The championship features multiple classes of cars contesting endurance races at circuits across the world. Sports prototypes compete in the Hypercar class (accepting either Le Mans Hypercar or LMDh machinery), while production-based grand tourers compete in the LM GT3 category. World champion titles are awarded to top-scoring drivers and manufacturers over the season; additional cups and trophies are available for drivers and private teams.
The championship first ran in 2012, following a broadly similar format to the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, with eight endurance races worldwide including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The initial class structure comprised four categories: LMP1 and LMP2 prototypes and GTE grand tourers split into GTE Pro (professional driver line-ups) and GTE Am (mixed amateur and professional crews).
Declining manufacturer engagement with the LMP1 class after the 2017 season prompted the FIA to commission a study into the future of the top category. The resulting proposal — the Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) concept — moved away from Le Mans Prototype technical regulations and reduced the reliance on hybrid technology, with the explicit aim of attracting car manufacturers by referencing production-linked flagship models. The Hypercar class appeared for the first time in the 2021 season, with entries from Alpine, Glickenhaus, and Toyota. From 2023, LMDh machinery was also permitted to compete full-time in the Hypercar class alongside LMH entrants.
The GTE categories were wound down separately. Following a rapid decline in manufacturer participation, the 2022 season was the last for the LMGTE Pro class. From 2024, LMGTE Am was replaced by a GT3-based category, described by the series as a "GT3 Premium" featuring cost-capped body kit conversions from standard GT3 machines. Richard Mille, president of the FIA Endurance Commission, stated that the category was designed to be customer-focused, with manufacturers unable to enter officially.
The 2024 season marked the first in the championship's history without the LMP2 class on the main grid, driven by the growth in full-season Hypercar entries and the launch of the LMGT3 category. A minimum of 15 LMP2 grid slots continued to be reserved for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As of 2026, four titles are contested each season. Two are deemed world championships: the Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Championship and the Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers' Championship. The points system mirrors other FIA world championships, awarding points to the top ten finishers on a sliding scale from first to tenth. Cars finishing eleventh or further receive a half point. For 8- and 10-hour races, points are worth approximately 1.5 times the standard value; for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, points are worth approximately double the standard value.