1997 World Championships in Athletics
| Host city | Athens, Greece |
|---|---|
| Nations | 198 |
| Athletes | 1882 |
| Dates | 1–10 August 1997 |
| Opened by | President Konstantinos Stephanopoulos |
| Main venue | Olympic Stadium |
The 6th World Championships in Athletics (Greek: Παγκόσμιο Πρωτάθλημα Στίβου 1997), under the auspices of the International Association of Athletic Federations, were held at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece between 1 and 10 August 1997. 1,882 athletes from 198 participant nations participated in this event.
It was the first edition to award wild cards to defending champions even if they did not qualify for their national team. This allowed four athletes from the same country to compete in an individual event in some cases.