World Para Athletics announced today that the 10th edition of the Championships would take place at Universiade Memorial Stadium in the Japanese city.

Around 1,300 athletes are expected to compete at the event, which will be staged after Tokyo hosts the Paralympic Games.

It will also be the second consecutive World Para Athletics Championships held in Asia as Dubai will host this year's competition.

"We would like to congratulate Kobe for the extraordinary work done to put together the bid for the 2021 World Para Athletics Championships," said Haozhe Gao, head of World Para Athletics.

"We are fully confident that the city of Kobe will continue the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and stage a great event.

“It will be the first World Championships in East Asia representing an important step in the development of Para athletics in the region. 

"We look forward to working with the Organising Committee, the City of Kobe and our partners to deliver a successful Championships.”

The 45,000-capacity stadium was built for the 1985 Summer Universiade.

It has since hosted a series of major international events such as the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships and matches at the 2012 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

"Carrying on the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, we aim to further building the opportunities for Para sport and make a great success of the Championships," said Kobe Mayor Kizo Hisamoto,

"We will endeavour to be proactive in our preparation for the Championships so that the athletes and staff can focus all of their efforts on the sports.

“In addition, we will take the opportunity afforded by the hosting of the Championships to further promote inclusive community development in Kobe, and to share our city’s charm with the world. 

"We would love to have many people from around the world come and visit Kobe in 2021.”