The full form of IBSF is International Billiards & Snooker Federation.

The International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) is an organisation that governs snooker and English billiards around the world.

In 1971 the World Billiards & Snooker Council was formed, changing its name in 1973 to the International Billiards & Snooker Federation. The name change came about because of the dissatisfaction of many overseas national associations that the Billiards and Snooker Control Council (then the Billiards Association & Control Council) should be the governing body of both the English domestic game and the game at international level. Consequently, the IBSF took control of the organisation of the non-professional championships of both snooker and billiards.

The IBSF is made up of seventy three affiliated countries all of which belong to one of the five Olympic Regions: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

The IBSF Board of Directors has four executive officers, namely the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, plus two representatives from each Olympic Region. These four executive officers are responsible for the day to day running of the Federation and are answerable to IBSF members at the Annual General Meeting. The IBSF AGM is normally held during the period of the IBSF World Snooker Championships.

The aims and objectives of the IBSF are to co-ordinate, promote and develop the sports of billiards and snooker on a non-professional level and, as the world governing body, to determine championship conditions, formats, dates and venues for the following:-

– IBSF World Snooker Championships
– IBSF World 6Red Championships
– IBSF World Team Snooker Championships
– IBSF World Under-18 Snooker Championship
– IBSF World Under-21 Snooker Championships 
– IBSF World Women Snooker Championships
– IBSF World Masters Snooker Championships
– IBSF World Billiards Championships

The IBSF also promotes and fosters our sports with all other bodies with similar objectives.