Until 1973 there was not official World Champions in Cross Country. However, the winner of the "International Cross of Nations" was considered as such. This race began in 1903 (1967 for women) at Hamilton, Scotland, but only the British countries (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) took part on the first editions. France were allowed to enter in 1907 and until 1948 all the winners had been either British or French. In 1973, the International Association (IAAF) organized the first officially declared World Championships. Men´s race is about 12 km. A short race (about 4 km) were also held between 1998 and 2005.
Hasta 1973 no existía ningún campeonato del mundo oficial de campo a través (cross country); sin embargo, el ganador del "Cross Internacional de las Naciones" era considerado como el campeón del mundo. Esta carrera comenzó en 1903 (en 1967 para las mujeres) en Hamilton, Escocia y hasta 1907, en que entró Francia, sólo participaban los países británicos. El primer vencedor que no fuera británico o francés fue el belga Doms en 1948. En 1973, la federación internacional (IAAF) organizó oficialmente el primer Campeonato del Mundo de Campo a Través. La carrera masculina se disputa sobre 12 km. Entre 1998 y 2005 también se disputó un cross corto (4 km).
* Warsaw = Varsovia; Antwerp = Amberes; Cape Town = Ciudad el Cabo
| Edition | Year | Site / Lugar | Winner / Campeón | Second / Segundo | Third / Tercero |
| I | 1973 | Waregen | Pekka Päivärinta, FIN | Mariano Haro, ESP | Rod Dixon, NZL |
| II | 1974 | Monza | Erik De Beck, BEL | Mariano Haro, ESP | Karel Lismont, BEL |
| III | 1975 | Rabat | Ian Stewart, Sco | Mariano Haro, ESP | Bill Rodgers, USA |
| IV | 1976 | Chepstow | Carlos Lopes, POR | Tony Simmons, Eng | Bernie Ford, Eng |
| V | 1977 | Düsseldorf | Leon Schots, BEL | Carlos Lopes, POR | Detlef Uhlemann, FRG |
| VI | 1978 | Glasgow | John Treacy, IRL | Aleksandr Antipov, URS | Karol Lismont, BEL |
| VII | 1979 | Limerick | John Treacy, IRL | Bronislaw Malinowski, POL | Aleksandr Antipov, URS |
| VIII | 1980 | Paris | Craig Virgin, USA | Hans Orthmann, FRG | Nick Rose, Eng |
| IX | 1981 | Madrid | Craig Virgin, USA | Mohamed Kedir, ETH | Fernando Mamede, POR |
| X | 1982 | Roma | Mohamed Kedir, ETH | Alberto Salazar, USA | Rod Dixon, NZL |
| XI | 1983 | Gateshead | Bekele Debele, ETH | Carlos Lopes, POR | Some Muge, KEN |
| XII | 1984 | New York | Carlos Lopes, POR | Tim Hutchings, Eng | Steve Jones, Wal |
| XIII | 1985 | Lisboa | Carlos Lopes, POR | Paul Kipkoech, KEN | Wodajo Bulti, ETH |
| XIV | 1986 | Neuchatel | John Ngugi, KEN | Abebe Mekonnen, ETH | Joseph Kiptum, KEN |
| XV | 1987 | Warsaw | John Ngugi, KEN | Paul Kipkoech, KEN | Paul Arpin, FRA |
| XVI | 1988 | Auckland | John Ngugi, KEN | Paul Kipkoech, KEN | William Koskei, KEN |
| XVII | 1989 | Stavanger | John Ngugi, KEN | Tim Hutchings, GBR | Wilfred O. Kirochi, KEN |
| XVIII | 1990 | Aix-les-Bains | Khalid Skah, MAR | Moses Tanui, KEN | Julius Korir, KEN |
| XIX | 1991 | Antwerp | Khalid Skah, MAR | Moses Tanui, KEN | Simon Karori , KEN |
| XX | 1992 | Boston | John Ngugi, KEN | William Mutwol, KEN | Fita Bayesa, ETH |
| XXI | 1993 | Amorebieta | William Sigei, KEN | Dominic Kirui, KEN | Ismael Kirui, KEN |
| XXII | 1994 | Budapest | William Sigei, KEN | Simon Chemoiywo, KEN | Haile Gebrselassie, ETH |
| XXIII | 1995 | Durham | Paul Tergat, KEN | Ismael Kirui, KEN | Salah Hissou, MAR |
| XXIV | 1996 | Cape Town | Paul Tergat, KEN | Salah Hissou, MAR | Ismael Kirui, KEN |
| XXV | 1997 | Torino | Paul Tergat, KEN | Salah Hissou, MAR | Thomas Nyariki, KEN |
| XXVI | 1998 | Marrakech | Paul Tergat, KEN | Paul Koech, KEN | Assefa Mezegebu, ETH |
| XXVII | 1999 | Belfast | Paul Tergat, KEN | Patrick Ivuti, KEN | Paulo Guerra, POR |
| XXVIII | 2000 | Vilamoura | Mohammed Mourhit, BEL | Assefa Mezgebu, ETH | Paul Tergat, KEN |
| XXIX | 2001 | Ostende | Mohammed Mourhit, BEL | Sergiy Lebid, UKR | Charles Kamathi, KEN |
| XXX | 2002 | Dublin | Kenenisa Bekele, ETH | John Yuda, TAN | Wilbeforce Talel, KEN |
| XXXI | 2003 | Lausanne | Kenenisa Bekele, ETH | Patrick Ivuti, KEN | Gebre Gebremariam, ETH |
| XXXII | 2004 | Brussels | Kenenisa Bekele, ETH | Gebre Gebremariam, ETH | Sileshi Sihine, ETH |
| XXXIII | 2005 | St. Etienne | Kenenisa Bekele, ETH | Zersenay Tadesse, ERI | Ahmad Hassan, QAT |
| XXXIV | 2006 | Fukuoka | Kenenisa Bekele, ETH | Sileshi Sihine, ETH | Martin Irungu Mathathi, KEN |
| XXXV | 2007 | Mombasa | Zersenay Tadese, ERI | Moses Mosop, KEN | Bernard Kipyego, KEN |
| XXXVI | 2008 | Edinburgh | Kenenisa Bekele, ETH | Leonard Patrick Komon, KEN | Zersenay Tadese, ERI |
The team competition is won by the country with less points. Every runner adds to his/her country total the same number of points as his/her place in the finnish line (the winner 1 point, the second 2 points...). Though a country can compete with 9 athletes, only the first six runners of each country count. The record is held by Kenya (12 points in 1998 & 1999) when only the first four runners were taken into account.
La competición por equipos es por puntos, no por tiempos. Cada país puede llevar hasta nueve corredores, pero sólo los seis primeros cuentan a efectos de la clasificación por equipos. Cada corredor añade a la cuenta de su equipo el mismo número que su puesto en la clasificación general (El 1º un punto, el 2º dos puntos...). Gana el país que menos puntos obtenga. Kenia (1998 y 1999) tiene el récord con 12 puntos, cuando sólo puntuaban cuatro corredores.
| Year | Site / Lugar | 1st / 1º | 2nd / 2º | 3rd / 3º |
| 1973 | Waregen, BEL | Belgium | Soviet Union | New Zealand |
| 1974 | Monza, ITA | Belgium | England | France |
| 1975 | Rabat, MAR | New Zealand | England | Belgium |
| 1976 | Chepstow, Wal | England | Belgium | France |
| 1977 | Düsseldorf, FRG | Belgium | England | Soviet Union |
| 1978 | Glasgow, Sco | France | United States | England |
| 1979 | Limerick, IRL | England | Ireland | Soviet Union |
| 1980 | Paris, FRA | England | United States | Belgium |
| 1981 | Madrid, ESP | Ethiopia | United States | Kenya |
| 1982 | Roma, ITA | Ethiopia | England | Soviet Union |
| 1983 | Gateshead, Eng | Ethiopia | United States | Kenya |
| 1984 | New York, USA | Ethiopia | United States | Portugal |
| 1985 | Lisboa, POR | Ethiopia | Kenya | United States |
| 1986 | Neuchatel, SUI | Kenya | Ethiopia | United States |
| 1987 | Warsaw, POL | Kenya | England | Ethiopia |
| 1988 | Auckland, NZL | Kenya | Ethiopia | France |
| 1989 | Stavanger, NOR | Kenya | Great Britain | Ethiopia |
| 1990 | Aix-les-Bains, FRA | Kenya | Ethiopia | Spain |
| 1991 | Antwerp, BEL | Kenya | Ethiopia | Spain |
| 1992 | Boston, USA | Kenya | France | Great Britain |
| 1993 | Amorebieta, ESP | Kenya | Ethiopia | Portugal |
| 1994 | Budapest, HUN | Kenya | Morocco | Ethiopia |
| 1995 | Durham, Eng | Kenya | Morocco | Spain |
| 1996 | Cape Town, RSA | Kenya | Morocco | Ethiopia |
| 1997 | Turin, ITA | Kenya | Morocco | Ethiopia |
| 1998 | Marrakech, MAR | Kenya | Ethiopia | Morocco |
| 1999 | Belfast, NI | Kenya | Ethiopia | Portugal |
| 2000 | Vilamoura, POR | Kenya | Ethiopia | Portugal |
| 2001 | Ostende, BEL | Kenya | France | United States |
| 2002 | Dublin, IRL | Kenya | Ethiopia | Morocco |
| 2003 | Lausanne, SUI | Kenya | Ethiopia | Morocco |
| 2004 | Brussels, BEL | Ethiopia | Kenya | Eritrea |
| 2005 | St. Etienne, FRA | Ethiopia | Kenya | Qatar |
| 2006 | Fukuoka, JPN | Kenya | Eritrea | Ethiopia |
| Martin Irungu Mathathi 3, Mike Kipruto Kigen 5, Hosea Mwok Macharinyang 6, Simon Koros Arusei 10 = 24 | ||||
| 2007 | Mombasa, KEN | Kenya -28 | Morocco -146 | Uganda -185 |
| Moses Mosop, Bernard Kipyego, Gideon Ngatuny, Hosea Macharinyang, Michael Kipyego, Cheruiyot Soi (2+3+4+5+6+8 = 28) | ||||
| 2008 | Edinburgh, GBR | Kenya -39 | Ethiopia -105 | Qatar -144 |
| Leonard Patrick Komon, Joseph Ebuya, Moses Ndiema Masai, Gideon Lekumok Ngatuny, Bernard Kiprop Kipyego, Hosea Mwok Macharinyag (2+4+5+7+10+11 = 39) | ||||
| Ps | NAME, CNT | #T | Years |
| 1. | Kenenisa Bekele, ETH | 6 | 02 03 04 05 06 08 |
| 2. | John Ngugi, KEN | 5 | 86 87 88 89 92 |
| . | Paul Tergat, KEN | 5 | 95 96 97 98 99 |
| 4. | Jack T Holden, Eng | 4 | 33 34 35 39 |
| . | Alain Mimoun, FRA | 4 | 49 52 54 56 |
| Gaston Roelants, BEL | 4 | 62 67 69 72 | |
| 7. | Jean Bouin, FRA | 3 | 11 12 13 |
| . | Carlos Lopes, POR | 3 | 76 84 85 |
| 9. | John Treacy, IRL | 2 | 78 79 |
| . | Craig Virgin, USA | 2 | 80 81 |
| . | Khalid Skah, MAR | 2 | 90 91 |
| . | William Sigei, KEN | 2 | 93 94 |
| (13) | Mohammed Mourhit, BEL | 2 | 00 01 |
Medal table (individual competition) / Medallero (competición individual)
| Pos | Country / País | G | S | B | Tot |
| 1. | Kenya | 12 | 14 | 14 | 40 |
| 2. | Ethiopia | 8 | 5 | 6 | 19 |
| 3. | Belgium | 4 | - | 1 | 5 |
| 4. | Portugal | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 5. | Morocco | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 6. | United States | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 7. | Ireland | 2 | - | - | 2 |
| 8. | Eritrea | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 9. | Finland | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| . | Scotland | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| 11. | Spain | - | 3 | - | 3 |
| 12. | England | - | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 13. | West Germany | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| . | Soviet Union | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| . | Great Britain | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 16. | Poland | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| . | Ukraine | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| . | Tanzania | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| 19. | New Zealand | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| 20. | Wales | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| . | France | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| . | Qatar | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| 22 | TOTAL | 36 | 36 | 36 | 108 |
| Pos | Country / País | G | S | B | Tot |
| 1. | Kenya | 21 | 3 | 2 | 26 |
| 2. | Ethiopia | 7 | 11 | 6 | 24 |
| 3. | England | 3 | 5 | 1 | 9 |
| 4. | Belgium | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 5. | France | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 6. | New Zealand | 1 | - | 1 | 2 |
| 7. | United States | - | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 8. | Morocco | - | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 9. | Soviet Union | - | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 10. | Great Britain | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| . | Eritrea | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 12. | Ireland | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| 13. | Portugal | - | - | 4 | 4 |
| 14. | Spain | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| 15. | Qatar | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| 16. | Uganda | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | TOTAL | 36 | 36 | 36 | 108 |
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