World Boxing Surpasses 100 Members as 17 New Federations Join the Ranks

World Boxing has officially exceeded the milestone of 100 member nations, with the approval of 17 new National Federations by its Executive Board—bringing the total membership to 106 countries.

Among the latest additions are two giants of Olympic-style boxing: Cuba, which has claimed 41 Olympic gold medals since debuting in Rome 1960, and Ireland, the nation’s most successful Olympic sport with 19 of its 42 total medals coming from boxing.

With these additions, World Boxing now includes 10 of the top 11 medal-winning nations from Paris 2024 (excluding Russia and the former Soviet Union), as well as the 10 most successful Olympic boxing nations of all time.

New Member Federations

The newly accepted National Federations are:

Afghanistan National Boxing Federation

Austrian Boxing Federation

The Boxing Federation of Azerbaijan

Chilean Boxing Federation

Colombia Boxing Federation

Cuban Boxing Federation

Irish Athletic Boxing Association

Hong Kong Boxing Federation

Lebanese Boxing Federation

Macao Boxing Federation

Mauritius Boxing Federation

Federacion Mexicana De Boxeo

Royal Spanish Boxing Federation

Saudi Boxing Federation

Uganda Boxing Federation

United Arab Emirates Boxing Federation

Venezuela Boxing Federation

These federations are now eligible to participate in the World Boxing Championships 2025, scheduled to be held in Liverpool from September 4–14, 2025.

Leadership Reactions

Boris van der Vorst, President of World Boxing, praised the organization’s rapid growth:

“Surpassing 100 member nations in just over two years is a major accomplishment. I want to thank our members and colleagues for their support in ensuring that boxing stays at the core of the Olympic Movement.

Welcoming countries like Cuba, with its storied boxing legacy, alongside ambitious new members like Saudi Arabia, is a strong endorsement of World Boxing’s credibility and global reach.”

Mansour Naif Alsharif, CEO of the Saudi Boxing Federation, echoed that enthusiasm:

“Joining World Boxing is a key milestone in Saudi Arabia’s effort to grow boxing both locally and internationally. This partnership strengthens our alignment with global standards and boosts our Olympic aspirations.”

Niall O’Carroll, Chair of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, highlighted the decision’s importance for Irish athletes:

“This is a defining moment for Irish boxing. Our clubs have secured the Olympic dream for future generations by joining World Boxing. From our first Olympic team in Paris 1924 to our 19 medals, we’ve shown what Irish boxing is capable of. We’re committed to building on that legacy through LA 2028 and beyond.”

Commitment to Governance and Standards

All newly approved federations underwent a rigorous vetting process, demonstrating:

Transparent and open election procedures

Implementation of WADA-compliant anti-doping policies

Independent dispute resolution and appeals processes

Recognition by their respective National Olympic Committees or Ministries for Sport

A strong presence in national and international boxing

While the Executive Board has endorsed their membership, final approval will be granted at the next World Boxing Congress, set to take place in New Delhi in November 2025.

World Boxing’s Olympic Mission

Founded in April 2023, World Boxing aims to secure boxing’s place within the Olympic Movement. It received provisional recognition from the IOC in February 2025 as the official International Federation (IF) for the sport. This was followed by the confirmation in March 2025 that boxing will return to the program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.