World Games sports

The World Games sports comprise all the sports contested in The World Games. Starting in Birmingham 2022, there was no distinction between official and invitational sports. José Perurena, IWGA President, stated, "In Birmingham, for the first time, invitational sports were no longer presented separately but were also part of the official programme." This is now The World Games policy.

Sports
Disciplines from the same sport are grouped under the same color:

Past TWG sports and disciplines

 * Bodybuilding (Bodybuilding, Fitness) – Last contested in 2009
 * Bowling (Nine-pin bowling) – Contested only in 2005 as official
 * Cable wakeboard - Contested only in 2005 as official
 * Casting – Last contested in 2005
 * Flying Disc (Disc golf) – Contested only in 2001 as official, to be contested in 2025
 * Indoor cycling (Artistic cycling, Cycle ball) – Contested only in 1989 as official
 * Lifesaving (Beach) – Last contested in 2009
 * Netball – Last contested in 1993
 * Roller hockey (quad skate) - Last contested in 2001

Past TWG sports and disciplines added to the Olympic Games

 * Badminton – became an Olympic sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics
 * Baseball and Softball – were Olympic sports from 1992 (baseball)/1996 (softball) to 2008, and returned to the Olympics in 2020 and 2028 as optional sports
 * Beach volleyball - became an Olympic sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics
 * Breakdancing - will become an Olympic sport at the 2024 Summer Olympics
 * Flag football – will become an Olympic sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics
 * Karate – became an Olympic sport at the 2020 Summer Olympics
 * Lacrosse sixes – will become an Olympic sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics (lacrosse was competed at the 1904 and 1908 Summer Olympics as field lacrosse)
 * Rugby sevens – became an Olympic sport at the 2016 Summer Olympics (rugby union was competed as 15-a-side at the 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics)
 * Sport climbing – became an Olympic sport at the 2020 Summer Olympics
 * Squash – will become an Olympic sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics
 * Taekwondo – became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics
 * Trampoline – certain individual events were introduced at the 2000 Summer Olympics
 * Triathlon – became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics
 * Water polo (women) - became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics (men never competed in water polo in The World Games, as it has been in all Summer Olympics since 1900)
 * Weightlifting (women) - became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics (men never competed in weightlifting in The World Games as it has been all Summer Olympics since 1920, and was also in the Summer Olympics in 1896 and 1904)