Facts here were checked on 8 October 2026 against each body's own publications and the UK sports councils' lists, and some again on 26 October 2026. Where a body describes itself, the words are its own claim. "Recognised" here always says by whom. 140
The short version for families
- Sport wushu has a chain: the worldwide, the in Europe and the in the UK. 40,50,80
- Traditional kung fu has none. Each style association runs itself, and many clubs belong to none: 225 of the 299 kung fu clubs on EveryDojo's 8 October list were independent. 141
- The BCCMA is recognised by the UK sports councils as the governing body for all Chinese martial arts. It insures, checks coaches and runs national competitions, but it does not publish a student syllabus or grading scheme. A club's own style association usually decides its grades and forms. 80,83,87
World
International Wushu Federation
- The world governing body for wushu "in all its forms", founded on 3 October 1990 during the Asian Games in Beijing, with offices in Lausanne and Beijing. 40
- Recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 2002, and a member of the International World Games Association since 2021. 40
- 164 national members on 26 October 2026, 46 of them in Europe. Its member for Great Britain is the BCCMA. 40
- It sets the rules for taolu, sanda and traditional events, and runs the World Wushu Championships, since 1991, the World Kungfu Championships, since 2004, and the World Taijiquan Championships, since 2014. In 2017 it set up a grading commission. 40,41,43,44
Chinese Wushu Association
China's national wushu body, founded in 1958, which standardised modern wushu and runs the Duanwei grades. In April 2026 it warned against a fake look alike website offering certificate checks; its official site is linked on the sources page. 14,56,57
Europe: the WKFE
Founded in Zurich on 26 June 2023 by 39 national federations, and recognised by the IWUF as Europe's continental federation on 21 September 2023; based in Brussels. Its members' page lists the BCCMA for Great Britain. It runs the European Wushu Kungfu Championships, European traditional championships and a European Tuishou Cup. 50,51
United Kingdom: the BCCMA
| What it says it is | "The UK's National Governing Body for all styles of Chinese Martial Arts, recognised by Sport England" 80 |
| Founded | 1973, under the Sports Council's guidelines. Recognised governing body status since 1980, says its 2026 site, or since 1990, says its 2023 membership pack 80,83 |
| Recognised by | Sport England, sportscotland and Sport Wales, and the September 2026 UK master list for England, Scotland, Wales and the UK. Sport NI's own page names it, though the master list's Northern Ireland cell is blank 87 |
| International | The IWUF's and the WKFE's member for Great Britain 40,50 |
| Size, its own figures | 112 member organisations and over 10,000 members on its 2026 site; "some 146 organisations" in its 2023 pack 80,83 |
| How it works | Associations join, then register their clubs, instructors and students. A BCCMA observer may visit a class to check safety and that the style is "of authentic Chinese origin" 80,83 |
| Instructors, 2026 to 2027 | A current first aid certificate; a DBS check or equivalent; "minimum Black Belt in the discipline being instructed or acceptable alternative"; a Level 2 coaching award or equivalent 80 |
| Coaching and safeguarding | Bronze, Silver and Gold coaching standards; a Professional Standard Coach course; enhanced DBS checks and safeguarding training for anyone working with children 80 |
| Tools | A public membership checker and a club finder by postcode and style 80 |
The BCCMA does not publish a list of its member associations. Clubs on its public club pages include Yee's Hung Ga, Midlands Wing Chun Kuen and several sanda and tai chi clubs, and Manchester Nam Pai Chuan says it is insured through the BCCMA. The BCCMA does not say which of the large style associations below are members. 80,121
Style associations with a real UK presence
None of these claims to govern kung fu as a whole, and several say so plainly.
| Body | Style | What it says about itself |
|---|---|---|
| , British Kung Fu Association | Lau Gar | "Custodian of Lau Gar kung fu and kickboxing"; founded 1973; 49 clubs on its map in October 2026 100,140 |
| UK Wing Chun Kung Fu Association | Wing Chun, Ip Chun line | "Simply a group of clubs"; says there is no governing body for Wing Chun in the UK or worldwide; founded 1985 102 |
| Samuel Kwok Martial Arts Association | Wing Chun, Ip Man line | An international association with UK clubs 103 |
| Kamon Martial Arts Federation | Wing Chun | Founded 1992 104 |
| Wing Chun Kuen UK | Wing Chun | "We do not claim to govern Wing Chun as a whole", but the authority for its own 13 locations 105,140 |
| Wing Chun Federation | Wing Chun; its Hong Kong guide is in Wong Shun-leung's line | A small independent group in Hampshire, founded 1990 106 |
| Fujian White Crane Kung Fu | White Crane and Shuang Yang Tai Chi | Teaching since 1977; 16 clubs 115,140 |
| Tai Chi Union for Great Britain | Tai chi and internal arts | A union of instructors, around 1,000 members 89 |
How a family can check a club
- Ask which style and which association, and look the association up on its own website. 80
- Ask whether the club and instructor are BCCMA members, using its membership checker, or members of another body that insures them. 80
- Ask whether instructors who work with children hold an enhanced DBS check, first aid and safeguarding training. 80,105
- Use the NSPCC's five questions for any sports club. 130