# World Junior Wrestling Championships

The World Junior Wrestling Championships (U20) is the main wrestling championships in the Junior age category (between 18 and 20 years old), organised by United World Wrestling (UWW). This event was held twice in 1979 and 1980.

## Rename

The past name for the competition was the Junior World Championships. In November 2021, the UWW renamed the Junior Worlds to U20 and Cadet Worlds to U17.

## Editions

* 1980 in Stockholm probably was in U15 (Schools) in 13 + 13 weights
* 1992 (LL, GR) and 1993 (LF) was counted one edition
* Not held in 2002 and 2004
* Shared bronze medal awarded since 2005
* 1969 – 1977 / 1983 – 1995 : Espoir World Championships
| # | Year | Host city | Host country | Events |
| Junior |||||
| 1 | 1969 | Boulder, Colorado | United States | 20 |
| 2 | 1971 | Tokyo | Japan | 20 |
| 3 | 1973 | Miami Beach / Unknown | United States (LL) / Unknown (GR) | 20 |
| 4 | 1975 | Haskovo / Unknown | Bulgaria (LL) / Unknown (GR) | 20 |
| 5 | 1977 | Las Vegas / Unknown | United States (LL) / Unknown (GR) | 20 |
| 6 | 1978 | Colorado Springs / Unknown | United States (LL) / Unknown (GR) | 20 |
| 7 | 1979-1 | Colorado Springs / Unknown | United States (LL) / Unknown (GR) | 20 |
| 7 | 1979-2 | Ulaanbaatar / Haparanda | Mongolia (LL) / Sweden (GR) | 20 |
| 8 | 1980 | Stockholm | Sweden | 26 |
| 8 | 1980 | Colorado Springs | United States | 20 |
| 9 | 1981 | Vancouver / Unknown | Canada / Unknown (GR) | 20 |
| 10 | 1982 | Colorado Springs | United States | 20 |
| 11 | 1983 | Oak Lawn | United States | 20 |
| 12 | 1984 | Washington | United States | 20 |
| 13 | 1986 | Schifferstadt | Germany | 20 |
| 14 | 1988 | Wolfurt / Dijon | Austria (LL , GR) / France (LF) | 29 |
| 15 | 1990 | Istanbul / Unknown | Turkey (LL) / Unknown (GR) | 20 |
| 16 | 1991 | Barcelona | Spain (GR) | 10 |
| 17 | 1992 | Cali | Colombia (LL,GR) | 20 |
| 18 | 1993 | Goetzis | Austria (LF) | 8 |
| 19 | 1994 | Budapest | Hungary | 20 |
| 20 | 1996 | Moscow / Walbrzych | Russia (LL) / Poland (GR) | 20 |
| 21 | 1997 | Helsinki / Turku | Finland (LL) / Finland (GR) | 20 |
| 22 | 1998 | Las Vegas / Cairo / Fredrikstad | United States (LL) / Egypt (GR) / Norway (LF) | 28 |
| 23 | 1999 | Bucharest / Sydney | Romania (GR , LF) / Australia (LL) | 26 |
| 24 | 2000 | Nantes | France | 26 |
| 25 | 2001 | Tashkent / Martigny | Uzbekistan (LL , GR) / Switzerland (LF) | 26 |
| Unit Host |||||
| 26 | 2003 | Istanbul | Turkey | 24 |
| 27 | 2005 | Vilnius | Lithuania | 24 |
| 28 | 2006 | Guatemala City | Guatemala | 24 |
| 29 | 2007 | Beijing | China | 24 |
| 30 | 2008 | Istanbul | Turkey | 24 |
| 31 | 2009 | Ankara | Turkey | 24 |
| 32 | 2010 | Budapest | Hungary | 24 |
| 33 | 2011 | Bucharest | Romania | 24 |
| 34 | 2012 | Pattaya | Thailand | 24 |
| 35 | 2013 | Sofia | Bulgaria | 24 |
| 36 | 2014 | Zagreb | Croatia | 24 |
| 37 | 2015 | Salvador da Bahia | Brazil | 24 |
| 38 | 2016 | Mâcon | France | 24 |
| 39 | 2017 | Tampere | Finland | 24 |
| 40 | 2018 | Trnava | Slovakia | 30 |
| 41 | 2019 | Tallinn | Estonia | 30 |
| 42 | 2021 | Ufa | Russia | 30 |
| U20 |||||
| 43 | 2022 | Sofia | Bulgaria | 30 |
| 44 | 2023 | Amman | Jordan | 30 |
| 45 | 2024 | Pontevedra | Spain | 30 |
| 46 | 2025 | Sofia | Bulgaria | 30 |
* LL : Freestyle / GR : Greco-Roman / LF : Women's Freestyle

## All-time medal table

* Junior / U20 World Championship Medal Count (2000–2024)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Russia | 126 | 73 | 102 | 301 |
| 2 | Japan | 82 | 18 | 55 | 155 |
| 3 | Iran | 75 | 52 | 64 | 191 |
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 39 | 33 | 68 | 140 |
| 5 | United States | 38 | 47 | 82 | 167 |
| 6 | Turkey | 33 | 38 | 80 | 151 |
| 7 | Georgia | 24 | 33 | 45 | 102 |
| 8 | Ukraine | 20 | 28 | 67 | 115 |
| 9 | Kazakhstan | 12 | 27 | 39 | 78 |
| 10 | China | 12 | 15 | 27 | 54 |
| 11 | Armenia | 10 | 20 | 26 | 56 |
| 12 | India | 9 | 22 | 52 | 83 |
| – | Individual Neutral Athletes | 9 | 7 | 15 | 31 |
| 13 | Uzbekistan | 8 | 12 | 21 | 41 |
| 14 | Kyrgyzstan | 8 | 11 | 26 | 45 |
| 15 | Sweden | 7 | 3 | 22 | 32 |
| 16 | Hungary | 6 | 6 | 33 | 45 |
| 17 | France | 6 | 5 | 6 | 17 |
| 18 | Germany | 5 | 18 | 23 | 46 |
| 19 | Bulgaria | 5 | 10 | 19 | 34 |
| 20 | Belarus | 5 | 9 | 23 | 37 |
| 21 | Mongolia | 5 | 9 | 21 | 35 |
| 22 | Canada | 5 | 4 | 12 | 21 |
| 23 | Cuba | 4 | 7 | 4 | 15 |
| 24 | Moldova | 3 | 8 | 15 | 26 |
| 25 | Poland | 1 | 7 | 20 | 28 |
| 26 | South Korea | 1 | 5 | 8 | 14 |
| 27 | Lithuania | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| 28 | Egypt | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| 29 | Italy | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| 30 | Serbia | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 31 | Latvia | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 32 | Israel | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 33 | Colombia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 33 | Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 35 | Finland | 1 | 0 | 10 | 11 |
| 36 | Turkmenistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 37 | Romania | 0 | 10 | 12 | 22 |
| 38 | Vietnam | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 39 | Greece | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| 40 | Norway | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| 41 | Austria | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 42 | Mexico | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 43 | Ecuador | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 43 | Switzerland | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 45 | Brazil | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 45 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 45 | Croatia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 48 | North Korea | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 48 | Spain | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 48 | Venezuela | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 51 | Tunisia | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 52 | Estonia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 52 | Slovakia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 54 | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 55 | Algeria | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 55 | Bahrain | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 55 | Czech Republic | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 55 | Guatemala | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 55 | Honduras | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 55 | Sri Lanka | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (60 entries) | Totals (60 entries) | 568 | 568 | 1,060 | 2,196 |
* Serbia consist of Serbia and Montenegro and Yugoslavia.
* was competed in 2023,2024.

## Team rankings

| Year | Men's Freestyle | Men's Freestyle | Men's Freestyle | Men's Greco-Roman | Men's Greco-Roman | Men's Greco-Roman | Women's Freestyle | Women's Freestyle | Women's Freestyle |
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1969 | United States | Soviet Union | Japan | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Sweden | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1971 | Iran | United States | Japan | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | United States | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1973 | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Japan | Soviet Union | Romania | Bulgaria | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1975 | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Romania | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Sweden | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1977 | Soviet Union | United States | Bulgaria | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Poland | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1978 | United States | Iran | Greece | United States | West Germany | Canada | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1979-1 | United States | West Germany | Japan | West Germany | United States | Netherlands | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1979-2 | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Mongolia | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Sweden | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1980 | United States | Japan | Mexico | West Germany | Yugoslavia | Sweden | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1981 | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Japan | Soviet Union | Hungary | Bulgaria | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1982 | United States | Bulgaria | South Korea | Soviet Union | United States | West Germany | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1983 | Soviet Union | United States | South Korea | Soviet Union | West Germany | Turkey | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1984 | United States | West Germany | South Korea | South Korea | West Germany | China | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1986 | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | North Korea | Soviet Union | Cuba | Romania | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1988 | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | North Korea | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | South Korea | France | China | Norway |
| 1990 | Soviet Union | Iran | Bulgaria | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | Hungary | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1991 | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition | Soviet Union | Hungary | Turkey | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1992 | South Korea | Turkey | Bulgaria | Cuba | Turkey | Russia | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1994 | Russia | Iran | Turkey | Turkey | Russia | South Korea | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1996 | Cuba | Russia | Iran | Russia | Ukraine | Turkey | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1997 | Iran | Turkey | Russia | Russia | Turkey | Belarus | No Competition | No Competition | No Competition |
| 1998 | Russia | United States | Iran | Russia | Turkey | Iran | Russia | Japan | Poland |
| 1999 | Russia | Iran | South Korea | Russia | Germany | Greece | Japan | Russia | Ukraine |
| 2000 | Russia | Iran | Kazakhstan | Ukraine | Russia | Kazakhstan | Japan | Germany | United States |
| 2001 | Russia | Georgia | Iran | Russia | Iran | Turkey | Japan | Russia | Germany |
| 2003 | Russia | Iran | Turkey | Turkey | Georgia | Russia | China | Russia | United States |
| 2005 | Russia | Iran | Bulgaria | Turkey | Iran | Uzbekistan | Japan | Ukraine | United States |
| 2006 | Russia | Iran | Turkey | Turkey | Russia | Hungary | Japan | Russia | Belarus |
| 2007 | Russia | Iran | Turkey | Russia | Iran | Turkey | China | Russia | United States |
| 2008 | Russia | Iran | Georgia | Turkey | Iran | Kyrgyzstan | Russia | Turkey | Japan |
| 2009 | Russia | Iran | Azerbaijan | Iran | Azerbaijan | Turkey | Russia | Ukraine | Japan |
| 2010 | Russia | Turkey | Georgia | Russia | Azerbaijan | Ukraine | Russia | China | Japan |
| 2011 | Russia | Georgia | Iran | Georgia | Russia | Armenia | Japan | Russia | United States |
| 2012 | Russia | Iran | Georgia | Azerbaijan | Russia | Turkey | Japan | China | Belarus |
| 2013 | Russia | Turkey | Iran | Russia | Armenia | Iran | Japan | Russia | Bulgaria |
| 2014 | Iran | United States | Russia | Azerbaijan | Georgia | Russia | Japan | Russia | Azerbaijan |
| 2015 | Iran | Azerbaijan | Russia | Georgia | Azerbaijan | Turkey | Japan | Azerbaijan | Russia |
| 2016 | Russia | Azerbaijan | Turkey | Georgia | Russia | Iran | Japan | China | Ukraine |
| 2017 | United States | Russia | Iran | Iran | Russia | Turkey | Japan | Russia | China |
| 2018 | Russia | United States | Iran | Iran | Russia | Armenia | Japan | Russia | China |
| 2019 | Russia | United States | Iran | Russia | Iran | Turkey | Japan | Russia | Ukraine |
| 2021 | Iran | Russia | United States | Russia | Iran | Azerbaijan | United States | Russia | India |
| 2022 | Iran | United States | India | Iran | Azerbaijan | Ukraine | Japan | India | United States |
| 2023 | Iran | United States | India | Iran | Georgia | Armenia | India | Japan | United States |
| 2024 | United States | Iran | Japan | Iran | Kazakhstan | Turkey | Japan | India | United States |

## Espoir

| # | Year | Host city | Host country | Events |
| Unit and Various Host |||||
| 1 | 1983 | Anaheim / Kristiansund | United States (LL) / Norway (GR) | 20 |
| 2 | 1985 | Colorado Springs | United States | 20 |
| 3 | 1987 | Burnaby | Canada | 20 |
| 4 | 1989 | Ulaanbaatar / Budapest | Mongolia (LL) / Hungary (GR) | 20 |
| 5 | 1991 | Unknown / Unknown | Unknown / Unknown | 20 |
| 6 | 1993 | Athens | Greece | 20 |
| 7 | 1995 | Tehran | Iran | 20 |
* LL : Freestyle / GR : Greco-Roman
* After 1995 Junior and Espoir was merged.