The total number of official WFDF members has now risen to 111, highlighting the sport's global expansion and indicating that it is on the right track towards Olympic status.

With Brisbane 2032 in sight and the necessary documents in place, the sport of flying disc aims to consolidate its position in the global sporting arena and continue to grow, hoping to increase its chances of achieving the Olympic dream.

WFDF President Robert "Nob" Rauch expressed his enthusiasm for the continued expansion of Ultimate and other flying disc sports around the world. "The continued growth of these sports is a fundamental pillar of our mission. We are proud to welcome these new federations and recognise the development efforts they represent, especially in Africa," he said.

The new members include the Fédération Comorienne de Disque Volant (FCDV), the Fédération Ivoirienne de Frisbee (FIF) and the Sierra Leone Flying Disc Association (SLFDA), which have been instrumental in the expansion of flying disc sports across the African continent.

With these additions, the WFDF now has 19 National Federations in Africa.

The FCDV, based in the Union of the Comoros, has been active since 2018 and has participated in international events such as the WFDF 2023 All Africa Ultimate Championships in Kenya. Comoros, an archipelago of three islands with a population of around 900,000, is an independent country in south-east Africa at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. 

The federation also has ambitious plans to include flying disc in the 2027 Indian Ocean Island Games, which will be held in the Comoros. Coralie Bigotto, Secretary General of the FCDV, stressed the importance of this international recognition for the development of the sport in the country.

"This is great news. In fact, our main dream is to develop Frisbee in the Comoros by having teams present on each of our three islands," said Bigotto. 

"We are increasingly recognised in Comoros, but being recognised as a national federation and being part of the international family allows us to support the seriousness of this sport, which is still little known in Comoros. With this affiliation, we also hope to participate in several tournaments organised by WFDF and, if possible, to include Ultimate in the Indian Ocean Island Games," she added.

Emmanuel Wago, President of the FIF, emphasised his Federation's commitment to promoting the spirit of the game, unity and inclusiveness. "Being part of the WFDF is an opportunity to represent our nation and promote the game and inspire future generations to enjoy the sport of flying disc," he affirmed.

In Sierra Leone, the WFDF affiliation has been enthusiastically received by the flying disc community. According to Patrick Fallah, President of the SLFDA, the country's athletes see this achievement as the beginning of new opportunities, such as the chance to receive professional training and compete in international tournaments.

Fallah also mentioned that this recognition could streamline the process of gaining government support for the sport in Sierra Leone. "The athletes expect that being part of the WFDF will be the start of many good things in the community, one of which is the opportunity to be trained by professionals and to showcase their skills and talents, and how the Spirit of the Game is honed in our way of playing. For me, it's like a reward for all the hard work we've done. Being part of the WFDF will also help speed up the process of government recognition."

Meanwhile, the Ultimate Azerbaijan Community (UAPU), which has around 250 active players since its inception in 2007, has also been accepted into WFDF. Samir Gadirov, President of UAPU, described the affiliation as a "historic moment" for the Ultimate community in Azerbaijan, highlighting the transformation from a small group of expatriates to a vibrant collective with six independent clubs and a local league.

With these new affiliations, WFDF continues to strengthen its global presence and reaffirms its commitment to the development and promotion of flying disc around the world.