International School Sport Federation
International sports governing body for school sport
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The International School Sport Federation (ISF) is an international sports governing body for school sport. Founded in 1972 with 21 European signatory nations, the federation has been organising international competitions to encourage education through sport and student athletes. It has 136[3] members, from five continents.[4]
 | |
| Abbreviation | ISF |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1972 |
| Type | Sport federation |
| Purpose | International School Sport Federation organises sport events for youth athletes of age 13–18. |
| Headquarters | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Members | 124 National School Sports Federations (NSSF) (Dec 2025) [1] |
Official language | French, English[2] |
President | Željko Tanasković |
| Website | www |
ISF is recognised by the International Olympic Committee since 1995, and is a member of SportAccord.[5][6][7] Its headquarters was based in Brussels, Belgium.[8] From January 2024, its headquarters was moved to Lausanne, Switzerland.[9]
ISF limits itself to activities with school children between the ages of 13 and 18 (roughly contiguous with high school age).[4] This distinguishes its role from the longer-established International University Sports Federation, which governs student sport from the ages of 17 to 25.[10][11] There are currently 45 recognised ISF sports, with many of them having their own World Schools Championship every two years.[12] Other sport disciplines are part of the Gymnasiade, also known as School Summer Games, its winter edition School Winter Games or ISF Combat Games.
The first official ISF championships were in football and volleyball, which both took place in 1972, athletics, basketball, handball and skiing championships followed a year later. The foremost competition held by the ISF is the Gymnasiade – a biennial multi-sport event first held in 1974 in Wiesbaden, Germany that featured athletics, gymnastics and swimming events.
In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ISF stripped Russia of the right to stage the 2024 ISF Gymnasiade, banned Russia and Belarus from participating in any ISF events, and blocked Russia and Belarus from sending representation to the ISF General Assembly.[13]
History
Around the mid-1960s, international sporting contests between schools has been increasing. Besides occasional and haphazard meetings between two or more schools, tournaments were beginning to be organised regularly in different disciplines: in handball from 1963, in volleyball from 1969, in football one year later, and from 1971 also in basketball. Each of these annual tournaments produced basic regulations and a standing committee.
The large number of international competitions requiring eliminating heats at the national level soon gave rise to a desire to co-ordinate these events, within a specific International Federation. To help promote this idea, the Federal Minister of Education and Arts of the Republic of Austria convened a Conference at Raach in the Autumn of 1971. Here the conditions were discussed for setting up a European School Sport Federation.
After very lengthy debates, the project was approved. However, bearing future development possibilities in mind, the ISF was not limited to European countries alone. A Provisional Committee, the members of which were chosen from among the 21 nations present, was set up, and the meeting of the constituent General Assembly was fixed for 4 June 1972 at Beaufort/Luxembourg. This meeting adopted the Statutes and proceeded to elect the members of the first Executive Committee.[14]
In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ISF stripped Russia of the right to stage the 2024 ISF Gymnasiade, banned Russia and Belarus from participating in any ISF events, and blocked Russia and Belarus from sending representation to the ISF General Assembly.[13]
Gymnasiade
Gymnasiade is a school sport event for youth athletes aged 15–18 and 12–15. It is held every two (even) years, hosts between 12 and 25 different sport disciplines and welcomes over 3000 pupils from all over the world.
Regional
Asia
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Europe
First European Schools Games Caen, France 2–8 July 1992.[15][16]
ISF World School Championships
Source:[17][18][19][20][21][22]
Around the 1960s international sporting contests between schools were on the increase. Besides occasional and haphazard meetings between two or more schools, tournaments were beginning to be organised regularly in different disciplines: in handball from 1963, in volleyball from 1969, in football from 1970 and from 1971 also in basketball.
Today 21 sports have a separate World Schools Championship (WSC) with 10-12 championships being held per year. Each World Schools Championship usually last from 3–7 days. Yearly, more than 10.0000 pupils from all over the World take part in ISF World Schools Championship. Until 2017, only 21 Sports have a separate World School Championship (WSC). Other sports exist in Games (Summer, Winter or Combat) and haven't separate WSC.
Note: In 2025, 45 sports are approved by this federation. Considering that the Under-18 Gymnaside games are held every two years and the Under-15 Gymnaside games will be held in odd years from 2021, since 2019, there have been very few individual world championship competitions, and only a few team sports are held. More than 20 sports have never had an independent world championship competition. Triathlon and Cricket now have left this federation.
Results in previous sections.[23]
| # | Event | First Edition | Last Edition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Sports | ||||
| 1 | World School Athletics Championship | 1973 | 24th (2017) | [24] |
| 2 | World Schools Cross Country Championship | 1975 | 23rd (2018) | [25] |
| 3 | World School Swimming Championship | 1981 | 12th (2017) | [26] |
| Combat Sports | ||||
| 4 | World School Sambo Championship | 2018 | 1st (2018) | [27] |
| Team Sports | ||||
| 5 | World School 3x3 Basketball Championship | 2014 | 3rd (2018) | [28] |
| 6 | World School Basketball Championship | 1973 | 24th (2017) | [29] |
| 7 | World School Beach Volleyball Championship | 2011 | 4th (2017) | |
| 8 | World School Cricket Championship | 2018 | 1st (2018) | [30] |
| 9 | World School Flying Disc Championship | 2019 | 1st (2019) | |
| 10 | World School Football Championships | 1972 | 26th (2017) | [31] |
| 11 | World School Futsal Championships | 2007 | 5th (2018) | [32] |
| 12 | World School Beach Soccer Championships | 2023 | 1th (2023) | |
| 13 | World School Handball Championship | 1973 | 24th (2018) | [33] |
| 14 | World School Volleyball Championship | 1972 | 23rd (2018) | [34] |
| Winter Sports | ||||
| 15 | World School Alpine Ski Championship | 1973 | 23rd (2016) | [35][36] |
| Other Sports | ||||
| 16 | World School Badminton Championship | 1998 | 12th (2018) | [37] |
| 17 | World School Orienteering Championship | 1987 | 17th (2017) | [38] |
| 18 | World School Sport Climbing Championship | 2019 | 1st (2019) | |
| 19 | World School Table Tennis Championship | 1991 | 15th (2018) | [39][40] |
| 20 | World School Tennis Championship | 1995 | 9th (2017) | [41][42] |
| 21 | World School Triathlon Championship | 2013 | 3rd (2017) | [43] |
| 22 | World School Chess Championship | 2019 | 1st (2019) | |
| 23 | World School Taekwondo Championship | 2023 | 1st (2023) | |
1st World School Taekwondo Poomsae Virtual Championship was held in 2020. Also Online Chess was held in 2021 and 2023.
Rugby in 2000 and 2006.[44] Combat Games.[45] Floorball.[46][18] Gymnaside.[47] Climbing remove ISF.
Sports
45 Recognized sports (December 2025).[52]
35 Individual Sports (Include 4 Para Sports)
10 Team Sports
Events
Cycle
International School Games since 1974.[51][53]
U18 Gymnasiade even-numbered years: 2022,2024,2026,2028
U15 Gymnasiade odd-numbered years: 2021,2023,2025,2027
ISF World School Championships 3 to 5 events/year Basketball, Cross-Country, Futsal, Handball, Volleyball, Golf
ISF World Cup - ISF Football World Cup Every even year since 2024
World Teacher Games - Event for PE teachers from the world
She Runs International event promoting school girls' participation and leadership through sport
2026
- Handball - April,
North Macedonia - Basketball - June,
Serbia - Volleyball - July,
China - Football - October, China
- Golf - TBD,
Morocco - U18 Gymnasiade - TBD, TBD
Members
124 Nations (December 2025).[1]
Regions
Nations
Source:[21]
| Code | Country | Association |
|---|---|---|
| AFG |  Afghanistan | Afghanistan School Sport Federation |
| ALB |  Albania | Albanian School Sport Federation |
| ALG |  Algeria | Algerian School Sport Federation |
| AND |  Andorra | Secretariat d'état aux sports, de la jeunesse et du volontariat |
| ARG |  Argentina | |
| ARM |  Armenia | School Sport Federation of Armenia |
| AUT |  Austria | Bundesministerium für Bildung und Frauen |
| AUS |  Australia | School Sport Australia |
| BAN |  Bangladesh | |
| BRN |  Bahrein | Bahrein School and Collegiate Athletics Association |
| BAH |  Bahamas | |
| BEN |  Benin | Ministerio de Deportes |
| BOL |  Bolivia | Ministerio de Deportes |
| BOT |  Botswana | Botswana Integrated Sport Association |
| BRA |  Brazil | Confederação Brasileira do Desporto Escolar |
| BUL |  Bulgaria | Bulgarian Association Sport for Students |
| BUR |  Burkina Faso | |
| CMR |  Cameroon | Fenassco |
| CAN |  Canada | School Sport Canada |
| CPV |  Cape Verde | Coordenação Nacional de Educação Física e Desporto Escolar |
| CHI |  Chile | Club Deportivo Universidad Catica de Chile |
| CHN |  People's Republic of China | China School Sport Federation |
| TPE |  Chinese Taipei | Chinese Taipei School Sport Federation |
| COL |  Colombia | Coldeportes |
| COM |  Comoros | Coordination de Nationale I'Education et Sport Scolaire |
| COD |  Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| CRO |  Croatia | Croatian School Sport Federation |
| CYP |  Cyprus | Ministry of Education and Culture |
| CZE |  Czech Republic | Czech School Sports and Clubs association |
| DEN |  Denmark | Danish Schoolsport Association |
| DOM |  Dominican Republic | Instituto Nacional de Educacion Fisica |
| DGB |  Eastern Belgium | Ministerium der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft / Fachbereich Sport |
| ENG |  England | National Council for School Sports |
| GEQ |  Equatorial Guinea | |
| EST |  Estonia | Estonian School Sport Union |
| FIN |  Finland | Finnish School Sport Federation |
| FLA |  Flemish Community | Stichting Vlaamse Schoolsport |
| FRA |  France | Union Nationale du Sport Scolaire |
| CFB |  Wallonia-Brussels Federation | |
| PYF |  French Polynesia | Union du Sport Scholaire Polynesien |
| GAB |  Gabon | |
| GAM |  Gambia | Sport University of The Gambia |
| GEO |  Georgia | Children and Youth Sports National Federation of Georgia |
| GER |  Germany | Kommission Sport der KMK der Länder |
| GHA |  Ghana | |
| GRE |  Greece | Directorate of Physical Education |
| GUA |  Guatemala | Direccion General de Educacición Fisica |
| GUI |  Guinea | |
| HAI |  Haiti | Haitian School Sport Federation |
| HKG |  Hong Kong, China | Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation |
| HUN |  Hungary | Hungarian School Sport Federation |
| IND |  India | School Games Federation of India |
| IRI |  Islamic Republic of Iran | Iran School Sport Federation |
| ISR |  Israel | Ministry of education, culture and sports |
| IRQ |  Iraq | Iraq Sport |
| IRL |  Ireland | Irish School Sport Federation |
| ITA |  Italy | Ministero dell Instruzione dell universita e della Ricerca |
| CIV |  Ivory Coast | Office Ivoirien des Sports Scolaires et Universitaires |
| JAM |  Jamaica | |
| JOR |  Jordan | |
| KGZ |  Kyrgyzstan | School Sport Federation of Kyrgyz Republic |
| KAZ |  Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan School Sport Federation |
| KEN |  Kenya | Kazakhstan School Sport Federation |
| KOS |  Kosovo | School Sport Federation of the Republic of Kosovo |
| KUW |  Kuwait | Ministry of Education, Kuwait |
| LAT |  Latvia | Latvian School Sport Federation |
| LBA |  Libya | Libyan Student Sport Federation |
| LBN |  Lebanon | Ministry of Education and Higher Education |
| LIE |  Liechtenstein | Liechtensteinische landesverwaltung |
| LIT |  Lithuania | |
| LUX |  Luxembourg | Ligue des Associations Sportive Estudiantines |
| MAC |  Macau, China | |
| MAD |  Madagascar | Fédération Omnisports scolaire Madagascar |
| MLI |  Mali | |
| MLT |  Malta | Malta School Sport Federation |
| MRI |  Mauritania | |
| MGL |  Mongolia | |
| MNE |  Montenegro | Association Montenegrine du Sport Scolaire |
| MAR |  Morocco | Federation Royale Marocaine du Sport Scolaire |
| NAM |  Namibia | Namibia School Sport Union |
| NEP |  Nepal | |
| NED |  Netherlands | Koninklijke Vereniging van Leraren Lichamelịke Opvoeding |
| NZL |  New Zealand | New Zealand Secondary School Sports Council |
| NCA |  Nicaragua | Instituto Nicaraguense de Deportes |
| NIG |  Niger | |
| NGA |  Nigeria | Nigerian School Sport Federation |
| MKD |  North Macedonia | Macedonian Schools Sports Federation |
| OMA |  Oman | |
| PAK |  Pakistan | PSSF - Pakistan Schools Sports Federation |
| PAR |  Paraguay | Secretaria Nacional de Deportes |
| PER |  Peru | Asociacion Peruana del Deporte Escolar |
| POL |  Poland | Szkolny Zwiazek Sportowy |
| POR |  Portugal | Gabinete Coordenador do Desporto Escolar |
| PUR |  Puerto Rico | Propulsores del Deporte |
| ROU |  Romania | Scholar and University Sports Federation |
| QAT |  Qatar | Qatar Sport School Federation |
| QUE |  Quebec | Foundation Équip-Québec |
| RSR |  Republic of Srpska | Ministry for Family, Youth and Sport |
| ROU | Romania | Ministry Of Education And Research / Scholar And University Sports Federation |
| STP |  São Tomé and Príncipe | |
| KSA |  Saudi Arabia | Ministry of Education |
| SCO |  Scotland | Scottish SchoolSport Federation |
| SEN |  Senegal | Comité National de Gestion et de Relance du Sport Scolaire (CNG/RSS) - Sénégal |
| SRB |  Serbia | School Sports and Olympic Education Federation of Serbia |
| SIN |  Singapore | Singapore School Sport Council |
| SLO |  Slovenia | Zavod za sport RS Planica |
| SVK |  Slovakia | Slovak School Sport Association |
| RSA |  South Africa | South African Sports Confederation |
| ESP |  Spain | Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia |
| SRI |  Sri Lanka | Schools Sports Council |
| SUR |  Suriname | Ministry of Education and Youth Affairs |
| SWE |  Sweden | Svenska Skolidrottsförbundet |
| SUI |  Switzerland | Schweizerischer Verband fur Sport in der Schule |
| TAN |  Tanzania | |
| TGO |  Togo | |
| TUN |  Tunisia | Federation Tunisienne des Sports Scolaires et Universiateires |
| TUR |  Turkey | Turkiye Okul Sporlary Federasyonu |
| TKM |  Turkmenistan | School Sport Federation of Turkmenistan |
| THA |  Thailand | Ministry of Tourism and Sports |
| UAE |  United Arab Emirates | UAE Interschool Sports Association |
| UGA |  Uganda | |
| UKR |  Ukraine | School Sport Federation of Ukraine |
| USA |  United States | Amateur Athletic Union of the United States |