The governing bodies of sports in Wales perform an organisational, regulatory or sanctioning function at a national level in

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

, some tracing their history to the 19th Century. Many cooperate with similar bodies from other countries to agree rule changes for their sport. Most implement decisions made by the international bodies to which they belong. Some, such as the Welsh Sports Association, cover a range of sports. Most of the governing bodies involved in competitive sports select, organise and manage individuals or teams to represent their

countries A country is a distinct part of the Earth, world, such as a state (polity), state, nation, or other polity, political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, List of states with limited r ...

at international events or fixtures against other countries.

Sport Wales Sport Wales ( Welsh: ''Chwaraeon Cymru'') is the national organisation responsible for developing and promoting sport and physical activity in Wales. Working alongside partners such as governing bodies of sport and local authorities, they aim t ...

recognise over fifty governing bodies of sports in Wales, which represent their sports.

Multi-sport bodies

The Federation of Disability Sport Wales () is the national pan-disability governing body of sports organisations that provide local sporting and physical activity opportunities to disabled people in Wales. The Federation of Disability Sport Wales is based at the Sport Wales National Centre,

Sophia Gardens Sophia Gardens ( ; ) is a public park in Riverside, Cardiff, Wales, on the west bank of the River Taff. International test cricket Test cricket is a Forms of cricket, format of the sport of cricket, considered the game’s most prestig ...

, Cardiff.

() is responsible for developing and promoting sport and active lifestyles in Wales. It was established in 1927 with the objectives of "fostering the knowledge and practice of sport and physical recreation among the public at large in Wales and the provision of facilities thereto". Sport Wales is the

Welsh Government The Welsh Government ( ) is the Executive (government), executive arm of the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of Cabinet secretary, cabinet secretaries and Minister of State, ministers. It is led by the F ...

's main adviser on sporting matters and is responsible for distributing National Lottery awards to sports in Wales. Sport Wales is based at the Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. The Welsh Sports Association () (WSA) (established 1972) is an independent, umbrella body, supporting and representing the national and international interests of all the national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport and physical recreation in Wales. It has a membership of over 60 NGBs. The WSA acts as an independent consultative body to the

, Sport Wales and to UK Sport. The Welsh Sports Association is based at the Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

Angling

The Federation of Welsh Anglers (FWA) is the umbrella body for the three national governing bodies for

sea A sea is a large body of salt water. There are particular seas and the sea. The sea commonly refers to the ocean, the interconnected body of seawaters that spans most of Earth. Particular seas are either marginal seas, second-order section ...

, coarse and game fishing in Wales—the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers, the Welsh Federation of Coarse Anglers and the Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association. It is responsible for

angling Angling (from Old English ''angol'', meaning "hook") is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. The fishing line is usually manipulated with a fishing rod, although rodless te ...

coaching development in Wales. The FWA is based in

Hirwaun Hirwaun (, ; ) is a village and Community (Wales), community at the north end of the Cynon Valley in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. It is NW of the town of Aberdare, and comes under the Aberdare post town. At the United Ki ...

Rhondda Cynon Taf Rhondda Cynon Taf (; RCT; also spelt as Rhondda Cynon Taff) is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South East Wales, south-east of Wales. It consists of five valleys: the Rhondda Fawr, Rhondda Fach, Cynon, Taff () and Ely valleys, ...

. The Welsh Federation of Coarse Anglers (WFCA) is the governing body for coarse angling in Wales. It was established in 1977 and by 2003 had 69 affiliated clubs and over 23,000 members. The WFCA is based at

Briton Ferry Briton Ferry () is a town and Community (Wales), community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. The Welsh name may indicate that the church, ''llan'', is protected from the wind, ''awel''. Alternatively, ''Sawel'' may be a deri ...

Neath Port Talbot Neath Port Talbot () is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. Its principal towns are Neath, Port Talbot, Briton Ferry and Pontardawe. The county borough borders Bridgend County Borough and Rhon ...

. The Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers (WFSA) (established 1955) is the governing body of sea angling in Wales. The WFSA organise major angling events at regional and national levels. The WFSA fights for member clubs' access to, and fishing from, threatened facilities, as well as organising the election of individuals and teams to represent Wales at international sea angling competitions. The Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers is based in

Bargoed Bargoed () is a town and community (Wales), community in the Rhymney Valley, Wales, one of the South Wales Valleys. It lies on the Rhymney River in the county borough of Caerphilly (county borough), Caerphilly. It straddles the Historic counties o ...

Caerphilly County Borough Caerphilly County Borough () is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It is governed by Caerphilly County Borough Council. Its main and largest town is Caerphilly. Other towns in the county borough are, Risca, Ystrad Mynach, Newbrid ...

. The Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association () (WSTAA) is the governing body for game angling in Wales and has about one hundred member clubs. Founded as the Welsh Fly Fishing Association () in 1952, the WSTAA organise national and international angling competitions, including two major World Fly Fishing Championships and the 2002 Commonwealth championship in Wales—The WSTAA Wales team won gold at the 2009 IFFA River International competition. The WSTAA also highlights issues that affect Welsh anglers including: game fishing conservation; threats to water quality from

acid rain Acid rain is rain or any other form of Precipitation (meteorology), precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). Most water, including drinking water, has a neutral pH that exists b ...

;

water pollution Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of Body of water, water bodies, with a negative impact on their uses. It is usually a result of human activities. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and ...

; barrages;

poaching Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the huntin ...

;

stocking Stockings (also known as hose, especially in a historical context) are close-fitting, variously elastic garments covering the leg from the foot up to the knee or possibly part or all of the thigh. Stockings vary in color, design, and transpar ...

; and Objective One funding. The Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association is based in Waunfawr,

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

Ceredigion Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the West Wales, west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the River Dyfi, Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire t ...

Archery

The

Welsh Archery Association The Welsh Archery Association (WAA) is the national Governing bodies of sports in Wales, governing body for archery in Wales. It was established in 2000 by the merger of the South Wales Archery Society (formed 1951), the North Wales Archery Societ ...

(WAA) is the governing body for

archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a Bow and arrow, bow to shooting, shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting ...

in Wales. It was established in 2000 by the merger of the South Wales Archery Society (formed 1951), the North Wales Archery Society (formed 1953) and the Welsh Archery Federation (formed 1970s), and by 2002 had 51 affiliated clubs and over 800 members. Responsibilities of the WAA include the competition, judging and coaching of archery in Wales. The WAA also control the selection and management of representative teams competing for Wales at international events. The Welsh Archery Association is based in Barry,

Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( ), locally referred to as ''The Vale'', is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South East Wales, south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf t ...

Athletics

Welsh Athletics () (WA) is the national governing body for athletics. Set up as a

limited company In a limited company, the Legal liability, liability of members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by Share (finance), shares or by guarantee. In a c ...

in 2007 to replace the former Athletic Association of Wales, Welsh Athletics has more than 70 affiliated clubs, with over 7,000 athletes taking part in WA competitions. Welsh Athletics has been based at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium, Leckwith, since 2009, having been based at the Cardiff Athletics Stadium until the stadium was demolished in 2007.

Badminton

Welsh Badminton Cymru (WBC) is the governing body for

badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racket (sports equipment), racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net (device), net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per s ...

in Wales. Formed in 1928 as The Welsh Badminton Union, in 1934 it was one of the founder members of the

Badminton World Federation The Badminton World Federation, aka BWF, is the international governing body for the sport of badminton approved by the International Olympic Committee. It was founded on 5 July 1934 as the International Badminton Federation with nine member ...

. It became a member of the European Badminton Union in 1968 (now

Badminton Europe Badminton Europe (BEC) is the Sport governing body, governing body of badminton in Europe. It is one of the five continental bodies under the flag of the Badminton World Federation (BWF). It has 53 member associations and 1 associate member. It ...

). Over 90 senior clubs are affiliated to Welsh Badminton Cymru, and its membership is nearly 4000.]. Wales competes in the European Badminton Championships, European Championships,

World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...

Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists mostly, but not exclusively, of territories of the former British Empire. The event was first held in 1930 ...

and the

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

and Uber Cup World Team Championships. WBC organises national and international competitions, including the Welsh National Badminton Championships and the Welsh International Badminton Championships, and manages the Wales representative squads internationally, at all levels. Welsh Badminton Cymru is based at the Sport Wales National Centre,

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

Baseball

Welsh Baseball Union (WBU), formed in 1892, is the governing body of men's British baseball in Wales. It is based in Heath, Cardiff. Welsh Ladies Baseball Union (WLBU) is the governing body of women's British baseball in Wales. It was formed in 2006 when the WLBU decided to break away from the men's WBU. The WLBU are based in Grangetown, Cardiff.

Basketball

Basketball Wales () is the sole controller and the governing body of all aspects of the game of

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

in Wales. It is responsible for the management of the Welsh National Basketball League, the national teams and for the organisation of all national and international basketball competitions held in Wales. Basketball Wales is based at the Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

Bowls

The Welsh Bowls Federation (WBF) (established 2001) is an umbrella partnership body comprising representatives from the five national governing bodies: the Welsh Bowling Association; the Welsh Indoor Bowls Association; the Welsh Ladies Indoor Bowling Association; the Welsh Short Mat Bowls Association; and the Welsh Women's Bowling Association. The Welsh Bowls Coaching Association and Welsh Bowls Umpires Association are also represented. The WBF has 670 affiliated clubs and over 25,000 members. The Welsh Bowls Federation is based at

Whitland Whitland (, , or , , from the medieval ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Geography The Whitland Community (Wales), community is bordered by the communities of: Henllanfallteg; Llanboidy; and Eglwyscummin, a ...

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. ...

. The Welsh Bowling Association (WBA) is the governing body for men's outdoor bowling clubs in Wales. It has 10 affiliated counties and 286 affiliated clubs. The WBA organise competitions, including the county championship, and select and manage the national side. At the 2009 Atlantic Rim Championship in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

, the Welsh men's team finished third. The Welsh Bowling Association is based at Llanishen, Cardiff. The Welsh Crown Green Bowling Association (WCGBA) is the governing body for crown green bowling in Wales. The WCGBA organise competitions, including the Welsh Club Championship, and select and manage the national side. The Welsh Indoor Bowls Association (WIBA) is the governing body for the indoor bowling clubs in Wales. It has 24 affiliated clubs. The WBA organise competitions, including the WIBA Club Championship, and select and manage the national side. The Welsh Bowling Association is based at

Gorseinon Gorseinon is a town within the City and County of Swansea, Wales, near the Loughor estuary. It was a small village until the late 19th century, when it grew around the coal mining and tinplate industries. It is around north west of Swansea Ci ...

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

. The Welsh Ladies Indoor Bowling Association (WLIBA) (formed 1950) is the governing body for the indoor bowling clubs in Wales. It has 25 affiliated clubs. The WLIBA organise national competitions and select and manage the national side. The Welsh Ladies Indoor Bowling Association is based at

Ton Pentre Ton Pentre () is a village in the Rhondda, Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Historic counties of Wales, Historically part of Glamorgan, Ton Pentre, a former industrial coal mining village, is a district of the comm ...

. The Welsh Short Mat Bowls Association () (WSMBA) is the governing body for short mat bowling clubs in Wales. The WSMBA organise national competitions, including league and inter-county, and select and manage the national side. The Welsh Women's Bowling Association (WWBA) (founded in 1932 as Welsh Ladies Bowls Association) is the governing body for women's outdoor bowling clubs in Wales. It has eight affiliated counties and 160 affiliated clubs. The WBA organise competitions, including the county championship, and select and manage the national side. At the 2009 Atlantic Rim Championship in

, the Welsh women's team finished first. The Welsh Women's Bowling Association is based at Knighton,

Powys Powys ( , ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It borders Gwynedd, Denbighshire, and Wrexham County Borough, Wrexham to the north; the English Ceremonial counties of England, ceremo ...

Canoeing

Canoe Wales-Canw Cymru (formed as the Welsh Canoeing Association) is the governing body for

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. In some parts of Europe, canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an 'open canoe' or Canadian. A few of the recreational ...

and

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

in Wales. It has over 50 affiliated clubs and a membership of 1800. Canoe Wales-Canw Cymru is responsible for the formal access agreements on the

Conwy Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy ...

, Glaslyn, Llwyd,

Ogwr The Borough status in the United Kingdom, Borough of Ogwr was one of six districts of Wales, districts of Mid Glamorgan in Wales, which existed from 1974 to 1996. History It was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 from the Urban district ...

Severn The River Severn (, ), at long, is the longest river in Great Britain. It is also the river with the most voluminous flow of water by far in all of England and Wales, with an average flow rate of at Apperley, Gloucestershire. It rises in t ...

, Tawe, Tryweryn, Twrch, Usk and Wye and informal agreements on rivers and managed stillwaters. It is also responsible for the rights of navigation agreements on sections of the Lugg, Severn and Wye. Canoe Wales-Canw Cymru organises competition at national and international level in all the canoeing and kayaking disciplines in Wales: freestyle; slalom; wild water racing; marathon racing; sprint racing; surf kayaking; and

canoe polo Canoe polo, also known as kayak polo or polo (to players and fans), is one of the competitive disciplines of kayaking. It incorporates ball-handling skills into a contact team game, wherein group tactics and positional play are as important as in ...

. Canoe Wales-Canw Cymru manages Canolfan Tryweryn, the National Whitewater Centre near

Bala, Gwynedd Bala () is a town and community (Wales), community in Gwynedd, Wales. Formerly an Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland), urban district, Bala lies in the Historic counties of Wales, historic county of Merionethshire, at the north end of Bal ...

, where Canoe Wales-Canw Cymru is based. The Afon Tryweryn is a dam released river, allowing water to flow when other rivers are running dry, providing a year-round white water venue.

Caving

The Cambrian Caving Council (CCC) (formed 1969) is the national association for

caving Caving, also known as spelunking (United States and Canada) and potholing (United Kingdom and Ireland), is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology is the scientific ...

, representing the interests of caving clubs in Wales. It is a member of several organisations including the

Brecon Beacons National Park Brecon Beacons National Park, officially named Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (), is a National parks of the United Kingdom, national park in Wales. It is named after the Brecon Beacons (), the mountain range at its centre. The national park ...

Access & Recreation Advisory Group, the

Countryside Council for Wales The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW; ) was a Welsh Assembly sponsored body responsible for wildlife conservation, landscape and countryside access in Wales. It merged with Forestry Commission Wales, and Environment Agency Wales to form ...

, the Gower Cave Advisory Group, the Gwenlais Valley Consortium (Carmel Woods), the Pembrokeshire Outdoor Charter, the Welsh Exploration Society and the Welsh Sports Association. The CCC also maintains contact with several other regional and national bodies including, the

Natural Resources Wales Natural Resources Wales () is a Welsh Government sponsored body, which became operational from 1 April 2013, when it took over the management of the natural resources of Wales. It was formed from a merger of the Countryside Council for Wales, E ...

, Forestry Enterprise, various bat groups,

Welsh Water Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

and Sport Wales, as well as with the other Regional Caving Councils.

Cricket

Cricket Wales () is an umbrella partnership body comprising the Welsh Cricket Association, Glamorgan Cricket, Wales National County, the Welsh Schools Cricket Association and Sport Wales. It regulates the sport of

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

in Wales and organises competitions up to national level. Cricket Wales is based at the

SWALEC Stadium The Cardiff Wales Stadium, which is part of Sophia Gardens Cardiff ( ; ), is a cricket stadium in Cardiff, Wales. It is located in Sophia Gardens on the River Taff. It is home to Glamorgan County Cricket Club and is listed as an international ...

, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Glamorgan Cricket () is the Welsh first class, professional club. Glamorgan CCC play in the

England and Wales Cricket Board The England and Wales Cricket Board, aka ECB, is the Sports governing body, national governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was formed on 1 January 1997 as a single governing body to combine the roles formerly fulfilled by the Test ...

County Championship The County Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Rothesay County Championship, is the only domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales. Established in 1890, it is organised by the England and Wales Cri ...

. The club has over 7000 members. It also runs the Welsh Cricket Academy. Glamorgan Cricket is based at the SWALEC Stadium, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Wales National County Cricket Club runs the Welsh team in the

National Counties Cricket Championship The NCCA 3 Day Championship or National County Championship is a season-long competition in England and Wales that is contested by the members of the National Counties Cricket Association, National Counties Cricket Association (NCCA), the so-ca ...

. The Welsh Asians Cricket Club is based in Grangetown, Cardiff. The Welsh Cricket Academy () is run by Glamorgan Cricket, based at the SWALEC Stadium, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. The

Welsh Cricket Association The Welsh Cricket Association (WCA) (founded 1969) is the governing body of Welsh amateur cricket. It also runs the Welsh Cup and convenes the Welsh Coaching Forum. The WCA aims to promote, encourage, and improve amateur cricket in Wales, and to ...

() (WCA) (founded 1969) is the governing body of Welsh amateur cricket. It also runs the Welsh Cup and convenes the Welsh Coaching Forum. The WCA aims to promote, encourage, and improve amateur cricket in Wales, and to encourage and develop active participation in the game. Over 270 counties, associations, leagues and clubs are affiliated to the WCA. The Welsh Cricket Association is based at the SWALEC Stadium, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. The Welsh Clubs Cricket Conference is based in Llanishen, Cardiff. The Welsh Schools' Cricket Association run inter schools competitions in Wales. It is based in

Fishguard Fishguard (, meaning "Mouth of the River Gwaun") is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with a population of 3,400 (rounded to the nearest 100) as of the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. Modern Fishguard consists of two parts, Lowe ...

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

. Welsh Women's Cricket is based in

Builth Wells Builth Wells (; ) is a market town and community in the county of Powys and historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire), mid Wales, lying at the confluence of rivers Wye and Irfon, in the Welsh (or upper) part of the Wye Valley. In 20 ...

Curling

The Welsh Curling Association () (WCA) is the governing body of

curling Curling is a sport in which players slide #Curling stone, stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area that is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules, and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take t ...

in Wales.

Cycling

Beicio Cymru-Welsh Cycling is "the internationally recognised governing body of cycling in Wales". It administers all six

cycling Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...

disciplines—

BMX BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross or bike motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general street or off-road recreation. History BMX began during the ea ...

;

cyclo-cross Cyclo-cross (cyclocross, CX, cyclo-X or cross) is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter (the international or "World Cup" season is October–February), and consist of many laps of a short (2.5–3.5&nb ...

;

mountain biking Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...

( downhill and cross-country);

road racing Road racing is a North American term to describe motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held on a race track, closed circuit—generally, a purpose-built racing facility—or on a street circuit that uses temporarily c ...

; time trials; and track racing. Beicio Cymru-Welsh Cycling is responsible for all aspects of sports cycling in Wales including competitions and racing licences and organising the Wales

cycling team. Beicio Cymru-Welsh Cycling is based at the Wales National Velodrome,

Newport International Sports Village Newport International Sports Village is a multi-sport complex located at Lliswerry in the southeast of the city of Newport, Wales, Newport, South Wales. It is known locally as Spytty Park, the name coming from the original Spytty Fields on whi ...

Newport.

Fencing

Welsh Fencing is the governing body of

fencing Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...

in Wales. In 2003 it had 34 affiliated clubs, 260 adult and 559 junior members. Welsh Fencing organises competitions including the Welsh Open. Welsh Fencing are responsible for the selection and management of the Wales representative squad, who compete in the Winton Cup and the

. To compete at the European and World Championships Welsh fencers represent Great Britain, if selected. Welsh Fencing is based in Canton, Cardiff.

Football

The

Football Association of Wales The Football Association of Wales (FAW; ) is the Governing bodies of sports in Wales, governing body of association football and futsal in Wales, and controls the Wales national football team, its Wales women's national football team, correspo ...

() (FAW) is the third oldest football association in the world. It has been the governing body of

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

in Wales since its formation in 1876. The FAW is one of the associations that make up a body called the

International Football Association Board The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is an international self-regulatory body of association football that is known for determining the Laws of the Game, the regulations for the gameplay of football. It was founded in 1886 in or ...

(IFAB)—the others are the other three UK associations: the

Football Association A football association, also known as a football federation, soccer federation, or soccer association, is a governing body for association football. Many of them are members of the sport's regional bodies such as UEFA and CONMEBOL and the world gov ...

, the

Scottish Football Association The Scottish Football Association (; also known as the Scottish FA and the SFA) is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA incl ...

and the

Irish Football Association The Irish Football Association (IFA) is the governing body for association football in Northern Ireland. It organised the Ireland national football team (1882–1950), Ireland national football team from 1880 to 1950, which after 1954, became t ...

plus

FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...

, the world governing body. The IFAB maintain the laws that govern football, known officially as the "Laws of the Game". Football is the most popular team sport in Wales, with more than twice as many participants as

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

The FAW has six affiliated Area Football Associations: Central Wales; Gwent County; North East Wales; North Wales Coast; South Wales; and West Wales. The FAW is based at

Cardiff Bay Cardiff Bay (; colloquially "The Bay") is an area and freshwater lake in Cardiff, Wales. The site of a former tidal bay and estuary, it is the river mouth of the River Taff and River Ely, Ely. The body of water was converted into a lake as part ...

. The Welsh Football Trust () (WFT) (founded 1996) was established by the FAW to encourage more children in Wales to play football, to develop player and coaching talent and to support the future success of Welsh national teams. In addition to the FAW, the WFT is supported by the Welsh Government, the Sports Council of Wales and the

Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...

. The Welsh Football Trust is based in Parc Nantgarw, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Golf

The Wales Golf () is the governing body of amateur

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...

in Wales. It is responsible for administration and enforcement of the handicapping and course rating systems for ladies and men in Wales. Wales Golf organise competitions, including the National Championships in Wales, and select and manage all Welsh amateur golf teams. It also makes, maintains and publishes any necessary rules and regulations. The Golf Union of Wales is based in Catsash, Newport.

Gymnastics

Welsh Gymnastics (founded 1902 as the Welsh Amateur Gymnastics Association) is the national governing body for gymnastics in Wales. It has overall responsibility for the administration of all eight gymnastics disciplines in Wales— women's artistic, men's artistic and

rhythmic gymnastics Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which gymnasts perform individually or in groups on a floor with an apparatus: hoop (rhythmic gymnastics), hoop, ball (rhythmic gymnastics), ball, Clubs (rhythmic gymnastics), clubs, ribbon (rhythmic gymnastics), ...

, general gymnastics, sports acrobatics, sports aerobics,

trampolining Trampolining or trampoline gymnastics is a competitive Olympic Games, Olympic sport in which athletes perform acrobatics while bouncing on a trampoline. In competition, these can include simple jumps in the straight, pike, tuck, or straddle posit ...

and tumbling—through its four geographical areas (north, south, east and west), which are responsible for their own area competition and squad training sessions. Welsh Gymnastics organises the Welsh national and international teams and competitions. Welsh Gymnastics is based at the WSport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

Hockey

Hockey Wales () (HW) is the national governing body for

hockey ''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...

in Wales. It was established in 1996 by the merger of the Welsh Hockey Association (founded 1896) and the Welsh Women's Hockey Association (founded 1897). In 2011, the operating name was changed to Hockey Wales. HW is responsible for the administration of all aspects of the game including clubs, competitions, development, internationals, schools, umpiring and universities. HW organises national competitions include Men's and Women's Welsh Cups. Internationally, Welsh players compete at the

Olympic games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

as part of the

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

team. In all other competitions, including the Hockey World Cup and the

, Wales competes in its own right. The Wales hockey team also compete at the EuroHockey Nations Trophy (ENT). Other

that compete at the ENT are

Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

and

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. Hockey Wales is based in Sport Wales National Centre, Cardiff

Ice Skating

The Welsh Ice Skating Association (WISA) is the governing body of

ice skating Ice skating is the Human-powered transport, self-propulsion and gliding of a person across an ice surface, using metal-bladed ice skates. People skate for various reasons, including recreation (fun), exercise, competitive sports, and commuting. ...

for Wales. WISA organises the Welsh Championship. The Welsh Ice Skating Association is managed from, and is based in, England.

Judo

The Welsh Judo Association () (WJA) is the governing body for

judo is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, combat sport, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyc ...

in Wales. The WJA has 80 affiliated clubs and over 2,400 members. It is responsible for managing the Welsh High Class Performance Squads, from which the National Coach—double judo Olympic silver medallist Neil Adams—selects the Welsh national team to compete at international events. The Welsh Judo Association and the Welsh Judo Association Academy are based at the Sport Wales National Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

Karate

The Welsh Karate Governing Body is the governing body of

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...

in Wales.

Korfball

The Welsh Korfball Association (Cymdeithas Bêl-Corff Cymru) (founded 2002) (WKA) is the governing body for korfball in Wales. The WKA is responsible for the Welsh Korfball League, Wales squad selection, international matches, the training and development of players, and coaches and referees. Wales compete in the European Bowl, European Championships, and have qualified for the World Championship in the past. Wales' current IKF world ranking is 23rd (updated Nov. 2014).

Lacrosse

The

Welsh Lacrosse Association The Welsh Lacrosse Association (WLA) is the Governing bodies of sports in Wales, governing body for lacrosse in Wales. It was recognized by the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations in 1972, the first year of the IFWLA. It is ...

(WLA) is the governing body for

lacrosse Lacrosse is a contact team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game w ...

in Wales. The WLA is responsible for international competitions, including the International Festival of Lacrosse at Ebbw Vale in 1992—the first Welsh men's international Game for 85 years and the first to be played in Wales—and manages the Wales teams that play in the European and World Championships. It also manages 'Centres of Development and Excellence' for the juniors' field game. The Welsh Lacrosse Association is based at

Penarth Penarth ( , ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately south of Cardiff city centre on the west shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay. Penarth is a Seaside resort#Brit ...

Motor Sports

The Welsh Association of Motor Clubs is the governing body of Motor Sports in Wales. It is a "Regional Association" of the Motor Sports Association.

Netball

The Welsh Netball Association () (founded 1945) (WNA) is the governing body for

netball Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball through the defender's goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own. It is one of a ...

in Wales. The WNA is responsible for national championships, Welsh squad selection, international matches, the training and development of players, coaches and umpires and for the Sport Wales National Centre Netball Academy. International competitions in which Wales compete include the European Championships, the

and the

Netball World Championships The Netball World Cup is a quadrennial international netball world championship organised by World Netball, inaugurated in 1963. Since its inception the competition has been dominated primarily by the Australia national netball team and the New ...

. Wales were European Champions in 2001. The World Youth Netball Championship was held in Cardiff in July 2000. The Welsh Netball Association was a founder member of the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA)—which governs world netball—in 1960. Netball is played in over fifty countries. Wales' current IFNA world ranking is 16th (last updated 28 May 2009). The Welsh Netball Association is based in Pontcanna, Cardiff.

Orienteering

The Welsh Orienteering Association () (WOA) is the national governing body for the sport of

orienteering Orienteering is a group of sports that involve using a map and compass to navigation, navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specia ...

in Wales, and is a constituent association of the

British Orienteering Federation The British Orienteering Federation Limited, generally known and branded as British Orienteering, is the national sports governing body for the sport of orienteering in the United Kingdom. The federation was founded in June 1967, and is a membe ...

. The WOA is responsible for encouraging, developing and controlling the sport of orienteering throughout Wales, for running the Welsh League and events, including the Welsh Championships, the Welsh Short Championships and the Welsh Orienteering festival—Croeso ()—held every four years. The Welsh Orienteering Association has nine affiliated clubs.

Pétanque (Boule)

The Welsh Pétanque Association () (WPA) (established 2004) is the governing body for the sport of ''

pétanque Pétanque (, ; ; ) is a sport that falls into the category of boules sports (along with Raffa (boules), raffa, bocce, boule lyonnaise, Bowls, lawn bowls, and Crown green bowls, crown green bowling). In these sports, players or teams play thei ...

'' in Wales. The WPA is affiliated to the ''Confédération Européenne de Pétanque'' (CEP) and the'' Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal'' (FIPJP). It aims to promote the sport's development for all people in Wales. The Welsh Pétanque Association organises competition at national and international level, including League and National Competitions and the Welsh Cup for Clubs—the winning club qualifying for the EuroCup (European Cup for Clubs)—and is responsible for the selection of the Wales national squads, who compete in international events including the Celtic Challenge, European Championships and World Championships. The Welsh Pétanque Association has 13 registered clubs and is based at Pontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Pool

The Welsh Pool Association is the governing body of

pool Pool may refer to: Bodies of water * Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming * Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings * Tide pool, a roc ...

in Wales. The WPA play under blackball rules and have in excess of 10,000 registered players from more than 80 interleague teams throughout Wales. The WPA also spans to international level pool with representation from Men's, Ladies, Youths, Seniors and Specials teams. Running alongside the interleague programme are the Men's, Youths and Seniors Welsh Open Tour events.

Rowing

Welsh Rowing () (WARA) is the national governing body for

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...

in Wales. It is responsible for the organisation of all national rowing competitions held in Wales, including the 'Head of the Taff' and the Welsh Open Rowing Championships, and for the selection and management of the Welsh national rowing teams and the organisation of all international rowing competitions held in Wales. It has 13 affiliated clubs, including schools and universities. Welsh Rowing is based at Grangetown, Cardiff. The Welsh Sea Rowing Association () (WSRA) is the national governing body for coastal and ocean rowing in Wales. It is responsible for coastal rowing competitions in Wales, including the WSRA League, which has two racing categories: Celtic Longboats; and

Yole A yole is a clinker-built boat that was used for fishing particularly in the north of Scotland. The best known of these is the Orkney Yole. They were rigged for sail or used as rowing boats. The yole is a Nordic design and closely related in shape ...

s. It is a member of the Welsh Amateur Rowing Association-Rhwyfo Cymru (WARA) and is represented at WARA at board level and on the Performance, the Development, Coaching and Education, and the Events Sub-Committees. The Welsh Sea Rowing Association is based at Aberystwyth, Ceredigion.

Rugby League

Wales Rugby League () (WRL) is the sole controller and national governing body for

Rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...

in Wales. Its objective is to promote, encourage and develop the sport of rugby league in Wales. Having been granted "stand alone status" in Wales from the

Rugby Football League The Rugby Football League (RFL) is the governing body for rugby league in England. Founded in 1895 as the Northern Rugby Football Union following 22 clubs resigning from the Rugby Football Union, it changed its name in 1922 to the Rugby Footb ...

, WRL is responsible for the successful running of the game in Wales, for organising games and competitions and for selecting the squad for the national teams. In addition to managing professional and amateur national representative senior teams, WRL runs several age grade international sides from under 13s to a student team. The senior teams each play in annual European competitions, and the professional side compete in the

World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...

every 4 years. WRL has 14 affiliated clubs, including four university clubs. Wales Rugby League is based at the Brewery Field,

Bridgend Bridgend (; or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in the Bridgend County Borough of Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the Old Bridge, Bridgend, medieval bridge over the River Og ...

Rugby Union

The

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; ) is the governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running of rugby in Wales, overseeing 320 member clu ...

() (WRU) was founded as the Welsh Rugby Football Union at the Castle Hotel,

Neath Neath (; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a population of 19,2 ...

on 12 March 1881, by a group of 11 clubs: Bangor;

Brecon Brecon (; ; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the county town of Breck ...

;

Lampeter Lampeter (; (formal); ''Llambed'' (colloquial)) is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales, at the confluence of the Afon Dulas with the River Teifi. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigion, after Aberystwyth and C ...

;

Llandeilo Llandeilo () is a town and Community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated where the River Towy is crossed by the A483 road, A483 on a 19th-century stone bridge. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census the community had ...

;

Llandovery Llandovery (; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lies on the River Tywi and at the junction of the A40 road, A40 and A483 road, A483 roads, about north-east of Carmarthen, north of Swansea and w ...

;

Llanelli ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is on the estuary of the River Loughor and is the largest town in the Principal areas of Wales, ...

;

Merthyr Merthyr Tydfil () is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydfil, daughter of Kin ...

; Newport;

Pontypool Pontypool ( ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshire in South Wales. , it has a population of 29,062. Locat ...

; and

. The WRU is the governing body of

in Wales, with overall responsibility for organising and running the national game of Wales—rugby union—in Wales including: the rules and regulations that the domestic game of rugby is played under in Wales; player registration and transfer between clubs; player and club disciplinary sanctions; codes of conduct for players, coaches, team managers, club officials, match officials and referee advisors; and the protocol for games in Wales. The 74,500 capacity

Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium (), known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium () for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Located in Cardiff, it has a retractable roof and is the home of the Wales national rugby union team; it has ...

, Cardiff, "an icon of the modern Wales", is wholly owned by the WRU. In addition to rugby union—the Millennium Stadium has staged the 1999

Rugby World Cup The Men's Rugby World Cup is a rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams, the winners of which are recognised as the World championship, world champions of the sport. The tournament is administer ...

and pool stages of the

2007 Rugby World Cup The 2007 Rugby World Cup () was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by F ...

, the IRB Sevens World Series in 2001, two Wales Rugby Grand Slams (

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

and

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

), the

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England national rugby union team, England, Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland, Scotland national rugby union team, Scotland, and ...

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

in 2005, and the 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2009

Heineken Cup The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Investec Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...

finals—the stadium has hosted a range of events, including a variety of music—starting with the

Manic Street Preachers Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Wales, Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, in 1986. The band consists of Nicky Wire (bass guitar, lyrics) and cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, le ...

' ''Manic Millennium'' concert held on

Millennium A millennium () is a period of one thousand years, one hundred decades, or ten centuries, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting ...

Eve, through the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

Songs of Praise ''Songs of Praise'' is a BBC Television religious programme that presents Christian hymns, worship songs and inspirational performances in churches of varying denominations from around the UK alongside interviews and stories reflecting how Ch ...

, a tsunami relief concert with

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

in 2005,

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

in 2006 and in 2008,

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

in 2006 to U2 in 2009— and other sports events—the

Wales national football team The Wales national football team () represents Wales in international Association football, football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales (FAW), the governing body for football in Wales. They have been a member of FIFA since ...

usually play their international

home matches at the stadium; English football's League Cup Final,

Football League Trophy The English Football League Trophy, officially known as the Vertu Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL League Two and U-21 teams from the Premier Le ...

FA Cup Final The FA Cup Final is the last match in the FA Cup, Football Association Challenge Cup. It has regularly been one of the List of sports attendance figures, most attended domestic football events in the world, with an official attendance of 89,472 ...

and the

FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield (formerly the Charity Shield) is Football in England, English football's annual match contested at Wembley Stadium between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA ...

were played at the Stadium (from the 2000–01 to 2005–06 seasons) while

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...

was being rebuilt; the British Speedway Grand Prix has been held at the Stadium since 2001; three

Challenge Cup The Rugby Football League Challenge Cup, commonly known just as the Challenge Cup is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, it is the world's old ...

finals were held at the Millennium Stadium (from the 2002–03 to 2004–05 seasons); the

World Rally Championship The World Rally Championship (abbreviated as WRC) is an international rallying series owned and governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA. Inaugurated in 1973, it is the oldest FIA world championship after Formula One. E ...

, as part of

Wales Rally GB Wales Rally GB was the most recent iteration of the United Kingdom's premier international rallying, motor rally, which ran under various names since the first event held in 1932. It was consistently a round of the FIA World Rally Championship ( ...

, have been staged at the stadium since 2005; Express Eventing was held at the stadium in 2008: and

Joe Calzaghe Joseph William Calzaghe ( ; born 23 March 1972) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including unified and lineal titles at super-middleweight, and ...

's victory over Mikkel Kessler in the

super middleweight Super middleweight, or light cruiserweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing In professional boxing, super middleweight is contested between the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, in which boxers can weigh between 160 pounds ( ...

reunification bout was held at the Stadium, Calzaghe retaining his WBO title and winning the WBA and WBC world titles. The Wales rugby union team has had considerable success. Wales were 3rd in the 1987

, have been

International Championship The International Championship is a professional Snooker world rankings, ranking snooker tournament. The reigning champion is Ding Junhui. History The event was introduced in the 2012–13 snooker season, 2012/2013 season. It was named as the ...

winners 24 times outright (in 1893,

1900 As of March 1 ( O.S. February 17), when the Julian calendar acknowledged a leap day and the Gregorian calendar did not, the Julian calendar fell one day further behind, bringing the difference to 13 days until February 28 ( O.S. February 15 ...

, 1902, 1905, 1908, 1909,

1911 Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are added to the Commonwealth of Australia. * January 3 ** 1911 Kebin earthquake: An earthquake of 7.7 m ...

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...

1931 Events January * January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics. * January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa. * January 22 – Sir I ...

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House. * January 28 – Death and state funer ...

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

, 1969,

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...

, 1975 Five Nations Championship, 1975, 1976 Five Nations Championship, 1976, 1978 Five Nations Championship, 1978, 1979 Five Nations Championship, 1979, 1994 Five Nations Championship, 1994,

and

) and joint winners 11 times (1906 Home Nations Championship, 1906, 1920 Five Nations Championship, 1920, 1932 Home Nations Championship, 1932, 1939 Home Nations Championship, 1939, 1947 Five Nations Championship, 1947, 1954 Five Nations Championship, 1954, 1955 Five Nations Championship, 1955, 1964 Five Nations Championship, 1964, 1970 Five Nations Championship, 1970, 1973 Five Nations Championship, 1973 and 1988 Five Nations Championship, 1988), of which ten have been Grand Slam (rugby union), Welsh Grand Slams and 19 Triple Crown (rugby union), Triple Crowns. The Wales team has had some success against southern hemisphere opposition too: Wales have beaten Australia national rugby union team, Australia ten times (1908-09 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles and France#Wales, 1908, 1947-48 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles, Ireland, France and North America#Test Matches, 1947, 1957-58 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France, 1958, 1969 Wales rugby union tour, 1969, Australia vs Wales in rugby union, 1973, 1976, 1981, 1987, 2005, and 2008 end of year rugby tests, 2008); New Zealand national rugby union team, New Zealand three times (The Original All Blacks#Wales Test, 1905, 1935-36 New Zealand rugby union tour of the British Isles and Canada, 1935 and 1953-54 New Zealand rugby union tour of the British Isles, France and North America, 1953); and South Africa national rugby union team, South Africa once, in History of rugby union matches between South Africa and Wales, 1999.

Sailing

RYA Cymru-Wales is the governing body for the sports of powerboating, sailing (sport), sailing and windsurfing in Wales. The organisation is divided into North Wales, north, South Wales, south and West Wales, west regions. Sailing clubs in Wales are members of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and, as individuals must join the RYA to race, RYA Cymru-Wales has no personal members. Its purpose is "... to feed the RYA GBR performance pathway, and ultimately Team GBR 2012 and beyond.". Wales contributed 10-15% to the Great Britain Olympic Sailing Squads in 2008. RYA Cymru-Wales is based at the National Watersports Centre for Wales, Plas Menai, Gwynedd.

Shooting

The Welsh Target Shooting Federation () (WTSF) is the governing body for shooting sports in Wales. It represents the member bodies of the WTSF—the Welsh Airgun Association (WAA), the Welsh Clay Target Shooting Association (WCTSA), the Welsh Rifle Association (WRA) and the Welsh Small-bore Rifle Association (WSRA)—by promoting and developing shooting sports in Wales. The Welsh Target Shooting Federation is based in Cardiff. The Welsh Clay Target Shooting Association (WCTSA) is the governing body for Clay pigeon shooting, clay target shooting (also known as clay pigeon shooting) in Wales. It represents its members' interests at a national and international level. The WCTSA has 65 affiliated clubs. It is responsible for score registration and classification, organising national competitions and the selection and running of the national representative teams. The Welsh Clay Target Shooting Association is based in Caersws,

Skiing

Snowsport Cymru/Wales is the governing body of skiing and snowboarding in Wales. Snowsport Cymru/Wales' membership comprises individuals, schools, corporate sponsors and six affiliated clubs. Snowsport Cymru/Wales selects, organises and trains the Welsh National Ski Squad. Snowsport Cymru/Wales manages the Cardiff Ski & Snowboard Centre, Fairwater, Cardiff, where it is based.

Snooker

The Welsh Billiards & Snooker Association is the governing body of the cue sports Snooker, billiards and snooker in Wales. The Welsh Billiards & Snooker Association is based in Winch Wen,

Squash

Squash Wales is the governing body of Squash (sport), squash in Wales. It has 121 affiliated clubs and is a member of the World Squash Federation and the European Squash Federation. Squash Wales is responsible for the administration of all aspects of the game including clubs, regional and national leagues, player development and the selection and management of the international squad for competitions, including the European Team Championships and the World Championships. Recent success for the Wales team includes the Bronze medal won in the European Team Championships in Malmö (May 2009), which was the 14th European Team medal won by Wales in all ages since 1997. The Wales team won a world Silver medal in 1999. National competitions organised by Squash Wales include the Welsh Inter-County Challenge Shield and the Welsh Open. Squash Wales is based at the Sport Wales National Centre, Cardiff.

Sub Aqua

The British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) is the National Governing Body of sub aquatic sports in Wales, including scuba diving and snorkelling. An affiliate of BSAC, the British Octopush Association (BOA), is responsible for underwater hockey (also a form of sub aqua) in Wales. However, training and management of Welsh national squads is controlled by Underwater Hockey Wales (Hoci Tanddwr Cymreig).

Surfing

The Welsh Surfing Federation (WSF) is the national governing body of surfing in Wales, affiliated to the European Surfing Federation. It is responsible for promoting the sport by organising National Championships, participating in other events to raise public awareness and for selecting teams to represent Wales at an international level. The Welsh Surfing Federation is based at the Welsh Surfing Federation Surf School in Llangennith, Gower Peninsula, Gower, which it owns.

Surf lifesaving

The Surf Life Saving Association of Wales (SLSAW) (formed 1969) is the governing body of surf lifesaving in Wales. Its goal is "to prevent the loss of life through drowning". The SLSAW organise regional and national competitions—such as the SLSA Wales Stillwater Leagues and the SLSA Wales Ocean Masters Championships—and select and manage the Wales squad for international events, including the Celtic Challenge Cup. It has 26 affiliated voluntary lifeguard clubs and over 1500 members (adult and junior). The Surf Life Saving Association of Wales is based in Llantwit Major,

Swimming

Swim Wales () (WASA) (founded 1897 as the Welsh Amateur Swimming Association) is the governing body of Diving (sport), diving, Swimming (sport), swimming (including Open water swimming, open water and synchronised swimming) and water polo, in Wales. It is responsible for establishing the laws of the sport, for organising certification and education programmes for coaches, officials and teachers and for recreational swimming, aiming to ensure that everybody in Wales has the opportunity to learn to swim. Swim Wales is structured regionally—with over 90 member clubs and a combined membership of over 9,800 members in the South East Wales, West Wales and North Wales regions—supporting their affiliated swimming, diving, water polo, masters and disabled clubs. It manages the development of competitive swimming sports from starter to international level, and organises competitions, including closed, national and open championships. Swim Wales is based at the Wales National Pool, Sketty, Swansea.

Table Tennis

The Table Tennis Association of Wales () (TTAW) (founded 1921) is the governing body of table tennis in Wales. It is affiliated to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the European Table Tennis Union, and was a founding member of both organisations, in 1926 and 1956 respectively. The TTAW has over 1000 members, regulates and manages competitions—including ten leagues, the Welsh Open Championships, the Welsh Closed Championships and the Team Championship of Wales— and is responsible for the selection, organisation and management of the Welsh national representative teams. The Wales men's team was ranked 43 in the world (of 132 ranked country associations) by the ITTF, as at 2 July 2009. The Table Tennis Association of Wales is based in Wrexham.

Tennis

Tennis Wales () is the national governing body for tennis in Wales. It is part of the British tennis governing body, the Lawn Tennis Association. Tennis Wales has 98 affiliated clubs, who have just under 12,000 members between them. Tennis Wales organises junior, open and veterans' tournaments, including local and regional leagues—North Wales and South Wales—and county teams. Tennis Wales is based at The Welsh National Tennis Centre, East Moors, Cardiff, and has a regional office in Wrexham.

Tenpin Bowling

The Tenpin Bowling Association of Wales () (TBAW) is the national governing body for tenpin bowling in Wales. It is a member of the Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs () and the European Tenpin Bowling Federation—the "European Zone" of the World Tenpin Bowling Association. The TBAW organises leagues and tournaments, including qualifying competitions from which the top male and female players are invited to represent Wales in international competitions. The Tenpin Bowling Association of Wales is based in Llanelli,

Triathlon

Welsh Triathlon () is the governing body for triathlon in Wales. It aims to promote and develop the sports of triathlon and duathlon in Wales, and to encourage participation in them. Welsh Triathlon is developing a club structure for triathlon and duathlon and is responsible for the Wales representative squad in international competition. It has 24 affiliated clubs.

Volleyball

Sport Wales recognise the Welsh Volleyball Association as the governing body for volleyball in Wales. However, "With there being no current active Welsh Volleyball Association, all volleyball within Welsh boundaries comes under Volleyball England's jurisdiction." Volleyball England aim to have Welsh representation at the 2009 UK School Games, due to be held in Wales the first time – in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea.

References

{{Governing bodies of sports in Wales
Sports governing bodies in Wales, Lists of organisations based in Wales, Sports governing bodies Lists of sports organizations, Wales