WO3/gamma-Al2O3 exhibited a lower activity than WO3/SiO2 in oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of dibenzothiophene using cumene hydroperoxide as the oxidant. This could be a result of the strong interaction between WO3 and gamma-Al2O3. The crystalline WO3 was more active than the tetrahedrally coordinated tungsten oxide species bound on the surface of gamma-Al2O3. The loss of WO3 was negligible for WO3/SiO2 after the reaction. These features make SiO2 a promising support for the supported WO3 ODS catalyst.