2024 World Wrestling Championships preview: Full schedule, and how to watch live
Olympic champions Jordan Burroughs, David Taylor, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev are among the stars set to compete for non-Olympic weight world titles in Tirana, Albania.
Wrestling
The 2024 World Wrestling Championships in non-Olympic weight divisions is back after an eight-year absence and will be held in Tirana, Albania, from 28-31 October.
Despite the event being closed to athletes who took part in the Paris 2024 Olympics, a star-studded line-up is set to compete including Olympic champions Jordan Burroughs, David Taylor, Abdulrashid Sadulaev and Kinjo Risako.
In total, nearly 300 wrestlers across 12 weight classes in freestyle, women's wrestling and Greco-Roman will converge on the Albanian capital.
Freestyle competition will be in 61kg, 70kg 79kg and 92kg. Women's Wrestling will be in 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg and Greco-Roman will compete in 55kg, 63kg, 72kg and 82kg.
Below we take a closer look at the athletes to watch out for, the full competition schedule, and how to watch the action.
2024 World Wrestling Championships - Athletes to watch
We may witness a clash for the ages in the men's 93kg between David Taylor and Abdulrashid Sadulaev.
Arguably the world's two best wrestlers since 2018, both men have won multiple world titles and an 86kg Olympic gold medal.
“We have very different styles. His counter offence, gut wrenches, and chest raps are the best in the world. My offensive leg grabs are at a very high level, so it’s his best attributes versus mine. It's going to come down to who executes," USA's Taylor, who called out 'the Tank' on social media in 2020, told Olympics.com.
The U.S. are brining a stacked men's team to Tirana, with London 2012 Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs hoping to win his third 79kg world title, while world champion Vito Arujau will hope to overcome 57kg Olympic champion in Zavur Uguev at 61kg.
The headline name in the women's competition is Japan's Kinjo Risako, formerly Kawai Risako.
The two-time Olympic champion has not competed on the world stage since Tokyo 2020, but is determined to win a first world title since 2019, having shown good form by claiming the 2024 Asian crown.
One of Kinjo's main rivals at 59kg is USA's Jacarra Winchester, a 2019 world champion who has moved up from her favoured 55kg.
Winchester's compatriot Macey Kilty is the won to watch at 65kg, having won silver at the 2023 World Championships.
In Greco-Roman, three-time world champion Eldaniz Azizli of Azerbaijan is the strong favourite for the 55 kg division, while former world champions Leri Abuladze of Georgia and Mohammadreza Geraei of the Islamic Republic of Iran are the top athletes at 63kg and 72kg respectively.
2024 World Wrestling Championships schedule
(All times are UTC +2)
28 October
- 10:30 Qualification rounds GR 55-63-72-82kg
- 18:00 Semi-finals GR 55-63-72-82kg
29 October
- 10:30 Repechage GR 55-63-72-82kg, Qualification rounds WW 55-59-65-72kg
- 16.45 Semi-finals WW 55-59-65-72kg
- 18.00 Finals GR 55-63-72-82kg
30 October
- 10.30 Repechage WW 55-59-65-72kg, Qualification rounds FS 61-70-79-92kg
- 16.45 Semi-finals FS 61-70-79-92kg
- 18.00 Finals WW 55-59-65-72kg
31 October
- 16.00 - Repechage FS 61-70-79-92kg
- 18.00 Finals FS 61-70-79-92kg
Where to watch the 2024 Wrestling World Championships
The World Championships will be live on United World Wrestling website here and the UWW App.
To stream the event in the United States, sign up to watch on FloWrestling here.