The Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) took a major step forward by welcoming its 61st member country, the Cayman Islands. This makes the GPF the leading global pickleball organization, as it surpassed the World Pickleball Federation (WPF) in global representation of member countries.
This milestone is significant because the GPF is leading the charge to get pickleball included in the 2032 Olympic Games. With international recognition and Olympic aspirations in their sights, the battle between these federations is more than just a numbers game—it’s about the future of pickleball itself.
But which federation is actually in front? And which federation is best placed to make pickleball an Olympic sport in 2032? Let’s take a look.
Key Takeaways:
- GPF Takes the Lead: The Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) now has 61 member countries, making it the largest governing body in pickleball.
- IPF & WPF Join Forces: A merger between IPF and WPF aims to strengthen their Olympic bid, but a divided leadership may hurt pickleball’s chances.
- The Race for the Olympics: The GPF appears best positioned to gain IOC recognition for pickleball in the 2032 Olympics, with the most frequent updates, the most transparency and verified member country data.
Pickleball’s Path to the Olympics
The sport of pickleball is currently represented by three governing bodies, each striving to become the recognised global organisation for the sport.
To gain International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition, a governing body must meet these key requirements:
- Democratic, inclusive, and transparent governance principles in compliance with the IOC Olympic Charter
- Implementation of the World Anti-Doping Agency Standards (WADA)
- Recognition of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
- Worldwide presence and international competition.
The GPF is rapidly expanding its membership, adding new countries almost weekly, positioning itself as the leading candidate for IOC recognition. However, two other federations—IPF and WPF—are also in the race. Let’s see how they compare.
Read More: We map out the the Global Pickleball Federation Olympic timeline to the 2032 games, based on insights from Chandler Carney, a GPF board member interviewed on Selkirk TV.
The Shift in Power: GPF vs. WPF & IFP
There is an ongoing debate on which federation should lead pickleball’s future. The Bros have even had online disagreements about this topic! Let’s take a look at each organisation, it’s mission and member countries.
1. International Pickleball Federation (IPF)
- Established: In 2016 as the the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) and rebranded in 2023.
- Mission: Promote the development and growth of the Sport of Pickleball throughout the world.
- Total Member Countries: 77.
2. World Pickleball Federation (WPF)
- Founded: in 2018.
- Mission: Fuel the growth of pickleball worldwide by providing practical support and governance.
- Total Member Countries: 60.
3. Global Pickleball Federation (GPF)
- Established: In 2023 after the USA and several other nations withdrew from the IPF
- Mission: Promote, lead, and support the growth and development of pickleball as a sport for all, for life.
- Total Member Countries: 61 (as of March 2025).
All three organisations are working towards pickleballs global expansion, but recent developments have shifted the landscape.
The IPF & WPF Merger: A New Power Struggle?
On November 15, 2024, the IPF and WPF announced a merger, aiming to strengthen their bid for Olympic recognition. This move positions the IPF/WPF alliance against the GPF, as both groups attempt to be the official governing body for pickleball.
But will the politics of Pickleball organisations hurt our chances of Olympic inclusion? Or will the IOC choose the best organisation to represent Pickleball as the governing body for the 2032 Olympics?
The GPF responded on Feb 4th 2025, that the path to Pickleballs inclusion to the Olympics “requires a unified effort” and that “all stakeholders must come together under the GPFs leadership”.
Interesting to note, the GPF also extended an invitation to merge with the IPF/WPF, emphasizing:
“The GPF recognizes the foundational achievements of the individuals behind IPF and WPF, and the door remains open to join forces in the spirit of unity and the greater good of our game.”
But is a merger likely? And which federation has the strongest case for Olympic inclusion?
Member Country Analysis: Who is Really in the Lead?
The Bros took a deep dive into the Federation websites and data to verify each federation’s member country claims. And we discovered some interesting data. Let’s take a look.
IPF Member Analysis:
- IPF Claims 77 member countries.
- However, only 3 are National Governing Bodies, 14 are Full Member Countries, and 65 are Provisional Members.
- Provisional Members are in the process of becoming full members but may not meet all governance criteria.
- Actual Full Members: 17.
WPF Member Analysis
- WPF Claims 60 member countries.
- Some country links on the WPF website were inactive or redirected to expired domains (e.g., Nigeria).
- Raises concerns about data accuracy and transparency.
- Actual Full Members: Likely less than 60.
GPF Member Analysis
- GPF Claims 61 member countries.
- Country links are direct to active websites or social media pages, ensuring legitimacy.
- GPF provides frequent membership updates.
- Actual Full Members: 61
This analysis shows that while the IPF leads in total members, its full membership count is significantly lower. Meanwhile, the GPF maintains accurate and transparent member data, a key factor for credibility.
Based on our analysis, the GPF is actually in front in the race for member countries. This means that they are the leading federation for Pickleball, despite claims from the IPF and WPF.
The GPF Member Country Data Insights
The GPF currently has a total of 61 out of a possible 195 member countries. We discovered a few interesting insights about the GPF member countries and member country potential.
- The GPF has exclusive pickleball loving member countries like Australia and the USA, who are all closely aligned and working together.
- The 61 member countries comes to a seemingly small 31% of all the worlds countries.
- However, that 31% comes to almost half of the worlds total population (48%)
- The WPF has 31 member countries that the GPF does NOT have.
- If these 31 WPF countries are legit, could the GPF swoop in and sign up those 31 member countries who already play pickleball, and really dominate with 92 member countries.
Some interesting data there, mixed with a little speculation. But the GPF have targeted the biggest countries first and are working their way down the list of member countries.
Final Wrap: GPF vs WPF vs IPF
The Global Pickleball Federation’s expansion to 61 member nations, surpassing the WPF and the IPF as we discovered, marks a pivotal moment in the sport’s history. With the Cayman Islands as the latest addition, the GPF’s influence continues to grow, strengthening pickleball’s case for Olympic inclusion in 2032.
While the IPF/WPF merger aims to consolidate power, the GPF’s transparency and rapid growth make it the most promising federation for our Pickleball Olympics 2032 dreams.
And from what the Bros can see, Pickleball is in good hands. We encourage the GPF to continue their hard work to elevate pickleball and take it to the world stage in 2032.
Pickle On.
The Aussie Pickleball Bros.
References
- IPF Website: IPF Member Countries
- WPF Website: WPF Member Countries
- GPF Website: GPF Member Countries
- IPF Website: IPF/WPF Merger Announcement
- GPF Website: GPF response to IPF/WPF Merger
- World Population Review: World Population Data