List of international sports federations

This is a list of international sports federations. These groups help manage different sports around the world. They make rules, help sports grow, and organize big competitions.

Some federations manage more than one type of sport. For example, World Aquatics looks after swimming, diving, and water polo. The International Skating Union manages skating sports.

International sports federations are important for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Each Olympic sport has a federation that helps run its events during the Games. For a sport to join the Olympics, its federation must be recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

For a sport to become part of the Paralympics, its federation needs approval from the International Paralympic Committee. Some Paralympic sports are managed by the IPC. Others use the same federations as their able-bodied versions, such as the UCI for cycling.

Federations recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes many groups that help manage different sports around the world. These groups make rules for their sports, help grow the sports, and organize big competitions like world championships.

There are special groups for summer sports, winter sports, and other sports that the IOC knows about. Each group works to make their sport better and more fun for everyone.

Federations recognized by SportAccord or GAISF

Federations that are part of the Olympic Games or recognized by the IOC are also part of SportAccord. This happened after the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) ended in 2023. Other groups that are not recognized by the IOC but are part of SportAccord are called the Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport (AIMS).

Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport (AIMS)

AIMS is a group in SportAccord for sports federations that are not yet recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As of September 2025, AIMS had 20 full member federations.

Associate Members

As of September 2025, AIMS had 9 associate members.

Observers of GAISF

Associate members of GAISF

Before GAISF ended in 2023, there were groups called Associate members of GAISF. After GAISF ended, these groups were suggested to become observers at the SportAccord General Assembly. The following were associate members:

Federations recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)

There are 18 international federations recognized by the IPC, and the IPC itself is the international federation for six sports. The IPC also recognizes 3 International Organisations of Sports for the Disabled. There are also 15 federations recognized by the IPC that cannot be IPC members.

Sports directly governed by IPC

In November 2016, the IPC started using the "World Para" name for 10 sports it governed. In 2021, IPC members decided the IPC should stop being the international federation for these 10 sports by the end of 2026. Para-alpine skiing, para cross country skiing, and para snowboard moved to the FIS, and Para biathlon moved to the IBU. Right now, the IPC is the international federation for six sports:

International Federations

International Federations are groups recognized by the IPC as the main representatives of a Paralympic sport. As of August 2025, the IPC recognizes 18 International Federations for 20 parasports:

International Organisations of Sports for the Disabled

International Organisations of Sports for the Disabled (IOSDs) are groups recognized by the IPC as the main representatives for specific impairment groups. The IPC currently recognizes 3 IOSDs:

In January 2023, the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) and the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) combined to form World Abilitysport.

IPC-recognised international sports federations (not eligible for membership)

The IPC recognizes some international sports federations that cannot be IPC members but help create sports opportunities for Paralympic athletes and share the IPC's goals. There are 13 of these federations:

Non-SportAccord and non-GAISF federations that are TAFISA members

The international groups listed here are not part of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) or SportAccord. But they are members of The Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA).

Other federations

This is a list that changes often and might not have every group included. You can help by adding missing items with references to good sources.

The international federations listed below are not related to either of Global Association of International Sports Federations, SportAccord or The Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA):

Defunct federations

Miscellaneous

• International Game Fish Association (IGFA)
• International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO)
• International Federation of Corporate Football (FIFCO)

Sports governed by national associations

Some sports do not have international federations to govern them. Instead, they are managed by groups in each country, called national associations.