The World Games I taekwondo events in ten weight categories were held on July 29-31, 1981, at Toso Pavilion on the Santa Clara University campus. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were held in Santa Clara, California in the United States. The South Korean taekwondo athletes were favored to sweep the gold medals in all ten weight classes. The victory of a Canadian athlete in the heavyweight class was called "the biggest upset of World Games I."