WCoP I was some kind of individual/team tour hybrid + none of its threads are in the wcop subforums.

WCoP II only had 8 teams and they jumped into a playoff bracket immediately.

WCoP III had 12 teams fielding 8 players each in Round 1, but players actually advanced individually from their groups and played out a full bracket. Grand Finals weren't actually played because the players didn't care. Asia won on cumulative team performance throughout the bracket.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DtT5KUQkJYD_6sxp7nnA0KQD82W8qXKbOz-uRVPp5gI/edit?usp=sharing

WCoP IV was the first to feature a recognizable format - groups in R1 followed by a playoff bracket, though it only had 14 teams. It did not have a spreadsheet yet - links lead to a recreation made in 2021 based on forum records.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QDYdBmq8B44Ib8LBkPMtZ8MNd_CC5ijHKQeCRF9v2LU/edit?usp=sharing

WCoP V maintained the format from the previous year, but upgraded to 16 teams. The format remained unaltered for a few years.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-D_ocQgPul12b3WxML2JlVwCdQ2E7P8XIYR4UsQiOaY/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1M7KsUhBJL2zF0cmZkL_9xNrTlbhut7oogAPG1quS1r4/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jPvpjj6N17RxDn4LHlh04YV-f5f6IZKwyaClS0axQQE/edit?usp=sharing

WCoP VIII had 17 teams instead of the customary 16

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18OB-n65k3GuBDWLgLf6cuRT_7XU8n01gWWZntPiP9ys/edit?usp=sharing

Format features oldgens for the first time (1 ADV 1 DPP 1 BW 5 XY). Teams are also ranked by records first, points second from this point onwards (points were used to decide the standings beforehand).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rllEJsAoP_NFXUHPdm-jGBvneoRFDUajxBnk9oMvJQQ/edit?usp=sharing

Teams expand to 10 slots to make space for GSC and RBY, new format is x5 oldgens x5 ORAS.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sFWMfhWmVAhjFonXoFGODingjQ60g3cR2uq_pJP5E5U/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VUEqTIYUg2tdjfV65hMY0XSAxkdRZeUGRptTmdRBPg4/edit?usp=sharing

RBY is cut, format is now x5 SM + oldgens except RBY

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UTiW3vnsPA8tA1odCy5Cu4DXkEy_oiYw2582rZWqQ_U/edit?usp=sharing

RBY is reintroduced, format is now x4 SM + all oldgens. Also, US region borders are redrawn from East/Metro/Central/West to the modern Northeast/South/Midwest/West division.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jZbA6uPpqaJfqTlsmGgINPdQwqgcWKBefo6f904IhtY/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yDjr7D_ClVfuwXafWAeAf2La0z8bgHOHjrp6c-_iwCE/edit?usp=sharing

WCoP returns to being 8 slots, all current gen.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pBTv2cMqRMbj5PtadNZrZdSXTXkQBBzSpK-jXMoPffQ/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17mQBpTvvceFgPPuQ7iXzkTCbs5GDEru4VTqr42nTx-A/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1S7eu63yuIvefBunygRZQD7xouxgNvtCk2yq_JrMo3Uo/edit#gid=1524877900