World Athletics Championships 2025: Schedule and Where to Watch.

According to The Sun: Tokyo is preparing to become the center of world athletics.

The 2025 World Athletics Championships invites the best athletes to the Japanese capital. Over nine days, there will be jumps, running distances, and relay races — with a schedule convenient for viewing during lunchtime in the UK and for late-night broadcasts with coffee.

Dina Asher-Smith represented Great Britain at the Championships in 2023PA

Here’s what you need to know: when it starts, what the week’s schedule looks like, when results will first appear, and the best ways to watch live in the UK.

When will the World Athletics Championships 2025 take place?

The Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships will run from July 15 to July 24, 2025.

The venue will be the National Stadium of Japan in Tokyo, which is a hub for global sporting events.

More than 2,000 athletes from approximately 200 countries are expected to compete in sprints, middle and long distances, hurdle races, relays, jumps, throws, and marathons.

Don’t forget about the time difference. Tokyo operates on JST, which is UTC+9.

For viewers in the UK during summer time (UTC+1), finals in Tokyo will typically occur from morning to early afternoon in the UK.

For Eastern Time in the US (UTC−4), peak broadcast times in Tokyo will be early morning.

So, don’t forget to set your alarms, plan your lunches, and prepare your coffee.

This is the 20th edition of the Championships, and it is truly a global event: a nine-day format with two sessions a day that includes qualifying rounds, semifinals, and finals with a seamless rhythm.

If you are interested in records, medals, and exceptionally close finishes, this is where it all happens.

BBC will provide coverage of the eventBBC

Schedule for the World Athletics Championships 2025

The World Athletics Association will publish the full official schedule for Tokyo 2025, which should guide your plans.

It will include all sessions, events, and finals throughout all nine days.

Here’s how to navigate it to simplify planning your viewing and tracking results.

Format at a glance:

• Duration: nine consecutive days from Saturday, July 15, to Sunday, July 24.
• Sessions: morning and evening sessions on most days.
• Flow of events: heats and qualifying rounds usually take place in the morning; finals in the evening sessions in local time.

Key dates to remember:

• Opening Day: Saturday, July 15, 2025
• Closing Day: Sunday, July 24, 2025
• Medal Moments: finals spread throughout the week, culminating in a busy weekend.

Practical viewing tips:

• Choose these two weekends (July 15-16 and July 22-23) for important finals.
• Adjust time zones in advance and set reminders in your calendar to account for your local time.
• For viewers in the UK, mid to late mornings on weekdays are a good time to catch finals happening in the evening in Tokyo.

You can also track results using the World Athletics Association app, which provides notifications about finals, records, and medal achievements.

For desktops, results can be found on the championship’s dedicated portal, which is a unique source for all events.

Another important point is the reliability of the schedule: it is carefully planned but may be subject to changes.

Always check the official schedule in the morning before each session.

Major championships often spark discussions about qualifying rules and testing, and you can find an explanation of the controversy here.

GETTY

How to Watch the World Athletics Championships 2025

In the UK, the broadcast of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo will include live and highlight shows over nine days.

Live coverage and reports will be available on BBC channels as well as on the BBC iPlayer platform.

BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra traditionally provide commentary during major competitions.

When BBC assembles its team of presenters, find out why Michael Johnson will not be part of the Championship coverage on BBC.

Streaming in the UK will also be available via discovery+, where TNT Sports channels can be watched on mobile phones, tablets, smart TVs, and browsers.

If you have already subscribed to TNT Sports through your TV provider, you will usually be able to log into the app; if not, discovery+ offers direct subscriptions for streaming.

Check your package details in advance to be ready before the starter's pistol.

Many competitive finals will take place in the morning to early afternoon on weekdays.

If you can’t watch live, use discovery+ to catch up during lunch or after work.

Regarding recaps and clips, presenters and the World Athletics Association post quick highlights of races and record attempts on the official sites and social media right after the events.

If you don’t want to know the results in advance, turn off notifications until you watch the replays.

This text provides a clear overview of the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo, its schedule, broadcast features, and important dates. Readers get all the information they need to plan their viewing and not miss key moments.