Lithium-sulfur　(Li-S)　batteries　are　promising　candidates　for　next-generation　electrochemical　energy　storage　systems　by　virtue　of　the　high　energy　density,　low-cost,　and　ecofriendliness.　Unfortunately,　the　sluggish　sulfur　conversion　kinetics,　notorious　shuttle　effect　of　lithium　polysulfides　(LiPSs)　and　severe　volumetric　variation　during　the　lithiation/delithiation　process　result　in　insufficient　sulfur　utilization　and　fast　capacity　degradation.　Herein,　tungsten-doped　vanadium　carbide　nanosheet　arrays　strongly　coupled　with　a　thin　nitrogen-doped　carbon　layer　directly　grown　on　carbon　cloth　substrate　(denoted　as　CC/W-VC@NC)　have　been　conceptually　designed　as　an　advanced　sulfur　host　to　resolve　the　aforementioned　problems.　Specifically,　the　binder-free　CC/W-VC@NC　sulfur　host　not　only　strongly　interacts　with　LiPSs,　but　also　presents　superior　electrocatalytic　activity　for　rapid　LiPSs　conversion.　Additionally,　the　arrayed　architecture　provides　sufficient　space　for　sulfur　loading　and　simultaneously　accommodates　its　volumetric　variation.　Furthermore,　theoretical　calculations　elucidate　that　tungsten　doping　can　regulate　the　electronic　structure,　improve　the　electrical　conductivity　and　strengthen　the　chemisorption　toward　LiPSs.　Attributing　to　the　multifarious　advantages,　Li-S　batteries　assembled　with　CC/W-VC@NC/S　cathode　exhibit　a　high　initial　discharge　capacity　of　1305.9　mAh/g　at　0.1　C,　as　well　as　superior　rate　capability　(709.8　mAh/g　at　5　C)　and　good　long-term　durability　(capacity　decay　rate　of　only　0.063　%　per　cycle　over　500　cycles　at　1　C).　This　study　presents　an　effective　approach　to　construct　transition　metal　carbides　as　high-performance　sulfur　hosts　for　Li-S　batteries.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.