| World Pool-Billiard Association | |
| Abbrev: | WPA |
| Logosize: | 250px |
| Sport: | Pool |
| Category: | Cue sports |
| Jurisdiction: | Worldwide |
| Headquarters: | Gauteng, South Africa |
| Aff: | World Confederation of Billiards Sports |
| President: | Ishaun Singh |
| Url: | wpapool.org |
The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is the international governing body for pool (pocket billiards). It was formed in 1987, and was initially headed by a provisional board of directors consisting of representatives from Australia, Americas, Africa, and Europe. As of 2023, the WPA president is Ishaun Singh of South Africa. It is an associate of the World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS), the international umbrella organization that encompasses the major cue sports. WPA is headquartered in Gauteng, South Africa.
In the late 1970s, Kazuo Fujima of Japan invited various European players to compete in the All Japan Championship. This led to cooperation with Europe, being the first time contacts between Europe and Asian associations had been made. However, most of the efforts were initiated by individuals, and progressed slowly. By the mid-80s, many European players, who had the European Pool Championship as their highest level of competition, have been aware of pool events in the United States and were dissatisfied with the development of the sport in the continent, and wanted to compete at a higher level.
In November 1987, at a European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) board meeting in Germany, the idea of a worldwide competition resurfaced. The EPBF board members used their own money to fund a group to create a logo, letterheads and communications with various pool organizations. Kazuo Fujima of Japan replied that Asia was interested in participating.
In May 1988, the group's general assembly was held in conjunction alongside the European Pool Championship in Stockholm, Sweden. The group formed a provisional board that consisted of Kazuo Fujima (Japan), Paul Gerni (USA), Jorgen Sandman (Sweden), and Horst Vondenhoff (Germany).[1]
In March 1990, the inaugural WPA World Nine-ball Championship was held in Bergheim, Germany. The playing field included 32 men and 16 women in separate divisions, and has since become an annual event.
On March 3, 1990, the World Pool-Billiard Association was sanctioned by the general assembly as the international governing body for pool. The acronym WPA was selected so it would not conflict with the existing Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA).
Membership in the WPA has grown since its inception. In 1991, Australia and New Zealand, under the umbrella of the Australasian Pool Association, became members. In 1999, the organizations associated with Latin America and the Caribbean became members, and in 2000, a substantial portion of the organizations from Africa joined.
The WPA members are grouped by six continental/regional confederations, who in turn, consist of members from a country's national federation. The chart and table shows the WPA's members :[6]
In 2022 the Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports (ACBS) replaced the Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) as the WPA continental affiliate for Asia.[7]
| Organization (and map key color) | Member Countries | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Africa Pool Association (AAPA) |  Algeria Cameroon Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Ghana |  Kenya Lesotho Libya Malawi Mauritius Morocco Nigeria Zambia |  South Africa Tunisia Uganda | |
| Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports (ACBS) |  Bangladesh China |  Indonesia
|  Philippines
| |
| Billiard Congress of America (BCA)[8] |  Canada |  United States | ||
| Pan-American Billiard Confederation (CPB) |  Argentina Aruba
|  Colombia Costa Rica Ecuador Guatemala
|  Mexico
| |
| European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF)[9] |  Albania Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic
|  Germany Greece Hungary Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Ukraine |  Poland
| |
| Oceania Pocket Billiard Association (OPBA) |  Australia |  New Zealand | ||
, the WPA board consist of:[10]
Qatar
Hong Kong
India
Pakistan
Japan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Malaysia
Maldives
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Sri Lanka
United Arab Emirates
Brazil
Chile
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Peru
Uruguay
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey