Founded in 1980, the International World Games Association (IWGA) is the sole administrator of The World Games, an 11-day global multi-sport event held every four years.

Recognised and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the IWGA is a not-for-profit independent international organisation comprising 39 International Sports Federations.

The organisation was founded with the goal 'to strengthen the bonds of friendship between International Sports Federations and to promote excellence in sport. For that purpose, to promote and coordinate World Championships and other competitions into an international, modern, multisport festival called World Games, to be organized at regular intervals.

Vision: Today's vision of the IWGA and The World Games family is to unite and develop the different communities in and through sport.

Missions: Our missions are twofold: on the one hand, we provide global exposure and a unique experience for athletes and cities. On the other side, we strive to engage with and inspire communities by promoting the positive values of sport.

Values: The IWGA's three key values are:

The main constituents of The World Games are the International World Games Association (IWGA), the International Sports Federations (IFs) and the host cities organising the Games.

In a wider sense, The World Games family encompasses National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or National Sports Organisations (NSOs) as well as National Federations, clubs and persons belonging to the different sports, in particular athletes and their entourage, but also judges, referees, coaches and other sport officials.

As the IWGA follows the Olympic Charter, we contribute with our event and efforts to building a better world through sport.

Since its inaugural meeting in Seoul, Korea, IWGA membership has increased from 12 to currently 40 International Sports Federations (IFs).

These federations govern all sports and disciplines participating in The World Games. The many sports are grouped into six sports clusters: Artistic and Dance Sports, Ball Sports, Martial Arts, Precision Sports, Strength Sports and Trend Sports.

See a list of all of the 40 International Sports Federations (IFs).

For more information about Membership, have a look at pp. 12-14 of the 40th Anniversary Brochure of the IWGA.

The IWGA sees the value of embracing outstanding global disciplines of Olympic International Federations to enhance the program of TWG.

Only International Federations that are members of ARISF can become full members of the IWGA. Following the application, the IWGA Executive Committee will issue a recommendation whether the IF applying for membership provides added value to the program of TWG.

Since 2014, IOC recognition has become a prerequisite for IFs to become a Member of the IWGA.

Since 2020, Affiliate Status was introduced for full Members of ASOIF and AIOWF.

Affiliate status is temporary, and only open to those Federations that are not a Member of the IWGA and feature on the programme of the next edition of The World Games or of other sport events that the IWGA organises.

To apply for IWGA membership, please fill in and send the complete Membership Application Form to the IWGA Office.

The title of 'Honorary Life Member' may be conferred by the ExCo on persons who, during their term of office or otherwise, have rendered long and distinguished service to the IWGA.

The IWGA has four living Honorary Members:

The General Meeting is the supreme governing body of the IWGA, chaired by the President. It is composed of representatives from Member Federations, with one vote per federation.

General Meetings can be held whenever deemed necessary, but one must be held each year as the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Among other rights, the General Meeting has the power to:

Both events unite the world's best athletes under one roof, competing for gold and celebrating in peace and friendship. Similar to the Olympic Games, The World Games is the pinnacle event in their career.

For athletes to compete at The World Games, they need to qualify through select events of the International Federations. Qualification systems must allow for the participation of the best athletes through a fair and transparent process. The principle of universality shall be reflected in qualification systems. The IFs will seek to achieve a satisfactory balance between performance and a fair representation of as many as possible nations and continents.

The IOC's global vision is to build a better world through sport. As part of the Olympic Movement, the IWGA strives to unite and develop communities in and through sport.

Apart from the Games, the IWGA has been promoting gender equality, sustainability and good governance practices within the Games and The World Games family.

In contrast to the Olympic Games and other recognised sports events, the national sports authorities (NSO/NOC) do not nominate the participating athletes. However, some International Federations nominate athletes and teams in consultation with the national sports authorities.

While both IOC and IWGA share similar principles and values, The World Games has a different event concept.

Since the first edition of The World Games, the IWGA has implemented a unique venue approach, based on a complete personalisation to the host city characteristics and the principle of sustainability as a driving force.

The goal is to adapt the sports programme to the existing infrastructure and create the best possible experience for athletes and fans. Through an event with a global dimension, The World Games manages to maximise the local impact for the population, city and regions with a considerably lower budget.