List of International Sports Federations and Recognized Sports
Here is a list of international sports federations, which serve as a non-governmental governing body for the sport, and administers the sport at a world level. This list forms the foundation of the complete list of sports, which includes many more world sports than are listed here.
The role of the international sports federation includes regulating rules, promotion of the sport, developing players, and organizing championships. Some international sports federations may oversee multiple sports.
There are governing bodies which have become the first to achieve observer status with that are not yet officially recognised as sporting federations. In 2017, the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) gave 'observer status' to a few possible new official sports, such as armwrestling, dodgeball, footgolf, kettlebell lifting, poker, pole sports and table soccer.
Sports Federations & Associations List
| Sport | Federation |
|---|---|
| Aesthetic group gymnastics | International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (IFAAG) |
| Aikido | International Aikido Federation (IAF) |
| Air sports (including aerobatics, air racing, ballooning, gliding, hang gliding, and parachuting/skydiving) | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) |
| Alpine skiing (Para) | World Para Alpine Skiing |
| American football | International Federation of American Football (IFAF) |
| Amputee football | World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) |
| Aquatics (including swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming) | FINA (Fédération internationale de natation) |
| Archery | World Archery Federation (WA) |
| Archery (Para) | World Archery Federation (WA) |
| Arm Wrestling | World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) |
| Athletics (covering track and field, road running, cross country running, decathlon and racewalking) | World Athletics (formerly International Association of Athletics Federations; IAAF) |
| Athletics (Para) | World Para Athletics |
| Australian rules football | Australian Football International (AFI) |
| Auto Racing | Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) |
| Axe throwing | International Axe Throwing Federation (IATF) |
| Badminton | Badminton World Federation (BWF) |
| Badminton (Para) | Parabadminton World Federation (PBWF) / Badminton World Federation (BWF) |
| Bandy | Federation of International Bandy (FIB) |
| Baseball, softball and Baseball5 | World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) |
| Basketball | FIBA |
| Basque pelota | Fédération Internationale de Pelota Vasca (FIPV) |
| Beach handball | World Beach Handball Association (WBHA) |
| Beach Soccer | Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW), Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) |
| Beeni | World Beeni Federation (WBF) |
| Biathlon | International Biathlon Union (IBU) |
| Billiard Sports - Carom | Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB) |
| Billiard Sports - Pool | World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) |
| Billiard Sports - Snooker | International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) |
| Billiard sports (including carom billiards, pocket billiards (pool), and snooker) | World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS) |
| Bobsleigh and skeleton | International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) |
| Boccia | Boccia International Sports Federation (BISFed) |
| Bodyboarding | International Bodyboarding Association (IBA) |
| Bodybuilding | International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) |
| Bodybuilding, physique sports, and fitness | World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation (WBPF) |
| Boot throwing | International Bootthrowing Association (IBTA) |
| Boules - Bocce | Confederazione Boccistica Internazionale (CBI) |
| Boule Lyonnaise | Fédération Internationale de Boules (FIB) |
| Boules - Petanque | Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal (FIPJP) |
| Boules sports | Confédération Mondiale des Sports de Boules (CMSB) |
| Bowling (ninepin and tenpin bowling) | International Bowling Federation (IBF), formerly World Bowling (WB) |
| Bowling - Nine-pin | World Ninepin Bowling Association (WNBA) |
| Bowling - Ten-pin | World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) |
| Bowls | Professional Bowls Association (PBA), World Bowls (WB) |
| Boxing | World Professional Boxing Federation (WPBF) |
| Boxing (amateur) | International Boxing Association (formerly Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur; AIBA). World Boxing |
| Brazilian jiu-jitsu | International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), Sport Jiu Jitsu International Federation (SJJIF) |
| Bridge | World Bridge Federation (WBF) |
| Broomball | International Federation of Broomball Associations (IFBA) |
| Budo | International Budo Federation |
| Cageball | Professional Cageball Association (PCA) |
| Canadian five-pin bowling | Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers Association (C5PBA) |
| Canoeing | International Canoe Federation (ICF) |
| Casting | International Casting Sport Federation (ICSF) |
| Cheerleading | International Cheer Union (ICU) |
| Chess | Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), International Amateur Chess Federation (IACF) |
| Climbing and mountaineering | Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA) |
| Corporate football | International Federation of Corporate Football (FIFCO) |
| Correspondence chess | International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) |
| Cricket | International Cricket Council (ICC) |
| Croquet | World Croquet Federation (WCF) |
| Crossminton | International Crossminton Organisation (ICO) |
| Curling | World Curling Federation (WCF) |
| Cycling | Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) (or International Cycling Union, ICU) |
| DanceSport | World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) |
| Darts | World Darts Federation (WDF) |
| Debating | World Debating Council (WDC), Consejo Mundial de Debate (COMUDEES) |
| Dodgeball | World Dodgeball Federation (WDBF) |
| Dragon boat racing | International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) |
| Draughts | World Draughts Federation (FMJD) |
| Elephant Polo | World Elephant Polo Association (WEPF) |
| Equestrian | International Federation for Equestrian Sports (Fédération Équestre Internationale, FEI) |
| eSports (gaming) | International e-Sports Federation (IeSF), Global Esports Federation (GEF) |
| Fencing | Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE) |
| Field hockey | Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH) (International Hockey Federation) |
| Fishing | International Confederation of Sport Fishing (CIPS) |
| Fistball | International Fistball Association (IFA) |
| Floor tennis | World Floor Tennis Federation (WFTF) |
| Floorball | International Floorball Federation (IFF) |
| Flying disc | World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) |
| Football 5-a-side | International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) |
| Football 7-a-side | International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF) |
| Football/Soccer | FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) |
| Footgolf | Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) |
| Futsal | Asociación Mundial de Futsal (AMF), Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) |
| Football (Gaelic) | Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) |
| Gaelic handball | Irish Handball Council, United States Handball Association (USHA) |
| Gateball | World Gateball Union (WGU) |
| Gillidanda | Gilli Danda International Federation |
| Go | International Go Federation (IGF) |
| Goalball | International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) |
| Golf | International Golf Federation (IGF), The R&A; United States Golf Association (USGA) |
| Greyhound racing | American Greyhound Track Operators Association (AGTOA), National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) |
| Ground golf | International Ground Golf Federation (IGGF) |
| Gungdo | World Kung-do Federation |
| Gymnastics, (including rhythmic gymnastics, sports acrobatics, sports aerobics, trampolining and tumbling) | Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) (International Gymnastics Federation, IFG) |
| Ham radio contesting, amateur radio direction finding, and high speed telegraphy | International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) |
| Handball (team) | International Handball Federation (IHF) |
| Hapkido boxing | Hapkido Boxing International Organization (HBIO) |
| Harness horse racing | Harness Horsemen International (HHI), Union Europeenne du Trot (European Trotting Union) (UET) |
| Horse racing | International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) |
| Horseback archery | International Horseback Archery Alliance (IHAA) |
| Horseshoes | National Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America (NHPA) |
| Hurling | Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) |
| Ice hockey | International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) |
| Ice skating (including figure skating, speed skating, and Short-track speed skating) | International Skating Union (ISU) |
| Ice stock sport | International Federation IceStockSport (IFI) |
| Intercrosse | Fédération Internationale d’Inter-Crosse (FIIC) |
| Judo | International Judo Federation (IJF) |
| Judo (Blind) | International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) |
| Juggling | World Juggling Federation (WJF) |
| Kabaddi | International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) |
| Karate | World Karate Federation (WKF) |
| Kendo | International Kendo Federation (IKF), World Kendo Association |
| Kettlebell lifting | International Union of Kettlebell Lifting (IUKL) |
| Kickboxing | World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) |
| Kin-Ball | International Kin-Ball Federation (IKBF) |
| Kite sports | International Federation of Kitesports Organisations (IFKO) |
| Korfball | International Korfball Federation (IKF) |
| Krav maga | International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF) |
| Lacrosse | Federation of International Lacrosse |
| Lethwei | World Lethwei Federation (WLF) |
| Life saving | International Life Saving Federation (ILS) |
| Luge | Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course (FIL) |
| Mallakhamb | Mallakhamb Confederation of World (MCW) |
| Miniature golf | World Minigolfsport Federation (WMF) |
| Mixed martial arts | International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF), International Sport Combat Federation (ISCF) |
| Modern Arnis | International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF) |
| Modern pentathlon | Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) |
| Motorcycle sport | Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) |
| Mountain running | World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) |
| Mountainboarding | International Mountainboard Riders Association (IMRA) |
| Muay Thai | International Kickboxing Federation (IKF), International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) |
| Netball | International Netball Federation (INF) |
| Nordic skiing (Para) | World Para Nordic Skiing |
| Obstacle racing | World Obstacle (FISO) |
| Obstacle sports (O-sport) | World O-Sport Federation (WOF) |
| Orienteering | International Orienteering Federation (IOF) |
| Paddleball | National Paddleball Association (NPA) |
| Padel | International Padel Federation (IPF) |
| Para Dance Sport | World Para Dance Sport |
| Para ice hockey | World Para Ice Hockey |
| Para table tennis | International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) |
| Parkour | World Freerunning Parkour Federation (WFPF) |
| Pencak Silat | International Pencak Silat Federation (PERSILAT) |
| Pesäpallo (Finnish baseball) | Pesäpalloliitto |
| Pickleball | International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) |
| Pigeon racing | Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA) |
| Pogo stick | World Pogo Stick Federation (WPSF) |
| Poker | International Federation of Poker (IFP) |
| Pole dance | International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF) |
| Polo | Federation of International Polo (FIP) |
| Powerboating | Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) |
| Powerlifting | International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) |
| Powerlifting (Para) | World Para Powerlifting |
| Practical shooting | International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) |
| Quidditch | International Quidditch Association (IQA) |
| Quizzing | International Quizzing Association (IQA) |
| Racketlon | Fédération Internationale de Racketlon (International Racketlon Federation) (FIR) |
| Racquetball | International Racquetball Federation (IRF) |
| Radio-controlled car racing | International Federation of Model Auto Racing (IFMAR) |
| Rafting | International Rafting Federation(IRF) |
| Ringball | International Ringball Federation(IRBF) |
| Ringette | International Ringette Federation (IRF) |
| Rogaining | International Rogaining Federation (IRF) |
| Roller sports (including inline hockey, roller racing, rink hockey, roller derby, skateboarding, and artistic roller skating) | World Skate (WS) |
| Rope Skipping | International Jump Rope Union (IJRU), World Rope Skipping Confederation (WRSC), International Rope Skipping Federation (IRSF), World Inter-School Rope Skipping Organisation (WIRSO), International Rope Skipping Organisation (IRSO) |
| Rounders | National Rounders Association (NRA) |
| Rowing | Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron (FISA) (International Rowing Federation) |
| Rubik's Cube | World Cube Association (WCA) |
| Rugby Fives | Rugby Fives Association (RFA) |
| Rugby league | Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) |
| Rugby union | World Rugby (WR) |
| Sailing | World Sailing |
| Sailing (Para) | International Association for Disabled Sailing (IADS) |
| Sambo | Fédération Internationale de Sambo (FIAS) |
| Savate | Federation Internationale de Savate (FISav) |
| Sepak Takraw | International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF) |
| Shinty | Camanachd Association |
| Shooting (Para) | World Shooting Para Sport |
| Shooting | International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) |
| Shuttlecock | International Shuttlecock Federation |
| Silambam | World Silambam Association (WSA) |
| Skateboarding | World Skateboarding Federation (WSF); International Skateboarding Federation (ISF) |
| Ski mountaineering | International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) |
| Skibobbing | International Skibob Federation (FISB) |
| Skiing (including Alpine, Nordic combined, cross-country, freestyle, ski jumping and snowboarding and snowboarding) | Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS) |
| Sled dog sports | International Federation of Sleddog Sports |
| Slot car racing | International Slot Racing Association (ISRA) |
| Snowboarding (Para) | World Para Snowboard |
| Soft Tennis | International Soft Tennis Federation (ISTF) |
| Sports climbing | International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) |
| Sport jiu-jitsu | Sport Jiu Jitsu International Federation (SJJIF) |
| Sport Ju-Jitsu | Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) |
| Sport stacking | World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA) |
| Sqay | International Council of Sqay (ICS) |
| Squash | World Squash Federation (WSF) |
| Ssireum | World Ssireum Federation (WSF) |
| Street and ball hockey | International Street And Ball Hockey Federation (ISBH) |
| Sumo | International Sumo Federation (ISF) |
| Surfing and bodyboarding | International Surfing Association (ISA) |
| Swimming (Para) | World Para Swimming |
| Table football (Table soccer; foosball) | International Table Soccer Federation (ITSF) |
| Table hockey | International Table Hockey Federation (ITHF) |
| Table Tennis | International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) |
| Taekwondo | World Taekwondo (WT) |
| Tag | World Chase Tag |
| Tank biathlon | International Federation of Tank Biathlon |
| Targetball | International Targetball Federation (ITF) |
| Tchoukball | Fédération Internationale de Tchoukball |
| Tennis | International Tennis Federation (ITF) |
| Tent Pegging | International Tent Pegging Federation (ITPF) |
| Teqball | International Federation of Teqball (FITEQ) |
| Throwball | International Throwball Federation (ITF) |
| Touch football | Federation of International Touch (FIT) |
| Triathlon | International Triathlon Union (ITU) |
| Tug-of-war | Tug-of-War International Federation (TWIF) |
| Underwater sports | Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) |
| Unicycling | International Unicycling Federation (IUF) |
| Virtual motorsport | Global Virtual Motorsport Association (GVMA) |
| Volleyball (Para) | World Organization Volleyball for Disabled (WOVD) |
| Volleyball and Beach volleyball | Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) |
| Vovinam | International Vovinam Federation (IVF), Vovinam-VietVoDao World Federation (VVWF) |
| VX (Rock-It-Ball) | Global VX, International Rock-It-Ball Federation (IRIBF) |
| Water skiing and wakeboarding (including cable skiing and cable wakeboarding) | International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) |
| Weightlifting | International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) |
| Wheel gymnastics | International Wheel Gymnastics Federation |
| Wheelchair basketball | International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) |
| Wheelchair curling | World Curling Federation (WCF) |
| Wheelchair Fencing | International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) |
| Wheelchair rugby | International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) |
| Wheelchair tennis | International Tennis Federation (ITF) |
| Wrestling | United World Wrestling (UWW) |
| Wushu | International Wushu Federation (IWUF) |
| Yoga | Yogasports Confederation of World (YCW) |
Related Pages
- Complete List of Sports
- IOC Recognized Sports
- List of team sports
- Definition of what is a sport?
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