The countdown is on for the 2025 World Athletics Championships, and this year it’s going to be unmissable. Tokyo is hosting the event for the first time since 1991, and Irish fans have more reason than ever to tune in. Not only do we have a record-breaking 28 athletes competing across 14 events, but we also get to watch it all for free for the first time since 1999. We are here to break down exactly where you can watch all of the action throughout the week.
Where can I watch the World Athletics Championships 2025?
RTE have exclusive rights to air the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships in Ireland. This will mark the first time since 1999 that the Championships have aired on the channel, making it a significant return for free-to-air coverage of the event.
Viewers will be able to watch all the action live across RTE2 and the RTE Player. This includes morning heats, evening finals, and highlight shows featuring expert analysis and interviews. Coverage will focus not just on the global superstars but also on Ireland’s own medal hopefuls, giving fans the chance to follow every key moment from the track and field.
Watch the World Athletics Championships with RTÉ Sport, beginning at 11.55pm on Friday on @RTEplayer, with television coverage on @RTE2 every day starting on Saturday from 9.45am #rtesport #IrishAthletics #Tokyo2025 pic.twitter.com/8RiHeeVVrP
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 12, 2025
For those outside of Ireland, coverage will vary depending on your region. The BBC will once again broadcast the championships for UK audiences, while NBC and Peacock will offer extensive coverage in the United States. Many territories will also have access to the official World Athletics YouTube channel, which streams selected events and highlights for free. You can bet on the 2025 World Athletics Championships with our online sportsbook.
Where are the World Athletics Championships 2025?
Tokyo, Japan will host the World Athletics Championships this year. This will be the second time Tokyo has hosted the games, becoming the first city ever to do so. It will be the third time that the World Athletics Championships have taken place in Japan, which is also a record, having hosted the games in Tokyo in 1991, and Osaka in 2007. The 2025 World Athletics Championships will take place between September 13th-21st. Many athletics predictions are expecting the hosts to give a good account of themselves with 119 entrants across track, field and road.
How many Irish athletes are at the World Athletics Championships?
There are 28 Irish athletes representing the nation at the 2025 World Athletics Championships. That is a record for Ireland, and the nation will be the most well-represented it has ever been at Tokyo. Those 28 athletes are spread across 14 events. This historic team includes a mix of experienced campaigners and exciting newcomers, all hoping to make their mark on the world stage.
https://twitter.com/irishathletics/status/1966133449988661306
The team’s record size reflects the growth of athletics in Ireland over recent years. More athletes are meeting qualifying standards and performing consistently on the international circuit. It’s an exciting moment for Irish athletics, and supporters will be keen to follow every event, cheer on the athletes, and watch history potentially being made on the track and in the field. Kate O’Connor looks to be one of the most hopeful of the Irish contingent according to World Athletics Championships predictions. She will run in the Heptathlon, beginning on Friday.
Saturday 13th September (Morning Session)
- 11:30 pm (Friday) Oisín Lane – Men’s 35km Race Walk
- 2:55 am Eric Favors – Men’s Shot Put – Qualification
- 3:55 am Mixed 4x400m Relay – Heats
Saturday – Evening Session
- 11:50 am Sarah Healy, Sophie O’Sullivan, Laura Nicholson – Women’s 1,500m – Heats
- 1:10 pm Eric Favors – Men’s Shot Put – Final
- 2:20 pm Mixed 4x400m Relay – Final
Sunday – Morning Session
- 11:30 pm (Saturday) Fionnuala McCormack – Women’s Marathon
- 1:00 am Nicola Tuthill – Women’s Hammer Throw – Qualification
- 1:35 am Andrew Coscoran, Cathal Doyle – Men’s 1500m – Heats
- 3:28 am Sarah Lavin – Women’s 100m Hurdles – Heats
Sunday – Evening Session
- 11:25 am Sharlene Mawdsley, Sophie Becker – Women’s 400m
- 1:05 pm Sarah Healy, Sophie O’Sullivan, Laura Nicholson – Women’s 1500m – Semi-finals
- 1:30 pm Efrem Gidey – Men’s 10,000m – Final
Monday – Morning Session
- 11:30 pm (Sunday) Peter Lynch, Hiko Tonosa – Men’s Marathon
Monday – Evening Session
- 1:00 pm Nicola Tuthill – Women’s Hammer Throw Final
- 1:05 pm Sarah Lavin – Women’s 100m Hurdles – Semi-finals
- 1:30 pm Andrew Coscoran, Cathal Doyle – Men’s 1500m – Semi-finals
- 2:20 pm Sarah Lavin – Women’s 100m Hurdles – Final
Tuesday – Evening Session
- 11:35 am Mark English, Cian McPhillips – Men’s 800m – Heats
- 1:05 pm Sharlene Mawdsley, Sophie Becker – Women’s 400m – Semi-finals
- 2:05 pm Sarah Healy, Sophie O’Sullivan, Laura Nicholson – Women’s 1500m – Final
Wednesday – Evening Session
- 2:20 pm Andrew Coscoran, Cathal Doyle – Men’s 1500m – Final
Thursday – Evening Session
- 1:45 pm Mark English, Cian McPhillips – Men’s 800m – Semi-finals
- 1:24 pm Sharlene Mawdsley, Sophie Becker – Women’s 400m – Final
Friday – Evening Session
- 9:33 am Kate O’Connor – 100m Hurdles – Women’s Heptathlon
- 10:20 am Kate O’Connor – High Jump – Women’s Heptathlon
- 12:05 pm Brian Fay, Andrew Coscoran, Darragh McElhinney – Men’s 5000m – Heats
- 12:30 pm Kate O’Connor – Shot Put – Women’s Heptathlon
- 1:38 pm Kate O’Connor – 200m – Women’s Heptathlon
Saturday, September 20th – Morning Session
- 1:50 am David Kenny – Men’s 20km Race Walk
- 3:30 am Kate O’Connor – Long Jump – Women’s Heptathlon
Saturday, September 20th – Evening Session
- 11:00 am Kate O’Connor – Javelin – Women’s Heptathlon
- 12:00 pm Women’s 4x400m Relay – Heats
- 1:11 pm Kate O’Connor – 800m – Women’s Heptathlon
- 2:22 pm Mark English, Cian McPhillips – Men’s 800m – Final
Sunday, September 21st – Evening Session
- 11:50 am Brian Fay, Andrew Coscoran, Darragh McElhinney – Men’s 5000m – Final
- 12:40 pm Women’s 4x400m Relay – Final
