The World Quizzing Championships is an individual quiz contest organised by the International Quizzing Association (the umbrella organisation of various quizzing activities from more than 25 countries around the world). The competition has been staged annually since (since 2004 in more than one country simultaneously) with an increasing number of contestants from an increasing number of nations. Since 2006, the competition has been staged on the first Saturday of every June.
Contestants answer questions from eight broad categories and can earn up to 30 points in each, for a potential score of 240. Prior to 2022, they were allowed to drop their lowest-scoring category, leaving a maximum of 210. Under these rules, Pat Gibson and Jesse Honey jointly hold the high score record with 186 points, achieving that mark in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Since the rules were changed to count all eight categories, Daoud Jackson holds the record with 187 points, achieved in 2025.
Once time expires, the papers are marked and contestants score one point for each correct answer. From 2003 to 2021, each contestant's lowest-scoring genre was dropped and their scores from the other seven were added to determine the final standings. Starting with the 2022 competition, all eight genres are included.
The genres and general content areas are a combination of academic and popular culture topics including:
| Ronny Swiggers
| Victoria Groce
| Evan Lynch
|-
| 2022
| Didier Bruyere
| Tom Trogh
| Krešimir Štimac
|-
| 2021
| Ronny Swiggers
| Didier Bruyere
| Tero Kalliolevo
|-
| 2020
| Ravikant Avva
| Troy Meyer
| Victoria Groce
|-
| 2019
| Olav Bjortomt
| Steve Perry
| Tero Kalliolevo
|-
| 2018
| Olav Bjortomt
| Steve Perry
| Pat Gibson
|-
| 2017
| Kevin Ashman
| Didier Bruyere
| Pat Gibson
|-
| 2016
| Kevin Ashman
| Olav Bjortomt
| Pat Gibson
|-
| 2015
| Olav Bjortomt
| Kevin Ashman
| Pat Gibson
|-
| 2014
| Vikram Joshi
| Steve Perry
| Kevin Ashman
|-
| 2013
| Pat Gibson
| Tero Kalliolevo
| Kevin Ashman
|-
| 2012
| Jesse Honey
| Pat Gibson
| Steve Perry
|-
| 2011
2004
In 2004, following the foundation of the International Quizzing Association (IQA), the event was held simultaneously in five countries: the United Kingdom (joined by quizzers from elsewhere, including Ireland), Belgium (joined by quizzers from the Netherlands), Estonia, India, and Malaysia. Over 300 quizzers took part. The UK leg was staged at Manchester United's Old Trafford football stadium. The 2004 winner was Kevin Ashman.
- Pat Gibson – 135
- Ashish – 128
- Nico Pattyn – 126
- Frank Van Nieuwenhove – 124
- Ian Bayley – 118
- David Stainer – 117
- Arul Mani – 116
- Stephen Pearson – 115
- Lauri Naber – 115
2005
The 2005 championship on July 2, saw further significant growth with the event benefiting from the sponsorship of MSN Search. Countries joining the original five competing nations included Australia, Finland, Indonesia, Norway and Singapore. Quizzers sat eight papers of 30 questions each, covering: 'Culture', 'Entertainment', 'History', 'Lifestyle', 'Media', 'Sciences', 'Sport and Games', and 'World', with the lowest score from the eight genres being dropped – although these did come into play to settle tie-break situations. The eight genres were won outright or shared by quizzers from seven countries (Belgium, England, Estonia, Finland, India, Ireland, and Norway).
Efforts to encourage the participation of women in the contest (competitive quizzing has hitherto been something of a male-dominated pastime) were rewarded in 2005 with a win for Trine Aalborg of Norway in the 'Lifestyle' category and a sixth place overall for Dorjana Širola of Croatia (who also finished 3rd among those competitors who had gathered at Silverstone motor racing circuit for the UK leg of the competition). In India, another woman, Debashree Mitra of Bangalore took 3rd place overall.
- Pat Gibson – 154
- Nico Pattyn – 151
- Marc Van Springel – 144
- Arul Mani – 144
- Dorjana Širola – 139 (first woman)
- Ove Põder – 138
- Lauri Naber – 138
- Erik Derycke – 138
- Ian Bayley – 138
2006
On June 3, 2006, the World Quizzing Championships were held at more than 15 locations. First time organisers were Lithuania, Germany, Switzerland, Liberia and Sri Lanka. People of a multitude of nationalities took part, including representatives from the United States, Australia, Russia, Singapore, Hungary, and France. The title was, for the 3rd year running, won by Kevin Ashman.
- Pat Gibson – 163
- Nico Pattyn – 155
- Marc Van Springel – 146
- Olav Bjortomt – 142
- Ronny Swiggers – 140
- Dorjana Širola – 140 (highest placed woman)
- Mark Bytheway – 136
- Erik Derycke – 136
- Ian Bayley – 133
2007
On June 2, 2007, the World Quizzing Championships was held at locations including the Netherlands, the US and Hungary for the first time. Pat Gibson took the crown from three-time winner Kevin Ashman.
- Pat Gibson – 179
- Mark Bytheway – 173
- Kevin Ashman – 177
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="4"| Individual (Top 10)
|-
!Pos
!Name
!Country
!Score
|-
|1
|Pat Gibson
|
|180
|-
|2
|Kevin Ashman
|
|169
|-
|3
|Ronny Swiggers
|
|169
|-
|4
|Tero Kalliolevo
|
|166
|-
|5
|Olav Bjortomt
|
|165
|-
|6
|Nico Pattyn
|
|151
|-
|7
|Mark Grant
|
|149
|-
|8
|Thomas Kolåsæter
|
|147
|-
|9
|Erik Derycke
|
|147
|-
|10
|David Beck
|
|146
|-
!colspan="4"| Nation (Ranked by highest placed team member, Top 10)
|-
!Pos
!Country
!Highest placed team member
!Score
|-
|1
|
|1 – Pat Gibson
|180
|-
|2
|
|3 – Ronny Swiggers
|169
|-
|3
|
|4 – Tero Kalliolevo
|166
|-
|4
|
|7 – Mark Grant
|149
|-
|5
|
|8 – Thomas Kolåsæter
|147
|-
|6
|
|12 – Ove Põder
|144
|-
|7
|
|17 – Dorjana Širola
|140
|-
|8
|
|19 – Steve Perry
|139
|-
|9
|
|23 – Barry Simmons
|135
|-
|10
|
|24 – Holger Waldenberger
|135
|-
|}
Dorjana Širola of Croatia was the highest placed woman in 17th position with 140 points.
2011
<!-- Deleted image removed: thumb|350px|2011 championship was organized for the first time in [[Panevėžys, Lithuania (shopping mall Babilonas) ]] -->
The 2011 World Quizzing Championships took place on Saturday, June 4 with the planned addition of venues in Denmark, Gibraltar and Madagascar. Reigning champion Pat Gibson achieved the highest score in England with 186 and retained his title. Four times champion Kevin Ashman made 176. Tero Kalliolevo achieved the highest score in Finland with 176. Ronny Swiggers achieved the highest score in Belgium with 168. Steve Perry achieved the highest score in USA with 164. Mark Grant achieved the highest score in Wales with 163. Thomas Kolåsæter achieved the highest score in Norway with 158.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="4"| Individual (Top 10)
|-
!Pos
!Name
!Country
!Score
|-
|1
|Pat Gibson
|
|186
|-
|2
|Kevin Ashman
|
|176
|-
|3
|Tero Kalliolevo
|
|176
|-
|4
|Jesse Honey
|
|172
|-
|5
|Ronny Swiggers
|
|168
|-
|6
|Olav Bjortomt
|
|168
|-
|7
|Nico Pattyn
|
|167
|-
|8
|Steve Perry
|
|164
|-
|9
|Mark Grant
|
|163
|-
|10
|Tom Trogh
|
|159
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="4"| Genre Winners (Top Score = 30)
|-
!Genre
!Winner
!Country
!Score
|-
|Entertainment
|Scott Dawson
|
|28
|-
|Culture
|Pat Gibson
|
|29
|-
|Lifestyle
|Pat Gibson
|
|27
|-
|Sciences
|Pat Gibson
|
|28
|-
|History
|Nico Pattyn
|
|28
|-
|Media
|Jussi Suvanto
|
|29
|-
|Sport
|Tom Trogh
|
|26
|-
|World
|Pat Gibson <br /> Paul Lujan
| <br />
|26
|-
|}
2012
The 2012 event was held on June 2, 2012, with over 1,700 participants competing at 88 locations in 35 countries. Defending champion Pat Gibson was beaten into second place by Jesse Honey with a score of 186. For the first time ever, someone scored full marks in one genre with Ishaan Chugh, a quizzer from India, scoring 30/30 in the Media section.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="4"| Individual (Top 10)