Tampere had initially been due to stage the 2021 edition of the World Championships, but this was postponed until 2023 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It marks the first time Finland has staged the event.

Inzell in Germany had staged the last edition of the World Championships more than four years ago.

The 22^nd edition of the World Championships is for athletes aged 18 and over, and runs alongside the Junior World Championships for those aged 15 to 17 and the inaugural Pre-Junior World Championships for those aged 12 to 14.

More than 1,100 competitors are due to participate at the Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre.

An Opening Ceremony is due to start the ITF World Championships tomorrow, and features finals in the women's and men's pre-junior pattern first dan, men's junior sparring 60 to 65 kilograms, 70 to 75kg, 55 to 60kg and 50 to 55kg.

Senior competition is due to begin with the mixed team pre-arranged sparring, men's individual and team special technique, and men's and women's individual power test.

Competition is due to run until Saturday (September 9).

In the senior competition, 546 athletes from 52 countries have entered.

Junior events are set to feature 369 athletes from 41 countries and pre-junior competition 193 participants from 32 nations.

Verification and weigh-in for all participants was held today at the Sokos Hotel Torni.

Russia and Belarus are not competing due to the ongoing impact of the war in Ukraine.

Argentina topped the medals table at the last ITF World Championships across senior and junior competition with 10 golds, followed by Poland, New Zealand and Norway with six each.