mondiali

Mondiali is the plural form of mondiale in Italian and is used to refer to world championships or world cups in various sports. The term derives from mondo (world) with the suffix -iale, and it functions both as an adjective and a noun in everyday usage.

In sports journalism and popular speech, i Mondiali most often denotes the FIFA World Cup, the global football championship that gathers national teams from around the world. The expression can also refer to other international championships across sports, such as Mondiali di atletica leggera (world championships in track and field), Mondiali di nuoto (world swimming championships), Mondiali di sci (world championships in skiing), and Mondiali di basket, among others. When paired with a sport name, Mondiali forms a common label for the event, for example Mondiali di nuoto 2023.

The organization and scheduling of Mondiali vary by sport. Each event is typically governed by its respective international federation, such as FIFA for football, World Athletics for athletics, FINA for swimming, and FIS for skiing. The frequency of world championships differs: some disciplines hold editions every two years, others every four years or on different cycles.

Usage notes include capitalization: Mondial or Mondiali is capitalized when used as a proper noun referring to a specific event, while mondial can appear in a general, adjectival sense meaning worldwide. The term frequently appears in media, sports literature, and discussions about international competition.