Federation for International FootGolf

Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) has successfully established FootGolf as a standardized global sport since its founding in 2012.

The Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) is the world governing body for the sport of FootGolf, a hybrid game that combines elements of soccer and golf in which players kick a regulation soccer ball into oversized holes on a course.

Established in June 2012 and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, FIFG promotes the global recognition and development of FootGolf, establishes and enforces standardized international rules, organizes major competitions (including the World Cup, Wold Tour and Regional Tours), and regulates national member associations.

History

Origins of the Federation for International FootGolf - FIFG

For decades, games with a concept similar to FootGolf were played informally at home, on farms, beaches, parks, and other open spaces, under a variety of local rules that often differed significantly from one another. Such informal variants were reported in countries under different names like Codeball, footballgolf, futgolf, soccergolf, kickgolf, etc.

The modern format of FootGolf was formalized in the Netherlands in 2008 by Michael Jansen and Bas Korsten, who established its primary regulations based on traditional golf rules and organized the sport's inaugural tournament on a regulation golf course. This established format was subsequently adopted by the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG). The governing body officially recognizes Jansen as a co-creator of the modern sport, and he continues to serve the organization as an FIFG Ambassador and Honorary Board Member.

FootGolf as a casual game is estimated to be played in over one hundred countries, but as a regulated sport it is organized in several dozen countries under the structure of the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG), with membership continuing to grow.


Founding and official name

The FIFG was established in 2012 and publicly announced in June during the inaugural FootGolf World Cup held in Hungary. Its headquarters are located in Lausanne, Switzerland.The federation was founded through the collaborative efforts of a group of sports enthusiasts from multiple continents.


Founding

The founders of the FIFG are Laura Balestrini and Roberto Balestrini, and Francisco Gonzales Briones (Region 1 North America); Javier de Ancizar (Region 2 South America); Gábor Gelencser and Mauritz van Tubergen (Region 3 Europe). They united their efforts and resources to establish the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) as the sport’s global governing body.

Name and branding

During the founding of the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) in 2012, the organization’s founders worked together for nearly a year to create an international body that would establish, structure, and promote the game as an organized sport. As part of this effort, they decided to identify the sport played under the FIFG’s brand with a single, standardized name: FootGolf, written as one word with a capital “F” and a capital “G.” Accordingly, the sport governed by FIFG rules and guidelines is officially identified as “FootGolf".

Structure and Leadership

FIFG is governed by a Board of Directors, which functions as the central decision-making body responsible for strategic direction, policy development, and oversight of the sport’s global administration. The board approves key initiatives, including rules and policies, through convened meetings where members deliberate on matters such as competition structures, membership criteria, and organizational reforms.

The board comprises defined leadership roles:

  • President – leads overall operations and represents FIFG internationally
  • 1st Vice President and 2nd Vice President – assist in executive duties and chair specific initiatives
  • General Secretary – manages administrative affairs, including correspondence and record-keeping
  • Treasurer – oversees financial matters
  • Additional board members and advisors


All the Presidents of the Federation for International FootGolf

1st. Javier de Ancizar • Argentina

2nd. Mauritz van Tubergen • Netherlands

3rd. Michael O'Connor • England (UK)

4th. Roberto Balestrini • United States

5th. Gabor Gelencser • Hungary

6th. Laura Balestrini • United States

7th. Aleksander Kravanja • Slovenia


On October 3, 2017, the Global Association of International Sports Federations announced the federation as one of the first international federations to achieve Observer status.[1][2][3]

That year also saw the introduction of "FIFG Regional Majors" and ranked tournaments, such as the FIFG 500 series, to promote sustained player development and event diversity across continents.

Core Responsibilities


Rule Standardization: Establishes and maintains the Official FIFG Rulebook, guidelines, and player codes of conduct to guarantee consistent gameplay worldwide.

Global Tournaments: Organizes the premier international competitions for the sport, including the official FootGolf Tours and the multi-category FootGolf World Cup.

National Affiliation: Dictates membership frameworks, recognizing only one exclusive national organization per country to govern local play.

Dispute Resolution: Exercises sole jurisdiction over resolving institutional conflicts or administrative disagreements between member countries or continental federations.

Sport Integrity & Anti-Doping: Protects the integrity of the sport by mandating strict ethical guidelines, combating corruption, and delivering anti-doping programs in partnership with the International Testing Agency (ITA).

Inclusivity & Growth: Sets mandatory criteria for its member nations to expand the sport at the grassroots level, specifically promoting the inclusion of women, youth, and athletes with disabilities.


References

Members

The Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) recognises only one exclusive member per country.

Membership is limited to a single national organisation that serves as the sport’s governing body within its territory. Players must be affiliated to their national FIFG Member Country of birth or permanent residence, and countries not yet represented may submit a request to begin the membership process.

To be recognised as a FIFG member, a national organisation must satisfy requirements in three main areas: governance, universality, and ethics and responsibility.

The member must be a registered national organisation whose general assembly is its supreme decision‑making body. It must apply principles of good governance, including transparency, accountability, gender equity, non‑discrimination, and fairness.

The member must demonstrate active development of the sport by organising at least three tournaments per year across a minimum of two golf courses. Each event must attract a significant number of players affiliated to FIFG Member Countries.

The member must take measures to promote the participation of women and persons with disabilities, support “sport for all”, and uphold fair play, athletes’ health and safety, high‑standard officiating, and clear competition rules. It must be a signatory to the World Anti‑Doping Code, maintain anti‑doping rules aligned with the Code, and be actively involved in the fight against doping. In addition, the member must implement safeguards to protect athletes and their entourage from corruption, illegal or irregular betting, fraud, and other harmful practices linked to sport.

These criteria are intended to ensure that each recognised national federation operates with institutional integrity, promotes inclusive participation, and aligns with international standards for clean and ethical sport.


FIFG Continental Regions

• Region 1 | North America

• Region 2 | South America

• Region 3 | Europe

• Region 4 | Asia & Oceania

• Region 5 | Africa

Player Affiliations

Players are not "FIFG Members". A player can affiliate to only one FIFG Member Country by citizenship or residence.

Players must be affiliated their national FIFG Member Country of birth or permanent residence and should contact our representatives in their country for questions or more information. Players from countries where the FIFG has non-active member must contact the FIFG and complete FORM Requesting to joint the official competitions.

FIFG FootGolf World Cup

The FIFG FootGolf World Cup is the premier international tournament for the sport of FootGolf, which combines elements of soccer and golf. The championship brings together the best FootGolf players from around the world to compete in different categories, including men’s individual, women’s individual, senior, and team events (national selections).

The 1st FIFG World Cup was played in Budapest, Hungary, in June 2012, organised by the Hungarian FootGolf Federation. It featured 126 players from eight countries: Argentina, Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United States.

The 2nd FIFG FootGolf World Cup was held in January 2016 in Pilar (Buenos Aires Province) Argentina, with over 230 players from 26 FIFG member countries participating.

The 3rd FIFG FootGolf World Cup, organised by the French FootGolf Association, was played in Marrakesh, Morocco in 2018 and attracted 520 players from 33 countries.

The 4th FIFG FootGolf World Cup was organised by the American FootGolf Federation in 2023 in Orlando, Florida, United States. The event brought together 972 players from 39 countries.

The 5th FIFG FootGolf World Cup was organised by the Federación Mexicana de FootGolf in Acapulco, Mexico, in 2026. The tournament gathered more than 1,200 players from over 60 countries and 64 national teams across all categories, making it the largest edition in the competition’s history.

FIFG Youth FootGolf

The American FootGolf League partnered with the NJ Youth Soccer Association and Crystal Springs Resort to launch AFGL Youth FootGolf in 2025, a program designed to expand the game to youth across the United States. In 2026, the NJYSA expands the second annual Youth FootGolf Championship successfully introduced interactive activities for both parents and friends.

The inaugural FIFG Youth FootGolf World Cup was played in Germany in 2026.

References

  1. ↑ "GAISF » Observers". Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  2. ↑ "Seven International Federations Awarded GAISF Observer Status". infobae (in European Spanish). July 12, 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  3. ↑ https://www.topendsports.com/sport/recognized-sports.htm
  4. ↑ "Mountain Falls welcomes footgolf to Pahrump". Pahrump Valley Times. 2020-03-05. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  5. ↑ "EU dignitaries in Malawi to grace first FootGolf tourney". Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi. 2016-05-24. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  6. ↑ "Summer Postcard: Footgolf, The American Sport | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  7. ↑ "From England's fourth tier to the World Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  8. ↑ Harada, Makoto (2020-03-04). "Footgolf World Cup kicks off in Tochigi". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  9. ↑ "Learn about Foot Golf introduced in the United States by American FootGolf League". www.inflorida.com. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  10. ↑ Nyczepir, Dave. "FootGolf tournament Coachella Valley's first". The Desert Sun. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
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