World Games

The World Games are an international multi-sport event for sports and sporting disciplines that are not contested at the Olympic Games. They are usually held every four years, one year after a Summer Olympic Games, over about 11 days, and are governed by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The first edition was held in 1981 in Santa Clara, California, in the United States, and the twelfth edition took place in Chengdu, China, from 7 to 17 August 2025. Around 3,500 participants from about 100 nations take part, and in recent editions between 25 and 34 sports have been on the programme. Host cities are not required to build new venues, and competitors are chosen by the international federations of their sports rather than by national Olympic committees, usually through a top ranking at a world championship or a qualification tournament.