The organisers of The World Games 2029 have officially unveiled the logo, visual identity, and website for the upcoming Games, which will be hosted in Karlsruhe, Germany. The announcement was made by the International World Games Association (IWGA) in collaboration with the Karlsruhe 2029 Organising Committee.
Tug of War, Ireland and The World Games
Ireland has a medal-winning history in Tug of War at The World Games, with a total of 2 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze medals recorded at the event.
For Tug of War, The World Games are one of the sport’s most important international multi-sport platforms, providing a high-profile stage alongside other established global disciplines, beyond dedicated World and European Championships.
At recent World Games, including The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, Tug of War has featured as an outdoor discipline, with medals contested across multiple weight classes and categories.
The World Games – A Brief Overview
The World Games are held every four years and feature approximately 35 sports that are not included in the Olympic Games programme. They are organised by the IWGA and are recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The most recent edition, held in Chengdu in 2025, brought together more than 4,000 athletes from over 110 countries, underlining the Games’ status as a major global multi-sport event.
Tug of War’s Position for 2029
The Tug of War International Federation (TWIF) has indicated its interest in seeing indoor Tug of War included at The World Games 2029, alongside the outdoor competition.
Indoor Tug of War has featured at selected World Games in the past, and discussions regarding the final programme for Karlsruhe 2029 are expected to continue as the IWGA progresses towards confirming the list of sports and disciplines.
Tug of War and The World Games – Past, Present and the Road to 2029
Tug of War is one of the oldest organised competitive sports and has been a constant feature of The World Games since the inaugural Games in Santa Clara in 1981. It is one of a small number of sports to have featured at every World Games since their inception.
Since 1981, Tug of War competition at The World Games has been centred primarily on outdoor formats across a range of weight classes. Traditionally, the sport is contested by teams of eight athletes pulling against each other over a marked line, with competitions held across men’s, women’s, and mixed categories under the governance of TWIF.
The newly unveiled branding reflects the IWGA’s established values and presents Karlsruhe as a modern, compact, and easily accessible European host city. Karlsruhe will host The World Games for the second time, having previously staged the event in 1989.
