The southern city of Kitakyushu will host the 2021 Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) announced on Sunday, becoming the first city to welcome both events in the same year.

The Artistic Gymnastics World Championships will take place from Oct. 17-24, followed by the rhythmic competition starting two days later.

There have been questions over where next year's world championships were to be held, after Denmark withdrew from hosting the artistic competition in July.

The championships take place annually, except during Olympic years.

The FIG made the announcement at a friendly gymnastics event in Tokyo, where athletes from Russia, China, Japan and the United States competed in what has been seen as a major trial run ahead of next year's postponed Olympics in the city.

Japan has hosted gymnastics world championships on many occasions previously, most recently the 2011 artistic competition in Tokyo.