1986 Individual Speedway World Championship

The 1986 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 41st edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.

Hans Nielsen finally won his first world title after finishing in second place during the two previous Championships. He lost his first ride to arch rival and defending champion Erik Gundersen but then won his next four rides to be crowned the champion. Fellow Dane Jan O. Pedersen took silver and England's Kelvin Tatum took the bronze while Gundersen faded into tenth place.

It was the fourth final to be held at the Silesian Stadium in Poland.

British qualification

 * Riders progress to British semi-finals

Swedish qualification

 * Top 8 in heat 1, top 7 in heat 2 to Swedish final

Australian Final

 * Top 4 to Commonwealth Final plus 1 reserve

New Zealand Final

 * 25 January 1986
 * 🇳🇿 Gisborne Speedway, Gisborne
 * Top 3 to Commonwealth Final

British Final

 * 1 June 1986
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Brandon Stadium, Coventry
 * Top 9 to Commonwealth Final plus 1 reserve

Danish Final

 * 8 May 1986
 * Hele Fyns Speedway Center, Fjelsted
 * Top 5 to Nordic Final plus 1 reserve
 * Tommy Knudsen seeded to Nordic Final

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Norwegian Final

 * 🇳🇴 Elgane Speedway, Varhaug
 * Top 1 (+1 seeded) to Nordic final
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Finland Final

 * 🇫🇮 Varkaus Speedway Stadion, Varkaus
 * 18 August 1985, top 2 (+1 seeded rider) to 1986 Nordic final
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Swedish Finals

 * 🇸🇪 SWE Top 4 to Nordic Final plus 1 reserve
 * Jan Andersson seeded to Nordic Final
 * R1 (21 May, Snälltorpet, Eskilstuna)
 * R2 (22 May, Nässjö Motorstadion, Nässjö)
 * R3 (23 May, Sannaheds Motorstadion, Kumla)

Continental quarter-finals

 * Top 32 to Continental semi-finals

American Final

 * 23 June 1986
 * 🇺🇸 Veterans Memorial Stadium, Long Beach
 * Top 5 + 1 reserve to the Overseas Final

Commonwealth Final

 * 8 June 1986
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Hyde Road, Manchester
 * Top 11 to the Overseas Final plus 1 reserve

Nordic Final

 * 4 July 1986
 * 🇸🇪 Kumla Motorstadion, Kumla
 * Top 7 to Intercontinental Final plus 1 reserve

Overseas Final

 * 19 June 1986
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Brandon Stadium, Coventry
 * Top 9 to Intercontinental Final plus 1 reserve

Continental Final

 * 20 July 1986
 * 🇦🇹 Stadion Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt
 * Top 4 to World Final plus 1 reserve
 * Ryszard Dołomisiewicz seeded to World Final

Intercontinental Final

 * 20 July 1986
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Odsal Stadium, Bradford
 * Top 11 to World Final plus 1 reserve

World Final

 * 30 August 1986
 * 🇵🇱 Silesian Stadium, Chorzów