Women
| Sport | Competition name | Competing entities |
First held |
Current holder | Next | Held every |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine skiing | FIS Alpine World Ski Championships | Individuals | 1931 | Winners in 5 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships | Individuals | 1972 | Winners in 15 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years | |
| Association football (soccer) | FIFA Women's World Cup | Nations | 1991 | Japan (2011) | 2015 | Four years |
| Aquatics | FINA World Aquatics Championships | Individuals | 1973 | Winners in 20 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) | Individuals | 1993 | Winners in 20 events (2010) | 2012 | Two years | |
| Athletics | IAAF World Championships in Athletics | Individuals | 1983 | Winners in 24 events (2011) | 2013 | Originally four years, now two years |
| IAAF World Indoor Championships | Individuals | 1985 | Winners in 13 events (2012) | 2014 | Two years | |
| IAAF World Cross Country Championships | Individuals and teams | 1973 | Winners in 4 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years | |
| IAAF World Half Marathon Championships | Individuals and teams | 1992 | Winners in 2 events (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| IAU 100 km World Championships | Individuals and teams | 1987 | Amy Sproston (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| IAU 24 hour World Championships | Individuals and teams | 2001 | Michaela Dimitriadu (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| IPC Athletics World Championships | Individuals | 1994 | Winners in 76 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years | |
| Auto racing see the mixed section below | ||||||
| Badminton | BWF World Championships | Individuals | 1977 | Winners in 3 events (2011) | 2013 | Year |
| Bandy | Bandy World Championships for women | Nations | 2004 | Sweden (2012) | 2014 | Two years |
| Bandy World Cup for women | Clubs | 2003 | Rekord Irkutsk (2012) | 2013 | One year | |
| Baseball | Women's Baseball World Cup | Nations | 2004 | Japan (2012) | 2014 | Two years |
| Basketball | FIBA World Championship for Women | Nations | 1953 | United States (2010) | 2014 | Four years |
| FIBA 3x3 World Championships | Nations | 2012 | United States (2012) | 2014 | Two years | |
| Beach volleyball | Swatch FIVB World Championships | Nations | 1997 | Larissa- Juliana (2011) |
2013 | Two years |
| Boxing | World Amateur Boxing Championships | Individuals | 2001 | Winners in 13 weight classes (2006) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Canoeing | ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships | Individuals and teams | 1938 | Winners in 11 events (2011) | 2013 | Year |
| ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships | Individuals and teams | 1949 | Winners in 3 events (2011) | 2013 | Year | |
| Cricket | Women's Cricket World Cup | Nations | 1973 | England (2009) | 2013 | Four years |
| ICC World Twenty20 (Twenty20 format) | Nations | 2009 | Australia (2012) | 2014 | Two years from 2010 | |
| Cross-country skiing | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | Individuals | 1954 | Winners in 8 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Championships | Individuals | 1974 | ??? (2011) | 2013 | Two years | |
| Curling | World Curling Championships | Nations | 1979 | Switzerland (2012) | 2013 | Year |
| Cycling | UCI Road World Championships | Road race | 1958 | Marianne Vos (2012) | 2013 | One year |
| Time trial | 1994 | Judith Arndt (2012) | ||||
| Team time trial | 2012 | Team Specialized–lululemon (2012) | ||||
| UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships | Individuals | 1990 | Winners in 4 events (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships | Individuals | 2000 | Marianne Vos (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships | Individuals | 2007 | Winners in 10 events (2011) | 2013 | ||
| Darts | BDO World Darts Championship | Individuals | 2001 | Anastasia Dobromyslova (2012) | 2013 | Year |
| Equestrian see the mixed section below | ||||||
| Field hockey | Women's Hockey World Cup | Nations | 1974 | Argentina (2010) | 2014 | Four years |
| Figure skating | World Figure Skating Championships | Individuals | 1906 | Carolina Kostner (2012) | 2013 | One year |
| Gliding | Women's World Gliding Championships | Individuals | 2001 | Winners in 3 classes (2007) | 2009 | Two years |
| Gymnastics | World Artistic Gymnastics Championships | Individuals and nations | 1903 | Winners in 6 events (2011) | 2013 | Year |
| World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships | Individuals and nations | 1963 | Winners in 9 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years | |
| Handball | World Women's Handball Championship | Nations | 1957 | Norway (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| Ice hockey | IIHF World Women's Championships | Nations | 1990 | Canada (2012) | 2013 | Year |
| Inline speed skating | World Inline speed skating Championships | Nations | 1986 | Colombia (2010) | 2010 | Year |
| Lacrosse | Women's Lacrosse World Cup | Nations | 1982 | United States (2009) | 2013 | Four years |
| Motorcycling see the mixed section below | ||||||
| Motorcross | World Motocross Championship for Women | Individuals | 2008 | Stephanie Laier (2011) | 2012 | Year |
| Netball | World Netball Championships | Nations | 1963 | Australia (2011) | 2015 | Four years |
| Orienteering | World Orienteering Championships | Individuals | 1966 | Winners in 4 events (2008) | 2009 | Year |
| Paddle tennis | Paddle Tennis World Championship | Nations | 1992 | Spain (2010) | 2012 | Two years |
| Real tennis | Real Tennis World Championship | Individuals | 1740 | Winners in 2 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| Ringette | World Ringette Championships | Nations | 1990 | Finland | 2013 | Three years, 1990-2004 two years |
| Roller derby | Roller Derby World Cup | Nations | 2011 | United States 2011 | 2014 | Three Years |
| Roller hockey | FIRS Women's Roller Hockey World Cup | Nations | 1992 | Argentina (2010) | 2012 | Two years |
| Rowing | World Rowing Championships | Nations | 1974 | Winners in 2 events (2012) | 2013 | Year |
| Rugby league | Women's Rugby League World Cup | Nations | 2008 | New Zealand (2008) | 2013 | Four years after 2013 |
| Rugby union | Women's Rugby World Cup | Nations | 1991 | New Zealand (2010) | 2014 | Four years |
| Rugby union sevens | Rugby World Cup Sevens | Nations | 2009 | Australia (2009) | 2013 | Four years |
| Sailing | ISAF Class World Championships | Individuals Boats | 1907 Onward | A number of classes host women on World titles | Ongoing | Varies |
| ISAF Women's Match World Championship | Individuals Boats | 1999 | - | Ongoing | Annual | |
| IYRU Women's World Championships | Individuals Boats | 1990s | No longer held | |||
| Shooting | ISSF World Shooting Championships | Individuals and nations | 1958 | Winners in 23 events (2010) | 2014 | Four years |
| World Shotgun Championships | Individuals and nations | 1967 | Winners in 4 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years | |
| Ski jumping | FIS Nordic World Ski Championships | Individuals normal hill | 2009 | Daniela Iraschko (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| Ski mountaineering | World Championships of Ski Mountaineering | Nations, individuals, teams, relays (since 2004), long distances (since 2008) | 2002 | Winners in 6 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| Softball | ISF Women's World Championship | Nations | 1965 | Japan (2012) | 2014 | Four years from 1970–2010, now two years |
| Speed skating | World All-Round Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1933 | Ireen Wüst (2012) | 2013 | Year |
| World Sprint Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1970 | Yu Jing (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| World Single Distance Championships | Individuals and nations | 1995 | Winners in 6 events (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| World Short Track Speed Skating Championships | Individuals | 1976 | Li Jianrou (Overall) Winners in 5 events (2012) |
2013 | Year | |
| World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships | Nations | 1991 | South Korea (2011) | Discontinued after 2011 | One Year | |
| Snowboarding | FIS Snowboard World Championships | Individuals halfpipe | 1996 | Holly Crawford (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| Individuals slopestyle | 2011 | Enni Rukajärvi (2011) | ||||
| Individuals snowboard cross | 1997 | Lindsey Jacobellis (2011) | ||||
| Individuals parallel slalom | 1996 | Hilde-Katrine Engeli (2011) | ||||
| Individuals parallel giant slalom | 1999 | Alena Zavarzina (2011) | ||||
| Squash | World Open | Individuals | 1979 | Nicol David (2011) | 2012 | Year |
| World Doubles Squash Championships | Doubles teams | 1997 | Winners in 2 events (2006) | Unknown | Intermittent | |
| World Team Squash Championships | Nations | 1979 | Australia (2010) | 2012 | Two years | |
| Table tennis | World Table Tennis Championships | Individuals | 1926 | Winners in 3 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| World Team Table Tennis Championships | Nations | 1933 | China (2012) | 2014 | Two years | |
| Ten-pin bowling | WTBA World Championships | Nations | 1963 | Winners in 6 events (2011) | 2013 | Two years |
| Tennis | Fed Cup | Nations | 1963 | Czech Republic (2012) | 2013 | Year |
| ITF World Champion | Individuals | 1978 | Serena Williams (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| ITF World Champions | Doubles teams | 1996 | Sara Errani & Roberta Vinci (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| Triathlon | ITU Triathlon World Championships | Individuals | 1989 | Lisa Nordén (2012) | 2013 | Year |
| Tug of war | TWIF Indoor World Championships | Nations | 1976 | Winners in various weight classes | 2014 | Two years |
| TWIF Outdoor World Championships | Nations | 1976 | Winners in various weight classes | 2012 | Two years | |
| Volleyball | FIVB World Championship | Nations | 1952 | Russia (2010) | 2014 | Four years |
| FIVB World Cup | Nations | 1973 | Italy (2011) | 2015 | Four years | |
| FIVB World Grand Prix | Nations | 1993 | United States (2012) | 2013 | Year | |
| Water polo | FINA Water Polo World Cup | Nations | 1979 | United States (2010) | 2014 | Originally two years, four years after 2002 |
| FINA Water Polo World Championship | Nations | 1986 | Greece (2011) | 2013 | Two years since 2001 | |
Read more about this topic: List Of World Championships
Famous quotes containing the word women:
“And, oh God, in my misspent youth as a housewife, I, too, used to bake bread, in those hectic and desolating days just prior to the woman’s movement, when middle-class women were supposed to be wonderful wives and mothers, gracious hostesses.... I used to feel so womanly when I was baking my filthy bread.”
—Angela Carter (1940–1992)
“Good women are mostly without good looks.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Lord Illingworth: All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy.
Mrs. Allonby: No man does. That is his.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)