Espinós said the Championships, held from November 6 to 11 at the WiZink Centre in the Spanish capital, were "iconic and historic" for the WKF.

A record number of athletes competed at the event, while 27 different countries won medals.

Japan were the dominant nation, sending a warning of their strength in the sport in the build-up to Tokyo 2020, where karate will make its long-awaited Olympic debut.

Karatekas from the country claimed a total of 10 medals, four of which were gold, while Iran finished second in the standings with a haul of seven.

"From the record-breaking number of participants to the memorable sporting showcase on the tatamis, all the elements of the 2018 Karate World Championships lead us to the same conclusion: this event was one of the most outstanding landmark moments in the history of our sport," said Espinós.

"The Karate World Championships will never be the same after the great success of the tournament in Madrid."

The event took on added significance for the WKF as it will be the last World Championships held before Tokyo 2020.

"This accomplishment is due to the fact that the 2018 Karate World Championships are the last event of its kind before the debut of our sport in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and the competition that attributes a bigger number of points to the Olympic standings," added the WKF President, who also leads the European Karate Federation.

"The World Championships in Madrid have been an iconic and historic event for Karate. 

"The outstanding development of our sport has been clearly stated here. 

"I am sure that all that we experienced during this memorable week in Madrid is just a sign of all the great things still to come for us in the near future."

Dubai is set to host the next edition of the Karate World Championships in 2020 and received the WKF flag at the Closing Ceremony in the Spanish capital as part of the official handover.