SportAccord
A global sports organisation that convenes international federations and sports-industry stakeholders through summits, forums, multi-sport events and shared platforms.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
SportAccord is a Switzerland-based international sports organisation headquartered in Lausanne. Established in 2003, it was created to bring together international sports federations and other organisations involved in the governance, administration and commercial development of sport. Its work is centred on representing common stakeholder interests, supporting international cooperation, facilitating knowledge exchange and providing venues where federations, rights holders, host cities, organising committees, media companies and commercial partners can engage with one another. The organisation's principal recurring event is the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. The summit is structured as an international sports convention combining a conference programme, exhibition activity and networking events. It attracts representatives from a broad cross-section of the sports sector, including more than 100 international federations, Olympic and non-Olympic sports bodies, event organisers, cities, businesses, media organisations and rights holders. The event serves both as a policy and knowledge-sharing forum and as a business-development setting for the international sports community. SportAccord also organises the International Federation Forum, a more specialised and generally closed event designed for international sports federations. Its sessions address operational, governance, commercial and strategic issues affecting federations. In addition, SportAccord has been associated with multi-sport events intended to showcase a wide range of Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines, including the World Combat Games, World Mind Games and World Urban Games. The organisation is governed through stakeholders representing major groupings of international federations. These include the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, the Winter Olympic Federations, the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations and the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport. The stakeholder structure is intended to give different categories of international federations a role in the organisation's governance, with the president and members elected for four-year mandates. SportAccord's role expanded after the Global Association of International Sports Federations ceased operating. Following GAISF's dissolution in September 2023, SportAccord took responsibility for certain activities and assets previously associated with GAISF, including management of the .sport domain and the Sustainability.Sport platform. This did not make SportAccord a replacement for every function of GAISF, but it positioned the organisation as a continuing service and convening platform for a substantial part of the international federation community. The organisation's event calendar has been affected by major external events. The 2020 World Sport & Business Summit in Beijing was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 18th summit was moved from November 2021 to May 2022, and a planned summit in Yekaterinburg was cancelled after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. SportAccord subsequently held its summit in Birmingham before or around the period following GAISF's formal dissolution. Its present identity is therefore based on international sports governance support, stakeholder representation, professional convening and the operation of selected multi-sport and sustainability-related initiatives rather than on consumer products.
History
SportAccord was established in 2003 as an international organisation serving the collective interests of international sports federations and related sports organisations. From its beginning, the organisation focused on creating a common meeting point for bodies that often operate across different sports, competition systems and governance structures. Its activities have included professional conferences, federation-specific forums, multi-sport events and initiatives intended to improve cooperation and knowledge exchange within the sports sector. The organisation's central event is the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. Launched in 2003, the summit developed into a recurring international convention for sports stakeholders. Its format combines thematic conferences, an exhibition area and networking opportunities. Participants have included international federations, rights holders, organising committees, cities seeking to host events, media organisations, commercial businesses and other entities involved in sport. The event's role is broader than a conventional sporting competition: it functions as a forum for policy discussion, relationship-building, commercial engagement and the exchange of operational experience. SportAccord also developed the International Federation Forum as a specialised gathering for international federations. Unlike the broader summit, the forum is designed around targeted sessions for federation leaders and administrators and is generally not open to the public. Together, the summit and forum provide two complementary forms of engagement: a broad sports-business convention and a more focused setting for federation-related issues. A further part of SportAccord's work has involved multi-sport events. These events have included the World Combat Games, World Mind Games and World Urban Games, bringing together disciplines that span Olympic and non-Olympic sport. Through these projects, SportAccord has operated not only as a conference organiser but also as a promoter and coordinator of event formats designed to present multiple sports within a single international programme. The organisation's activities have been affected by geopolitical and public-health developments. The 2020 summit planned for Beijing was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 18th summit, initially scheduled for November 2021, was postponed until May 2022. A summit planned for Yekaterinburg was cancelled following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. These changes demonstrate the dependence of international sports events on host-city conditions, travel, public-health restrictions and geopolitical circumstances. SportAccord's institutional role changed after the Global Association of International Sports Federations was dissolved. The reference material identifies 14 September 2023 as the date of GAISF's dissolution. SportAccord subsequently managed some activities and assets previously associated with GAISF, including the .sport domain and the Sustainability.Sport platform. The transfer gave SportAccord an expanded role in supporting the international federation ecosystem, although the available material does not establish that it assumed every function previously performed by GAISF. Governance is based on stakeholder representation from several major international-federation groupings. These include the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, the Winter Olympic Federations, the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations and the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport. The organisation states that its president and members are elected for four-year terms. It therefore operates as a stakeholder-led international sports body rather than as a conventional commercial brand selling consumer goods. Its principal outputs are events, professional services, networks, governance support and sector-specific digital platforms.
- 2023
Selected GAISF activities transferred to SportAccord
[1]After GAISF's dissolution on 14 September 2023, SportAccord took on selected activities and assets, including the .sport domain and Sustainability.Sport platform.
- 2022
Yekaterinburg summit cancelled
[1]A planned summit in Yekaterinburg was cancelled following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- 2021
18th summit postponed
[1]The 18th World Sport & Business Summit was postponed from November 2021 to May 2022.
- 2020
Beijing summit cancelled
[1]The planned 2020 World Sport & Business Summit in Beijing was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2003
SportAccord established and inaugural summit launched
[1]SportAccord was established and began its World Sport & Business Summit, creating an international meeting point for sports federations and the wider sports industry.
Products and positioning
A global convening and service platform for international sports federations and the wider sports industry, spanning Olympic, recognised and independent sports stakeholders.
International sports convention · 2003
SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit
SportAccord's principal annual event is a week-long international convention combining exhibitions, themed conference sessions and networking programmes. It brings together international federations, rights holders, organising committees, cities, media, businesses and other sports stakeholders. The summit functions as a knowledge-sharing, relationship-building and sports-business platform rather than as a consumer sporting product.
Federation forum
International Federation Forum
The International Federation Forum is a specialised, generally closed event for international sports federations. It uses targeted thematic sessions to address issues relevant to federation administration, governance, strategy, commercial development and the international organisation of sport.
Multi-sport event
World Combat Games
A SportAccord-associated multi-sport event bringing together combat sports and disciplines in an international event format. It forms part of SportAccord's wider effort to showcase sports beyond a single competition or federation structure.
Multi-sport event
World Mind Games
A multi-sport event associated with SportAccord that presents mind-sport disciplines within a shared international programme. The event reflects the organisation's interest in Olympic and non-Olympic sports formats.
Multi-sport event
World Urban Games
A multi-sport event associated with SportAccord that showcases urban and emerging sports in a combined international format. It is part of SportAccord's portfolio of events spanning both established and non-traditional disciplines.
Sports-sector domain
.sport
A domain initiative formerly associated with GAISF and subsequently managed by SportAccord. It provides a sports-sector internet domain for relevant organisations and initiatives.
Digital sustainability platform
Sustainability.Sport
A sustainability-focused platform previously owned or operated by GAISF and later managed by SportAccord. It supports the sharing and promotion of sustainability-related activity in sport.
Brand decisions
2023
Assume selected GAISF activities and platformsStrategyBackground
GAISF was dissolved on 14 September 2023, leaving selected activities and assets requiring continued administration.
Action taken
SportAccord took on management of certain GAISF-related activities, including the .sport domain and Sustainability.Sport platform.
Aftermath
SportAccord expanded its role within the international sports-federation ecosystem.
2022
Cancel the Yekaterinburg summitOtherBackground
The planned host location was affected by the geopolitical consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Action taken
SportAccord cancelled the planned summit in Yekaterinburg.
Aftermath
The event was not held at the planned Russian host city.
2021
Postpone the 18th World Sport & Business SummitOtherBackground
The 18th summit was originally scheduled for November 2021.
Action taken
SportAccord moved the event to May 2022.
Aftermath
The summit was rescheduled rather than held in its original 2021 period.
2020
Cancel the Beijing World Sport & Business SummitOtherBackground
The 2020 summit was planned for Beijing but was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
SportAccord cancelled the scheduled event.
Aftermath
The annual summit programme was interrupted for that edition.
Sources2 sources
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