Worldcon host cities show how the World Science Fiction Convention moved from a mostly American institution to a recurring international gathering. The complete official long list is the best source for exact year-by-year data; this page explains how to read it.
| Quick fact | Information |
|---|---|
| First host city | New York City, 1939 |
| Early non-US host | Toronto, 1948 |
| First outside North America | London, 1957 |
| Useful source | Official Worldcon Long List and Long List Committee data |
Early Pattern
The earliest Worldcons were in North American cities such as New York, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Toronto, Cincinnati, Portland, and New Orleans.
Recurring Cities
Some areas hosted repeatedly, including Chicago, Boston, Washington, Toronto, the San Francisco Bay Area, and London-area conventions.
International Pattern
Worldcon’s map expanded to include the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, Japan, Finland, Ireland, China, and New Zealand online, among others. For exact dates and names, use the official long list rather than memory.
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