TO ALL WAKO MEMBERS   The WAKO Athlete & Coach Corner will be active at the ADNEC Arena Abu Dhabi (address: Al Khaleej Al Arabi St - Al Rawdah - W59 01 - Abu Dhabi - UAE) welcoming you and your national teams from Monday 24 th to Friday 28 th November 2025 , during the next WAKO Senior and Master World Championship . Please come and visit to learn and share!

WAKO India Open International Kickboxing Cup 2026 We are happy to announce the upcoming  ‘5 th  WAKO India Open International Kickboxing Cup-2026’ .  The tournament will take place  from 4-8 February 2026 at K D Jadhav Indoor Stadium, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, New Delhi, India.   Details regarding  ‘5 th  WAKO India Open International Kickboxing Cup-2026’  are being shared here:

North American Century Cup 25-28 September 2025: a celebration of excellence, sportsmanship, and world-class competition  With National teams representing Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, 19 teams from across the USA and 64 Canadian kickboxing clubs – the competition was a global experience.  The event brought together the full spectrum of kickboxing from Point Fighting to K-1.  The night show was a vibrant showcase of the diversity and unity in kickboxing sport. The Organizer was WAKO Canada, and the president Muzammal Nawaz said: "Over the years, WAKO Canada has experienced phenomenal growth – from our National Championships hosting 500+ competitors to our acclaimed Development Series events.  We’ve built a foundation for athletes at every level, and now, we’re stepping up the game. We as the organizers were deeply honored to have Honorable Neil Lumsden, the Minister of Sport, to officially open the event and personally recognized our national Team heading to the WAKO World Championship in Abu Dhabi in November this year. WAKO Canada is grateful for the support of Century Martial Arts and their President/CEO Michael Dillard who was on hand for the inaugural competition.  The North American Century Cup was created to elevate competition. Our teams of officials, medical staff, and volunteers delivered something truly special – and this is just the beginning. Thank you to all coaches, parents, and athletes for believing in our vision. Next year will be even bigger," said Mr. Nawaz closing the competition.

Welcome to WAKO, the global governing body for kickboxing. Explore news, events, and resources, and join the worldwide community of kickboxing champions. wako.sport Click here for more Click here for more Add a Title Breaking News 1 2 3 4 5 WAKO FOCUS WAKO World Championship Fri 21 Nov Abu Dhabi 21 Nov 2025, 08:30 – 30 Nov 2025, 07:30 Abu Dhabi, Al Khaleej Al Arabi St - Al Rawdah - Al Ma'arid - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates More info Details WAKO India Open International Kickboxing Cup 2026 Wed 04 Feb Delhi 04 Feb 2026, 09:10 – 08 Feb 2026, 17:30 Delhi, KD Jadhav, Wrestling Indoor Stadium, IG Indoor Stadium, ITO, Vikram Nagar, Delhi, 110002, India More info Details SLOVENIA OPEN WAKO TOURNAMENT OFFICIAL INVITATION Sat 15 Nov Zagorje ob Savi 15 Nov 2025, 09:00 – 18:00 Zagorje ob Savi, Cesta 9. avgusta 44a, 1410 Zagorje ob Savi, Slovenia More info Details Uzbekistan Kickboxing World Cup Tue 07 Oct Tashkent, Uzbekistan 07 Oct 2025, 09:00 – 12 Oct 2025, 17:30 Tashkent, Uzbekistan More info Details Load More Africa WAKO Africa, a branch of the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), is dedicated to developing kickboxing throughout Africa as a non-profit, non-political organization. Asia WAKO Asia, under the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), represents kickboxing across Asia, functioning as a non-profit, non-political sports body. Europe WAKO Europe, part of the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), is a non-profit, non-political entity representing and advancing kickboxing throughout Europe. Oceania WAKO Oceania, a division of the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), is a non-profit, non-political body representing kickboxing in the Oceania region. Pan-America WAKO Pan America, part of the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), promotes and represents kickboxing across the Americas as a non-profit, non-political entity. Excellence WAKO is committed to developing world-class athletes, focusing on high standards in training, competition, and sportsmanship. Through rigorous discipline and a passion for excellence, WAKO athletes embody the spirit of perseverance and skill required at the Olympic level. Respect At the heart of WAKO is mutual respect. We promote fair play and ethical conduct among athletes, coaches, and federations, mirroring the Olympic ideal of respect for competitors, the sport, and the global kickboxing community. Friendship WAKO fosters global connections and camaraderie through its international events. By bringing athletes from diverse cultures together, we build friendships, encourage cultural exchange, and strengthen the spirit of unity that the Olympic movement represents.

Discover WAKO’s rich history, from the first kickboxing fight in 1970 to becoming the global governing body for the sport. Learn how legends shaped the journey. The Story of WAKO WAKO's history is deeply intertwined with the evolution of kickboxing in the Western world. It all began in 1970 when the legendary Joe Lewis had what is now recognized as the first "kickboxing fight" against Greg Baines in the USA. This was a groundbreaking event—the first time boxing gloves were used, and the term "kickboxing" was mentioned. The sport gained further momentum in 1974 with the inaugural "World Championship in Full Contact" held in Los Angeles. Organized by pioneers Joe Lewis and Mike Anderson, it was a landmark moment for the sport. Kickboxing legends Bill Wallace, Jeff Smith, and Joe Lewis emerged as the first Full Contact World Champions. Building a strong and lasting world organization for kickboxing was a challenging task amidst the dynamic martial arts scene of the time. George Brueckner and Mike Anderson had the vision to create a global platform for the sport, leading to the formation of the "World All-Style Karate Organization," soon to be known as WAKO. WAKO's journey in Europe began in 1976, and the organization was officially founded in Berlin, Germany, on February 26th, 1977, by Mr. Georg Brueckner. The first-ever World Championships in semi and full-contact karate, as it was then called, took place in 1978, featuring 110 competitors from 18 countries. WAKO quickly established official rules and regulations, incorporating hand and leg techniques for amateur fights with a focus on safety. This marked the official adoption of the term "kickboxing," with WAKO positioning itself as the world’s authentic Kickboxing Federation. From 1984 to 2013, WAKO was led by Mr. Ennio Falsoni of Italy. Under his leadership, WAKO solidified its reputation as a respected international sports organization, hosting World Championships every two years across different continents. After decades of dedication, Mr. Falsoni now serves as WAKO’s Honorary President. For those interested in a deeper dive into WAKO's history, his book, "KICKBOXING: The Phenomenology of a SPORT," provides a comprehensive account. (To obtain a copy, contact WAKO HQ at administration@wako.sport or call +39 345 0135521.) Following an acting presidency from 2013 to 2015, Prof. Borislav Pelević of Serbia was elected WAKO President in November 2015 in Dublin, Ireland. Sadly, Prof. Pelević passed away in October 2018. The WAKO Board of Directors then appointed Mrs. Francesca Falsoni, Chairwoman of the WAKO Legal Committee, as Interim President in November 2018. Her leadership guided WAKO through an Extraordinary General Assembly, culminating in the election of Mr. Roy Baker of Ireland as WAKO President on February 2nd, 2019, in Milan, Italy. WAKO Kickboxing Today Kickboxing is a modern combat sport rooted in various traditional martial arts. As a distinct Western response to Eastern martial arts, kickboxing can be practiced both competitively and recreationally, promoting health, strength, and endurance. Today, WAKO proudly represents 130 affiliated nations across five continents, with 105 of these nations officially recognized by their National Olympic Committees or relevant government sports authorities.

Learn how to join WAKO and represent your country. Step-by-step process to become a recognized kickboxing federation. Join WAKO Under this section it is possible to find a summary of all the required documents and information to submit a membership application as it is indicated in the WAKO Statutes. Please go through the WAKO Statutes and read especially CHAPTER II, Articles 8 and 9. Here below you can find an extract of the article 9, according to which it is necessary to submit all the information and documentation as listed below (a, b, c, d, e f, g, h) that shall be sent to: WAKO Administrative Office – administration@wako.sport Article 9. Application Procedures 1. National Federations wishing to be admitted as Provisional Members or Full Members by WAKO must pay the relevant application fee payment, which in the event of acceptance of the application will be applied as the first year’s membership fee. 2. The application shall include the following mandatory information/documentation of the applicant (if not in English, to be provided with an English certified translation) to be provided to the Administrative Office: a. a copy of the statutes, regulations and directives of the applicant; b. a chart of the applicant’s organizational structure (including staff), with detailed explanations regarding the composition of its governing bodies, and a list of all its members; c. information as to the recognition of the relevant applicant by the National Olympic Committee of the relevant country; d. information regarding the Sport of Kickboxing activities and relevant events organized by the applicant in the last two years; e. a copy of the audited financial statements of the last two years; f. declaration to accept, recognize and always comply with WAKO Statutes and WAKO regulations, as well as all directives and decisions, as adopted or resolved by the Board of directors; g. declaration to accept that any disputes have to be exclusively solved in accordance with Article 56 of these Statutes; h. any other document relevant in connection with the application and required by the Board of Directors. For information about the application fee as Full Member (in case the association/federation of the applicant has already been officially recognized by its National Olympic Committee or any other national sport authority) or as Provisional member (if not recognized yet by NOC or any other national sport authority) please contact: administration@wako.sport According to the recognition status it is necessary to provide with the payment of the membership application fee, that will be valid as first year membership, to the following bank details: Beneficiary: WAKO IF Bank: Allied Irish Bank Bank Address: Main Street, Leixlip Co Kildare, Ireland IBAN: IE14 AIBK 9336 3531 6570 54 Swift Code: AIBKIE2D WAKO’s legal address: Bahnhofstrasse 23, 6300 Zug CH, Switzerland ATTENTION Please note that the amount received must be in Euro and fully paid, any bank charges or eventual provision due to the currency exchange is on the applicant’s expenses. The annual payment of the membership fee is mandatory for participation to any WAKO IF and WAKO Continental event.