
| Speed skating | Speed Skating World Cup | Individuals and Nations | 1985–86 | Winners in 12 events (2015–16) | 2016–17 | One year | |
| Tug of war | TWIF Indoor World Championships | Nations | 1976 | Winners in various weight classes (2016) | 2018 | Biennial | |
| TWIF Outdoor World Championships | Nations | 1976 | Winners in various weight classes (2016) | 2018 | Biennial |
Mixed-sex teams
| 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 (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Team compound male – female pair |
1995 | South Korea (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | |||
| Badminton | BWF World Championships | Mixed Doubles | 1977 | Zhang Nan & Zhao Yunlei (2015)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in Summer Olympic years. |
| Sudirman Cup | Nations | 1989 | China (2015)
|
2017 | Biennial | ||
| Basketball | FIBA 3x3 World Championships | National teams of two men and two women |
2012 | France
|
defunct | Biennial | Three players are on the court at any one time |
| Biathlon | Biathlon World Championships | Mixed relay 2x6,2x7.5 km | 2005 | France (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Not held in the Winter Olympic Years |
| Bull riding | PBR World Cup | Nations | 2007 | Brazil (2010)
|
Discontinuited | One year | |
| Cycling | UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships | Cross-country Team relay | 1999 | France (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| Team trials | 1999 | France (2016)
|
|||||
| Curling | World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship | National mixed teams male – female pair |
2008 | Russia (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| World Mixed Curling Championship | National mixed teams (4 players) | 2015 | Russia (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Figure skating | World Figure Skating Championships | National pairs male – female pair from the same nation |
1908 | Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| Ice Dance male – female pair from the same nation |
1952 | Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron (2016)
|
|||||
| Gymnastics | Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships | Teams | 2016 | Russian Federation (2016)
|
2018 | Biennial | |
| Mixed pairs | 1974 | Russian Federation (2016)
|
|||||
| Modern Pentathlon | World Modern Pentathlon Championships | Mixed Relay | 2001 | Russian Federation (2016)
|
2017 | Biennial | |
| Luge | FIL World Luge Championships | Nations | 1989 | Natalie Geisenberger Felix Loch Tobias Wendl /Tobias Arlt (2016) |
2017 | Annual | |
| FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships | Nations | 2001 | Alex Gluber, Melanie Schwarz, Patrick Pigneter, Florian Clara (2013)
|
2017? | Biennial | Not held in 2015 | |
| Orienteering | World Orienteering Championships | Sprint relay | 2014 | Denmark (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| Rowing | Rowing World Championships | Para Mixed Pair 1 Male & 1 Female |
Annual | ||||
| Para Mixed Coxed Four 2 Male & 2 Female plus an open cox |
Annual | ||||||
| Sailing | IFDS SKUD 18 World Championship | Female or Mixed Pair | 2007 | Alexandra Rickham & Niki Birrell (2011)
|
? | Annual? | |
| Mixed Nacra 17 World Championship | Mixed Pair | 2013 | Billy Besson & Marie Riou (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | ||
| Synchronized skating | World Synchronized Skating Championships | Teams | 2000 | Paradise (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | |
| Ten-pin bowling | QubicaAMF World Cup | Individuals | 1965 | Wang Hongbo (men) Jenny Wenger (women) (2016) |
2017 | Annual | |
| Tennis | Hopman Cup | National teams male – female pair |
1989 | Australia (2016)
|
2017 | Annual | Competitions are played in traditional order: women's singles, men's singles, and mixed doubles |
| Touch football (rugby league) | Touch Football World Cup | Nations | 1988 | Australia (both men and women) (2015) |
2019 | Four years | |
| Triathlon | ITU Triathlon Mixed Relay World Championships | National teams of two men and two women | 2003 | (2016)
|
2017 | Annual |
See also
- World championship
- List of world cups and world championships for juniors and youth
- List of world championships in mind sports
- World cup competition
Notes
- ^ a b Note: Auto racing events make no distinction between male and female competitors.
- ^ a b c This differs from the practice in the road races (as well as the 1962–1994 men's World Championship TTT), where teams are based on nationality. The flag in this entry reflects where the team is registered, not necessarily the nationality of its cyclists.
- ^ a b Equestrian events make no distinction between male and female competitors.
- ^ Motorcycle racing events make no distinction between male and female competitors.
- ^ a b "Future of Rugby World Cup Sevens confirmed" (Press release). International Rugby Board. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ Sport, Frank Keogh BBC. "Reanne Evans: Ladies' champion to face men in world qualifiers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ With the exception of off-road racing, motorcycle racing events make no distinction between male and female competitors.
- ^ Champions in Individual Ice Racing (motorcycle)
References
R. ^R – One or more relay events, in which three or four competitors compete for their nation, are included for each sex.