The World Championships have been held unofficially since 1937 and officially since 1966.
European nations, in particular Italy, have dominated the competition in its first 40 years.
In the 2010s, Colombia has been the dominant force in the championship, winning the general podium throughout the whole decade.
The championship has had many changes, but it has always focused mainly on road and track disciplines.
Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, World Skate banned Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from its competitions, and will not stage any events in Russia or Belarus in 2022.