The 1890 World Allround Speed Skating Championships took place at 3 and 4 January at the ice rink Museumplein in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It's an unofficial championship because the ISU was founded in 1892. Four distances were skated at the World Championship, the ½ mile (805 meter), the 1 mile (1609 meter), the 2 miles (3219 meter) and the 5 miles (8047 meter). One became champion if one won three of the four distances. The Norwegian did not become World Champion because he only won two distances of the four. He skated the fastest ½ mile in qualifying but finished second in the final.