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.
First round
British qualification
- Riders progress to British semi-finals
Second round
Swedish qualification
Third round
Australian Final
- Top 4 to Commonwealth Final plus 1 reserve
New Zealand Final
- 25 January 1986
- Gisborne Speedway, Gisborne
- Top 3 to Commonwealth Final
| Pos. | Rider | Total |
| 1 | David Bargh | 14+3 |
| 2 | Larry Ross | 14+2 |
| 3 | Mitch Shirra | 12+3 |
| 4 | Mike Fullerton | 12+2 |
| 5 | Kym Mauger | 11 |
| 6 | Chris Martin | 9 |
| 7 | Trevor Chapman | 9 |
| 8 | Craig Monk | 7 |
| 9 | Peter Nightingale | 6 |
| 10 | Spencer Timmo | 5 |
| 11 | Mike Hollows | 5 |
| 12 | Craig Blackett | 4 |
| 13 | Craig Wilkkie | 4 |
| 14 | Lee Chappell | 3 |
| 15 | Steve Brown | 3 |
| 16 | Jamie Martin | 1 |
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
| Pos. | Rider | Total |
| 1 | Hans Nielsen | 14 |
| 2 | Erik Gundersen | 13+3 |
| 3 | Bo Petersen | 13+2 |
| 4 | Jan O. Pedersen | 12 |
| 5 | John Jørgensen | 12 |
| 6 | Sam Nikolajsen | 7 |
| 7 | Per Sørensen | 7 |
| 8 | John Eskildsen | 7 |
| 9 | Jens Rasmussen | 7 |
| 10 | Peter Glanz | 5 |
| 11 | Tommy Knudsen | 5 |
| 12 | Peter Ravn | 5 |
| 13 | Fleming Pedersen | 4 |
| 14 | Kurt Hansen | 4 |
| 15 | Preben Eriksen | 3 |
| 16 | Aksel Jepsen | 0 |
Norwegian Final
- Elgane Speedway, Varhaug
- Top 1 to Nordic final
| Pos. | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Ingvar Skogland | 14 |
| 2 | Robert Langeland | 13 |
| 3 | Arnt Førland | 12 |
| 4 | Per Magne Levang | 11 |
| 5 | Thor Gunnar Halvorsröd | 9 |
| 6 | Gjermund Aas | 9 |
Finland Final
- Varkaus Speedway Stadion, Varkaus
- 18 August 1985, top 2 to 1986 Nordic final
| Pos. | Rider | Total |
| 1 | Ari Koponen | 14 |
| 2 | Juha Moksunen | 13+3 |
| 3 | Roy Malminheimo | 13+2 |
| 4 | Olli Tyrvainen | 13+1 |
| 5 | Pekka Hautamaki | 12 |
| 6 | Aki Ala Riihimaki | 9 |
| 7 | Janne Moksunen | 8 |
| 8 | Veijo Tuoriniemi | 8 |
| 9 | Ossi Henriksson | 8 |
| 10 | Heimo Kaikko | 7 |
| 11 | Esa Reijo | 4 |
| 12 | Aarre Soivuori | 3 |
| 13 | Marko Hyyrylainen | 3 |
| 14 | Mikael Back | 2 |
| 15 | Markku Haapala | 2 |
| 16 | Hannu Lehtonen | 0 |
Swedish Finals
- Top 4 to Nordic Final plus 1 reserve
- Jan Andersson seeded to Nordic Final
- R1
- R2
- R3
| Pos. | Rider | R1 | R2 | R3 | Tota |
| 1 | Tommy Nilsson | 14 | 13 | 12 | 39 |
| 2 | Jimmy Nilsen | 10 | 13 | 11 | 34 |
| 3 | Mikael Blixt | 8 | 14 | 9 | 31 |
| 4 | Erik Stenlund | 9 | 11 | 10 | 30 |
| 5 | Kenneth Nyström | 11 | 6 | 11 | 28 |
| 6 | Conny Ivarsson | 10 | 9 | 8 | 27 |
| 7 | Per Jonsson | 5 | 13 | 8 | 26 |
| 8 | Tony Olsson | 6 | 10 | 8 | 24 |
| 9 | Roland Dannö | 11 | 5 | 8 | 24 |
| 10 | Dennis Löfqvist | 10 | 6 | 5 | 21 |
| 11 | Christer Rohlén | 6 | 4 | 9 | 19 |
| 12 | Mikael Teurnberg | 6 | 3 | 6 | 15 |
| 13 | Uno Johansson | 5 | 6 | 3 | 14 |
| 14 | Tommy Lindgren | 7 | 2 | 5 | 14 |
| 15 | Patrik Karlsson | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 |
| 16 | Anders Kling | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Fourth round
Continental quarter-finals
- Top 32 to Continental semi-finals
| Date | Venue | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | ||
| 24 May |  American Final
Commonwealth Final
Fifth roundNordic Final
|
