Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Birmingham World Games were pushed back from 2021 to 2022 to avoid a clash with the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

As a result, the cycle to the next Games is just three years.

Because of this, Gossow said there was a lot to catch up on for the next edition.

"That may have been the case in the past, it definitely does not meet what we expect for 2023," said Gossow, speaking about the year after a World Games being less intense.

"We have a very tightly packed year ahead of us, with a number of milestones, and that's actually not surprising. 

"After the World Games 2022 was a year later than planned because of the pandemic, we now have to make up the time for the World Games 2025 Chengdu. 

"In addition, we are already planning for the future beyond 2025. 

"There really is no breathing space."

The next stage of preparations includes holding the IWGA Annual General Meeting and Board elections for the 2023-2026 term.

In February, Gossow is to travel to Chengdu with head of projects Guillaume Felli, general manager Chantal Boehi and head of International Federation and Games service Sebastian Garvens.

"This trip is of great importance," added the IWGA chief executive. 

"Due to the pandemic, we have not been to Chengdu since 2019. 

"What we learned during the remote-meeting period is that many things can be handled via video conferencing. 

"However there is no substitute for regular face-to-face meetings."

Chengdu had to push the International University Sports Federation Summer World University Games back to 2023 from 2021 due to the pandemic, with COVID-19 restrictions expected to exist in some form for the event.

The next step for both parties is to finalise the sports programme for Chengdu 2025, which is scheduled to take place from August 7 to 17 2025.

Qualification is expected to ramp up for the Games in 2024.