This is a list of international sports federations, each of which serves as a non-governmental governing body for a given sport and administers its sport at a world level, most often crafting rules, promoting the sport to prospective spectators and fans, developing prospective players, and organizing world or continental championships. Some international sports federations, such as World Aquatics and the International Skating Union, may oversee multiple activities referred to in common parlance as separate sports: World Aquatics, for example, governs swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, and water polo as separate "disciplines" within the single "sport" of Aquatics.
International sports federations form an integral part of the Olympic and Paralympic movements. Each Olympic sport is represented by its respective international sports federation, which in turn helps administer the events in its respective sport during the Games. For a sport to become an Olympic sport, its international sports federation must be recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
Likewise, an international sports federation must be recognized by the International Paralympic Committee for its sport to become a Paralympic sport, though in the latter case, several Paralympic Sports are governed by a dedicated committee of the International Paralympic Committee itself, under the World Para branding; for example, track and field athletics for disabled athletes is governed by the IPC itself, under the name "World Para Athletics". Other Paralympic sports are governed within the structure of the able-bodied equivalent; for example, the UCI governs both able-bodied and Paralympic cycling.
Federations recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF)
Full members
Associate members
Winter Olympic Federations (WOF)
Full members
Associate members
Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF)
Federations recognized by SportAccord, GAISF, or AIMS Federations whose sports are either included in the Olympic Games (ASOIF, WOF) or recognized by the IOC (ARISF) are also stakeholders of SportAccord, after the dissolution of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) in 2023. Other stakeholders of SportAccord (non-IOC recognized) compose the Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport (AIMS).
Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport (AIMS) AIMS is a stakeholder of SportAccord that represents sports federations that were not yet recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As of September 2025, AIMS has 20 full member federations.
Sport International federationAcronymNational associations Official website Notes Aikido International Aikido FederationIAF Angling (sport fishing) Confédération Internationale de la Pêche SportiveCIPS113 Arm wrestling World Armwrestling FederationWAF Casting International Casting Sport FederationICSF Darts World Darts FederationWDF Dragon boat International Dragon Boat FederationIDBF Draughts World Draughts FederationFMJD Fistball International Fistball AssociationIFA67 Fitness & Bodybuilding International Fitness and Bodybuilding FederationIFBB Go International Go FederationIGF Sport Ju-Jitsu Ju-Jitsu International FederationJJIF Kendo International Kendo FederationFIK64 Miniature golf World Minigolfsport FederationWMF64 Powerlifting International Powerlifting FederationIPF Practical shooting International Practical Shooting ConfederationIPSC Savate Federation Internationale de SavateFISav Sepak takraw International Sepaktakraw FederationISTAF Sled dog sports International Federation of Sleddog SportsIFSS Soft tennis International Soft Tennis FederationISTF Teqball International Federation of TeqballFITEQ
Associate Members As of September 2025, AIMS has 9 associate members.
Sport International federationAcronymNational associationsYear founded Official website Notes American football International Federation of American FootballIFAF741998 Now in ARISF Cheerleading International Cheer UnionICU1162004 Now in ARISF Frisbee sports World Flying Disc FederationWFDF1221985 Now in ARISF Ice stock sport International Federation IcestocksportIFI561950 Now in ARISF Kickboxing World Association of Kickboxing OrganizationsWAKO1431972 Now in ARISF Lacrosse World LacrosseWL911974 Now in ARISF Muay Thai International Federation of Muaythai AssociationsIFMA1481993 Now in ARISF Sambo International Sambo FederationFIAS1241984 Now in ARISF Ski mountaineering International Ski Mountaineering FederationISMF471999 Now in ARISF
Observers of GAISF
Associate members of GAISF Before the dissolution of GAISF in 2023, other than full members (composing ASOIF, AIOWF, ARISF and AIMS), there have been Associate members of GAISF. After the dissolution of GAISF, the proposal has been for its former associate members to be granted observer status at the SportAccord General Assembly. The following were associate members:
Sport Federation Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Masters Games International Masters Games Association (IMGA) Mediterranean Games International Committee of Mediterranean Games (ICMG or CIJM) Military World Games International Military Sports Council (CISM) World Mind Sports Games International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) World Olympians Association (WOA) Panathlon International (PI) Paralympic Games International Paralympic Committee (IPC) School Sports International School Sport Federation (ISF) Special Olympics Special Olympics (SOI) International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS) Sports for the Deaf International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (CISS) International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) International Sports Press Association (AIPS) CSIT World Sports Games International Workers and Amateurs in Sports Confederation (CSIT) World Games International World Games Association (IWGA) World Union of Olympic Cities World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry
Federations recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) There are 18 international federations recognized by the IPC, while the IPC itself serves as the international federation for five sports. IPC recognises also 3 International Organisations of Sports for the Disabled. And there are another 15 federations which are recognised by the IPC but are not eligible to be IPC members.
Sports directly governed by IPC On 30 November 2016, the IPC adopted the "World Para" brand for all 10 of the sports that it directly governed at that time. At the 2021 IPC General Assembly, IPC members provided a strong mandate for the IPC to cease acting as the international federation for 10 sports by the end of 2026. Para-alpine skiing, para cross country skiing and para snowboard were transferred to FIS, and Para biathlon was transferred to IBU to be overseen by a joint steering committee involving IBU and FIS. Para dance sport was transferred to World Abilitysport as of 1 January 2024. Currently IPC acts as the international federation for five sports:
Sport IPC sport committee namePara athleticsWorld Para AthleticsPara ice hockeyWorld Para Ice HockeyPara powerliftingWorld Para PowerliftingShooting para sportWorld Shooting Para SportPara swimmingWorld Para Swimming
International Federations International Federations are independent sport federations recognised by the IPC as the sole representative of a Paralympic sport. As of August 2025, the IPC recognises 18 International Federations representing 20 parasports:
Sport Federation Para alpine skiing, para cross-country skiing, para snowboard International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Para archery World Archery (WA) Para badminton Badminton World Federation (BWF)PBWF/BWF gets IPC recognition, but Paralympics 2016 unfortunately without Parabadminton , Parabadminton World Federation (PBWF), 11 December 2010 Boccia Boccia International Sports Federation (BISFed) Para biathlon International Biathlon Union (IBU) Para equestrian International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Paracanoe International Canoe Federation (ICF)ParaclimbingInternational Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Para cycling Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Para rowing World Rowing Federation (FISA) Sitting volleyball World ParaVolley (WPV) Para table tennis International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Para taekwondo World Taekwondo (WT) Para triathlon World Triathlon Wheelchair basketball International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Wheelchair curling World Curling Federation (WCF) Wheelchair rugby World Wheelchair Rugby Wheelchair tennis International Tennis Federation (ITF)
International Organisations of Sports for the Disabled International Organisations of Sports for the Disabled (IOSDs) are independent organisations recognised by the IPC as the sole representatives of a specific impairment group. The IPC currently recognises 3 IOSDs:
Sport Federation Wheelchair fencing, powerchair hockey, world para dance sport, frame running, wheelchair slalom, frame football World Abilitysport Blind football, goalball, para judo International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) For athletes with an intellectual disability International Virtus Sports Federation Following two years of talks, and relevant decisions by both their General Assemblies, on 1 January 2023, the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) and the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) were merged to form World Abilitysport.
IPC-recognised international sports federations (not eligible for membership) The IPC recognises a number of international sports federations which are not eligible to be IPC members, but contribute to the development of sport opportunities for athletes associated with the Paralympic Movement and have organisational goals that are compatible with the Vision and Mission of the IPC. The following 15 are IPC-recognised international sport federations:
Sport FederationArmwrestlingWorld Armwrestling Federation (WAF)Blind SAMBOInternational SAMBO Federation (FIAS)BobsleighInternational Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF)BowlingInternational Bowling Federation (IBF)CP footballInternational Federation of CP Football (IFCPF)Flying DiscWorld Flying Disc Federation (WFDF)GolfInternational Golf Federation (IGF)HandballInternational Handball Federation (IHF)Field hockeyInternational Hockey Federation (FIH)KarateWorld Karate FederationModern pentathlonInternational Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM)Powerchair footballInternational Federation of Powerchair Football (FIPFA)SailingWorld SailingSurfingInternational Surfing Association (ISA)Para BowlsWorld Bowls
Non-SportAccord and non-GAISF federations that are TAFISA members The international federations listed below, for the time being, are not members of Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) or SportAccord, but are among the international members of The Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA).