> WAKO

The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) is the international governing body for amateur kickboxing, founded in 1977 by American promoter Mike Anderson and German promoter Georg Brueckner. It was originally established under the name World All Style Karate Organization and is headquartered in Monza, Italy, with its legal registration in Zurich, Switzerland (formally registered under Swiss law on February 6, 1988). WAKO merged with the International Amateur Kickboxing Sports Association (I.A.K.S.A) in 2006, absorbing that body’s membership and expanding its reach to over 120 affiliated nations across all five continents. On July 20, 2021, the International Olympic Committee formally recognized WAKO as the official international federation for kickboxing, a milestone that positions the sport for potential future Olympic inclusion.

WAKO sanctions competition across two broad categories: tatami disciplines (musical form, point fighting, light contact, kick-light) and ring disciplines (full contact, low-kick, K-1 style). The organization holds biennial world championships and operates five continental divisions. WAKO PRO, established in 1991, functions as the professional arm of the organization.