Joe Barnard

International Federation of Match Poker

The International Federation of Match Poker (IFMP) was established in Lausanne, Switzerland, a venue symbolising international sports cooperation, on April 29, 2009. It serves as the sole global governing body for Match Poker, which has been recognised as a sport by GAISF since 2017, and is a non-profit federation based on the same legal criteria and principles as those of other mainstream sports. IFMP serves as the governing body to which national federations can affiliate. Its goal is the promotion of Match Poker as a Mind Sport & eSport, played without any discrimination as to race or creed. As well as organising major international tournaments the IFMP will be working to standardise tournament rules, as well as compiling international rankings alongside each member nation's own national rankings. Above all, IFMP will be working to demonstrate that Match Poker is a Mind Sport of strategic skill, not a mere game of chance, and so to promote and launch it as a sport throughout the world.