The Council of the International Orienteering Federation (IOF), at its meeting in Sarpsborg Norway in connection with the World Orienteering Championships 2019, has awarded the World Orienteering Championships 2023 to Switzerland.

The Championships in 2023 will be centered in the resort Flims Laax Falera in the Graubünden region. The event will consist of forest orienteering formats including a qualification race and finals in Long Distance, Middle Distance and Relays and will most likely be held in mid-July 2023.

For the first time ever the IOF Council also decided to appoint the next consecutive World Orienteering Championships organiser of the forest formats. The Championships in 2025 will be hosted by the city of Kuopio in Finland with the Event Center in the resort of Tahko. The same forest formats as in 2023 will be held in early to mid-July 2025.

"The IOF had received 2 excellent bids for the World Orienteering Championships in the current bidding period for 2023, from Switzerland and Finland, and we are very pleased to be able to award both of the bidders the Championships in 2023 and 2025 respectively", says IOF President Leho Haldna of the historic double award.

"The strength of these 2 bids shows that the new structure of the World Orienteering Championships, with forest formats in odd years and sprint formats in even years, is attractive to venues and organisers. We look forward to working together with the respective organisers in creating exciting and visible events."