Las Vegas Will Host the 2027 Senior World Championship of Wrestling

The 2027 World Championships for wrestling will be held in Las Vegas, United States.

United World Wrestling and USA Wrestling announced that next year’s Senior World Championships will take place at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 11 to 19. Also, the event will be the first Olympic qualifier for the 2028 LA Games. The venue seats about 20,000 spectators.

The announcement was made during the Pan-American Championships in Coralville, Iowa, from May 7 to 10. Notably, this major wrestling event marks the 2027 World Championships’ return to the United States for the first time since 2015.

The event will award the first direct quotas for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. In total, seventy-two medalists across 18 Olympic weight classes will secure quotas for their National Olympic Committees. As a result, wrestling is a key feature of the Games.

“USA Wrestling is thrilled to bring the World Championships back to U.S. soil for the first time since 2015,” said Rich BENDER, USA Wrestling Executive Director. “Las Vegas will provide an elite experience for our world-class athletes and spectators, while building great momentum for the sport leading into the 2028 Olympic Games down the road in Los Angeles.”

In January, UWW outlined the qualification pathways for LA 2028, including the World Championships, Continental Olympic Qualifiers, UWW Rankings, and World Olympic Qualifiers. These qualification steps highlight how wrestling shapes the Olympic journey.

Last week, UWW released the “Road to LA 2028” calendar featuring World Championships, Continental Championships, UWW Ranking Events, and World and Continental Olympic Qualifiers. Among the sporting disciplines, wrestling holds a central place in this calendar.

UWW also announced the U17, U20, and U23 World Championships for 2027. Excitingly, these major tournaments cover all age groups within wrestling competition.

World Championship Calendar

The World Championships season will begin in Amman, Jordan, with the U17 World Championships from August 2 to 8. For young athletes, this marks a milestone in their wrestling careers. Two weeks later Novi Sad, Serbia, will host the U20 World Championships from August 23 to 29.

The Veteran World Championships will follow in Porec, Croatia, from October 5 to 10. Afterward, the final world event of the year, the U23 World Championships, will take place in Brasov, Romania, from October 18 to 24. Thus, the season will conclude the annual cycle of wrestling competitions.

As previously announced by UWW, the age-group World Championships schedule will change starting in 2028. In the sport of wrestling, U20 Championships will be held before U17, and the U23 Championships will come before the Senior World Championships.

The WorldUWW will share the detailed World Championships program soon, updating fans across the globe about wrestling events and schedules.