The competition was open to skaters from ISU member nations who had reached the age of 15 by 1 July 2009. The corresponding competition for younger skaters was the 2010 World Junior Championships.
Based on the results of the 2009 World Championships, each country was allowed between one and three entries per discipline. National associations selected their entries based on their own criteria.
Countries which qualified more than one entry per discipline:[2]
The compulsory dance was the Golden Waltz. 2010 Worlds were the final event to include a compulsory dance. The last compulsory dance in competition was skated by Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali.[3] Canada's Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir set a world record for the original dance, earning 70.27 points,[4] 2010 Worlds were also the final event to include an original dance.
Daisuke Takahashi became the first Japanese man to win a world title. He attempted a quad flip which made him the first gold medalist to try a quad since 2007 Worlds, but he underrotated the jump, making him the third champion in a row not to land one successfully.[5]
Mao Asada became the first ladies figure skater from Asia to win multiple world titles.
Japan won two of the four titles, and both singles titles for the first time.
Laura Lepistö became the first Finn to medal in ladies' singles at the World Championships.[6]