In　this　work,　sub-stoichiometric　tungsten　oxide　W18O49　was　first　studied　as　a　support　for　a　Pt　catalyst.　Metallic　monoclinic　W18O49　nanorods　(NRs)　with　an　isotropic　morphology　can　not　only　improve　electron,　reactant,　and　product　transport　but　can　also　enhance　the　utilisation　of　Pt　for　the　methanol　oxidation　reaction　(MOR).　The　specific　activity　for　the　forward　peak　(If)　of　Pt/W18O49　was　determined　to　be　1.14　mA　cm(Pt)(-2),　which　is　approximately　1.4　and　1.8　times　higher　than　that　of　Pt-black　and　Pt/C,　respectively.　On　the　other　hand,　the　robust　W18O49　NRs　improve　the　stability　of　Pt/W18O49.　After　a　5000-cycle　accelerated　durability　test,　the　electrochemical　surface　area　(ECSA)　loss　rate　of　Pt/W18O49　was　only　27.12%,　less　than　that　of　Pt-black　and　Pt/C.　Moreover,　numerous　oxygen　vacancies　and　two　valence　states　of　W　(W5+　and　W6+)　were　found　to　co-exist　in　W18O49,　which　may　promote　hydrogen　spillover　and　oxygen　buffering.　These　effects　together　contributed　to　improve　the　anti-poisoning　properties　of　Pt/W18O49　towards　the　intermediates　in　the　MOR.　The　peak　current　ratio　of　the　forward　versus　the　backward　(I-f/I-b)　reaction　is　1.12　for　Pt/W18O49,　0.99　for　Pt-black,　and　0.79　for　Pt/C.　It　was　found　that　the　Magneli　phase　W18O49　may　be　a　promising　catalyst　support　for　use　in　the　MOR.