Which sports do we recognise?

Recognised sports National governing bodies
Aikido British Aikido Board
American football British American Football Association
Angling The Angling Trust
Aquathlon See triathlon
Archery Archery GB 
Arm wrestling  No recognised governing body in England 
Artistic skating (roller) See roller sports 
Athletics

UK Athletics

England Athletics

Australian rules football No recognised governing body in England
Badminton  Badminton England
Ballooning  British Balloon and Airship Club 
Ballroom dancing  See moverment and dance
Basketball 

England Basketball

Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association

Baseball/softball  Baseball Softball UK 
Baton twirling No recognised governing body in England 
Biathlon British Biathlon Union
Bicycle polo See cycling
Billiards  No recognised governing body in England 
BMX  See cycling 
Bobsleigh British Bobsleigh Association
Boccia No recognised governing body in England
Bowls

British Crown Green Bowling Association 

Bowls England

English Bowling Federation 

English Indoor Bowling Association 

English Women’s Bowling Federation 

English Women’s Indoor Bowling Association 

English Short Mat Bowling Association 

British Isles Bowls Council 

British Isles Indoor Bowls Council

Boxing

British Boxing Board of Control 

Amateur Boxing Association

Camogie No recognised governing body in England
Canoeing British Canoe Union
Caving British Caving Association
Chinese martial arts British Council for Chinese Martial Arts
Clay pigeon shooting  See shooting
Cricket England and Wales Cricket Board
Croquet The Croquet Association
Curling English Curling Association 
Cycling

British Cycling

Dance sport  See movement and dance 
Darts  No recognised governing body in England 
Disability sport 

British Blind Sport 

British Paralympic Association 

British Wheelchair Sports Foundation 

Cerebral Palsy Sport 

Disability Sport Events

English Federation of Disability Sport

UK Deaf Sport 

Diving  Amateur Swimming Association
Dodgeball No recognised governing body in England 
Dragon boat racing  British Dragon Boat Racing Association
Duathlon See triathlon 
Equestrian
 

British Show Jumping Association 

British Equestrian Federation 

British Horse Society 

Riding for the Disabled Association
The Pony Club

Exercise and fitness  See movement and dance 
Fencing  British Fencing Association 
Fives
 

Eton Fives Association 

Rugby Fives Association

Floorball No recognised governing body in England 
Flying

The Royal Aero Club of Great Britain 

Popular Flying Association 

British Microlight Aircraft Association 

British Model Flying Association

Folk dancing See movement and dance
Football The Football Assocation
Futsal See association football
Gaelic football No recognised governing body in England
Gliding British Gliding Association
Goalball No recognised governing body in England
Golf

The Golf Foundation is responsible for the development of junior golf.

Ladies Golf Union 

Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St.Andrews 

English Golf Union 

English Women's Golf Association

Gymnastics British Gymnastics
Handball

England Handball 

British Handball Association

Hang gliding and paragliding British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association
Harness racing British Show Jumping Association 

British Equestrian Federation 

British Horse Society 

Riding for the Disabled Association

The Pony Club

Health and beauty exercise See movement and dance
Highland games No recognised governing body in England
Hockey England Hockey
Horse Racing British Horse Racing Authority
Horse Riding British Show Jumping Association 

British Equestrian Federation 

British Horse Society 

Riding for the Disabled Association

The Pony Club

Hovering Hovercraft Club of Great Britain Ltd
Hurling No recognised governing body in England
Ice hockey

Ice Hockey UK 

English Ice Hockey Association

Ice skating National Ice Skating Association
Jet skiing Royal Yachting Association
Judo British Judo Association
Ju jitsu British Ju-Jitsu Association Governing Body
Kabaddi No recognised governing body in England
Karate No recognised governing body in England
Keep fit See movement and dance
Kendo British Kendo Association
Kite Surfing British Kite Surfing Association 
Kneeboarding See water skiing
Korfball British Korfball Association
Lacrosse English Lacrosse Association
Land-sailing/yachting See sand and land yachting
Lawn tennis Lawn Tennis Association
Life saving Royal Life Saving Society
Luge Great Britain Luge Association
Model aircraft flying See flying
Modern pentathlon Modern Pentathlon Association of Great Britain
Motor cycling Auto-Cycle Union
Motor sports Motor Sports Association
Motor cruising See sailing and yachting
Mountain biking See cycling
Mountaineering British Mountaineering Council
Movement and dance

Margaret Morris Movement

Medau Movement 

Keep Fit Association 

The Fitness League 

English Amateur Dancesport Association 

English Folk Dance and Song Society 

The Laban Guild

Netball England Netball
Octopush See sub aqua
Orienteering British Orienteering Federation
Parachuting British Parachute Association
Petanque English Petanque Association
Polo Hurlingham Polo Association
Polocrosse See equestrian
Pool English Pool Association
Powerboating See sailing and yachting
Powerlifting See weightlifting
Puck hockey (roller) See roller sports
Quoits No recognised governing body in England
Rafting White Water and Wild Water
See canoeing
Rackets Tennis and Rackets Association
Racketball See squash
Rambling

Ramblers Association 

Long Distance Walkers Association

Real tennis Tennis and Rackets Association
Roller sports British Roller Sports Federation
Rounders Rounders England
Rowing British Rowing
Rugby league Rugby Football League
Rugby union The Rugby Football Union
Sailing and yachting Royal Yachting Association
Sand and land yachting British Federation of
Sand & Land Yacht Clubs
Shinty No recognised governing body in England
Shooting (air, clay target, crossbow, muzzle loading, pistol, rifle and target)

British International Clay Target Shooting Federation 

Clay Pigeon Shooting Association 

English Target Shooting Federation
Great Britain Target Shooting Federation 

National Rifle Association 

National Smallbore Rifle Association

Show jumping See equestrian
Skateboarding No recognised governing body in England
Skater hockey (roller) See roller sports 
Skiing

Snowsport England 

 

Skipping No recognised governing body in England  
Snooker No recognised governing body in England 
Snowboarding Snowsport England 
Softball Baseball/Softball UK  
Sombo British Sombo Federation 
Speedway See motor cycling  
Speed skating (roller)  See roller sports
Squash England Squash and Racketball
Stoolball Stoolball England
Sub aqua British Sub-Aqua Club
Surf life saving Surf Life Saving Association
Surfing

No recognised governing body

Swimming and diving Amateur Swimming Association
Table tennis English Table Tennis Association
Taekwondo British Taekwondo Council
Tang Soo Do United Kingdom Tang Soo Do (Soo Bahk) Federation
Tenpin bowling British Tenpin Bowling Association
Trampolining British Gymnastics
Triathlon British Triathlon Federation
Tug of war Tug of War Association
Ultimate (frisbee) No recognised governing body in England
Volleyball Volleyball England
Wakeboarding See water skiing
Water polo See swimming and diving
Water skiing British Water Ski
Weightlifting British Weightlifters Association
Windsurfing See sailing and yachting
Wrestling British Wrestling Association
Yoga British Wheel of Yoga

Back to top

Share, bookmark and save Sport England articles and features. What's this?

Email a friend this page

*Required fields

Recognition process

Find out what process we follow to recognise sports and governing bodies

More info

Expand Sport England at a glance...