# World Games sports

The World Games sports comprise all the sports contested in The World Games. Starting in Birmingham 2022, there was no distinction between official and invitational sports. José Perurena, IWGA President, stated, "In Birmingham, for the first time, invitational sports were no longer presented separately but were also part of the official programme." This is now The World Games policy.

## Sports

Disciplines from the same sport are grouped under the same color:
Official sports :
| Sport (Discipline) | Sport (Discipline) | Sport (Discipline) | Body | 1981 | 1985 | 1989 | 1993 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2009 | 2013 | 2017 | 2022 | 2025 |
| Air sports | Air sports | | FAI | | | | | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Archery | Archery | | WA | | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Beach handball | Beach handball | | IHF | | | | | | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Billiard sports | Billiards | | WCBS | | | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Billiard sports | Pool | | WCBS | | | | | | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Billiard sports | Snooker | | WCBS | | | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Boules sports | Boules sports | | CMSB | | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 4 | 6 |
| Bowling | Bowling | | WB | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
| Canoe | Canoe marathon | | ICF | | | | | | | | | 6 | | 4 | 4 |
| Canoe | Canoe polo | | ICF | | | | | | | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Canoe | Dragon boat | | ICF | | | | | | | 4 | 4 | | | | 6 |
| Cheerleading | Cheerleading | | ICU | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| Dancesport | Dancesport | | WDSF | | | | | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| Duathlon | Duathlon | | ITU | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | 2 |
| Fistball | Fistball | | IFA | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Flag football | Flag football | | IFAF | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 1 |
| Floorball | Floorball | | IFF | | | | | 1 | | | | | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Flying disc | Flying disc | | WFDF | | | • | | | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Gymnastics | Acrobatic gymnastics | | FIG | | | | 15 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Gymnastics | Aerobic gymnastics | | FIG | | | | | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Gymnastics | Rhythmic gymnastics | | FIG | | | | | | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
| Gymnastics | Trampoline and Tumbling | | FIG | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| Gymnastics | Parkour | | FIG | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 4 |
| Ju-jitsu | Ju-jitsu | | JJIF | | | | | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 22 | 18 | 19 |
| Karate | Karate | | WKF | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Kickboxing | Kickboxing | | WAKO | | | | | | | | | | 7 | 6 | 12 |
| Korfball | Korfball | | IKF | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Lacrosse (women's) | Lacrosse (women's) | | FIL | | | | | | | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lifesaving | Lifesaving | | ILS | | 10 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Muaythai | Muaythai | | IFMA | | | | | | | | | | 11 | 12 | 6 |
| Orienteering | Orienteering | | IOF | | | | | | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Powerboating | Powerboating | | UIM | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| Powerlifting | Powerlifting | | IPF | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| Racquetball | Racquetball | | IRF | 4 | 2 | | 2 | | | | 2 | 2 | | 2 | 3 |
| Roller sports | Artistic roller skating | | WSkate | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |
| Roller sports | Inline hockey | | WSkate | | | | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Roller sports | Roller hockey | | WSkate | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | | | | | | |
| Roller sports | Roller speed skating | | WSkate | 8 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 22 |
| Sambo | Sambo | | FIAS | | 17 | | 9 | | | | | | | | 11 |
| Softball | Softball | | WBSC | 2 | 1 | | | 1996-2008 | 1996-2008 | 1996-2008 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 2 |
| Sport climbing | Sport climbing | | IFSC | | | | | | | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Squash | Squash | | WSF | | | | | 2 | | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sumo | Sumo | | IFS | | | | | | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
| Tug of war | Tug of war | | TWIF | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Underwater sports | Finswimming | | CMAS | 12 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| Underwater sports | Freediving | | CMAS | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 |
| Water skiing | Water skiing | | IWWF | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| Wheelchair rugby | Wheelchair rugby | | WWR | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | |
| Wushu | Wushu | | IWUF | | | | | | | | 13 | 16 | | 10 | 12 |
| Previous official sports ||||||||||||||||
| Sport (Discipline) | Sport (Discipline) | Sport (Discipline) | Body | 1981 | 1985 | 1989 | 1993 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2009 | 2013 | 2017 | 2022 | 2025 |
| Badminton | Badminton | | BWF | 5 | | | since 1992 | since 1992 | since 1992 | since 1992 | since 1992 | since 1992 | since 1992 | since 1992 | since 1992 |
| Baseball | Baseball | | WBSC | 1 | | | 1992-2008 | 1992-2008 | 1992-2008 | 1992-2008 | | | | 2020 |
| Beach volleyball | Beach volleyball | | FIVB | | | | 2 | since 1996 | since 1996 | since 1996 | since 1996 | since 1996 | since 1996 | since 1996 | since 1996 |
| Bodybuilding | Bodybuilding | | IFBB | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | | | | |
| Casting | Casting | | ICSF | 11 | 12 | | 13 | 12 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| Indoor cycling | Indoor cycling | | UCI | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| Netball | Netball | | INF | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Rugby sevens | Rugby sevens | | WR | | | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | since 2016 | since 2016 | since 2016 |
| Taekwondo | Taekwondo | | WTF | 10 | 8 | 12 | 12 | | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 |
| Triathlon | Triathlon | | ITU | | | • | 4 | | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 |
| Weightlifting (women) | Weightlifting (women) | | IWF | | | | | 9 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 |
| Invitational sports ||||||||||||||||
| Sport (Discipline) | Sport (Discipline) | Sport (Discipline) | Body | 1981 | 1985 | 1989 | 1993 | 1997 | 2001 | 2005 | 2009 | 2013 | 2017 | 2022 | 2025 |
| Water polo (women) | Water polo (women) | | FINA | 1 | | | | | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 | since 2000 |
| American football | American football | | IFAF | | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | |
| Motocross | Motocross | | FIM | | • | | | | | | | | | | |
| Speedway | Speedway | | FIM | | • | | | | | | | | 1 | | |
| Indoor motorcycle trials | Indoor motorcycle trials | | FIM | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | |
| Aikido | Aikido | | IAF | | | • | • | • | • | • | | | | | |
| Bahn golf | Bahn golf | | WMSF | | | • | | | | | | | | | |
| Boomerang | Boomerang | | | | | • | | | | | | | | | |
| Baton twirling | Baton twirling | | | | | | • | | | | | | | | |
| Equestrian vaulting | Equestrian vaulting | | FEI | | | | • | | | | | | | | |
| Boule Lyonnaise | Boule Lyonnaise | | CMSB | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Military pentathlon | Military pentathlon | | CISM | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Pesäpallo | Pesäpallo | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Tug of war (women) | Tug of war (women) | | TWIF | | | | | 2 | 1 | | | | | | |
| Gateball | Gateball | | WGU | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | |
| Indoor hockey | Indoor hockey | | FIH | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | |
| Tchoukball | Tchoukball | | FITB | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | |
| Indoor rowing | Indoor rowing | | FISA | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | |
| Lacrosse (men's) | Lacrosse (men's) | | WL | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | |
| Medal Events | Medal Events | Medal Events | Medal Events | 104 | 125 | 112 | 155 | 165 | 140 | 169 | 164 | 199 | 201 | 223 | 253 |
| Official sports | Official sports | Official sports | Official sports | 15 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 27 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 27 | 30 | 35 |
| Invitational sports | Invitational sports | Invitational sports | Invitational sports | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | N/A |
* ↑ The world governing body for nine-pin and ten-pin bowling changed its name from Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs to World Bowling in 2014.
* ↑ Previously Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports which merged with International Skateboarding Federation in September 2017 to form the current World Skate.
* 1 2 The World Baseball Softball Confederation, which currently governs both baseball and softball, was created by a 2013 merger of two former governing bodies—the International Baseball Federation and the International Softball Federation.
* ↑ Paralympic Sport since 2000
* ↑ During the period in which rugby sevens was contested at the World Games, the world governing body was known as the International Rugby Board. The current name of World Rugby was adopted in 2014.
* ↑ A structured invitational sport program did not exist for the 1981 World Games. Press coverage did not refer to water polo as an invitational sport. An agreement was reached with FINA in the lead-up to the games not to allow women's water polo athletes to march in the opening ceremony, to assuage the displeasure of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its being included in the program.
* ↑ From 2001 Boule Lyonnaise has been part of the Boules Sports program.

## Past TWG sports and disciplines

* Bodybuilding (Bodybuilding, Fitness) – Last contested in 2009
* Bowling (Nine-pin bowling) – Contested only in 2005 as official
* Cable wakeboard - Contested only in 2005 as official
* Casting – Last contested in 2005
* Flying Disc (Disc golf) – Contested only in 2001 as official, to be contested in 2025
* Indoor cycling (Artistic cycling, Cycle ball) – Contested only in 1989 as official
* Lifesaving (Beach) – Last contested in 2009
* Netball – Last contested in 1993
* Roller hockey (quad skate) - Last contested in 2001

### Past TWG sports and disciplines added to the Olympic Games

* Badminton – became an Olympic sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics
* Baseball and Softball – were Olympic sports from 1992 (baseball)/1996 (softball) to 2008, and returned to the Olympics in 2020 and 2028 as optional sports
* Beach volleyball - became an Olympic sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics
* Breakdancing - became an Olympic sport at the 2024 Summer Olympics
* Flag football – will become an Olympic sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics
* Karate – became an Olympic sport at the 2020 Summer Olympics
* Lacrosse sixes – will become an Olympic sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics (lacrosse was competed at the 1904 and 1908 Summer Olympics as field lacrosse)
* Rugby sevens – became an Olympic sport at the 2016 Summer Olympics (rugby union was competed as 15-a-side at the 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics)
* Sport climbing – became an Olympic sport at the 2020 Summer Olympics
* Squash – will become an Olympic sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics
* Taekwondo – became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics
* Trampoline – certain individual events were introduced at the 2000 Summer Olympics
* Triathlon – became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics
* Water polo (women) - became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics (men never competed in water polo in The World Games, as it has been in all Summer Olympics since 1900)
* Weightlifting (women) - became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics (men never competed in weightlifting in The World Games as it has been all Summer Olympics since 1920, and was also in the Summer Olympics in 1896 and 1904)