Editing United Paintball Federation (section)

== Governance and organisation ==

=== International federation structure ===

The UPBF operates through a network of continental and national paintball organisations.

Its governance model is intended to provide international coordination while allowing national organisations to maintain responsibility for the development and administration of paintball within their own territories.

The federation's activities include international competition, membership administration, development support and efforts to establish common sporting standards. [7]

=== Continental confederations ===

The UPBF's current published governance structure identifies five continental confederations:

{| class="wikitable"
! Abbreviation
! Organisation
! Geographic area
|-
| AFPBF
| [[African Paintball Federation]]
| Africa
|-
| APPBF
| [[Asia Pacific Paintball Federation]]
| Asia and the Pacific
|-
| EPBF
| [[European Paintball Federation]]
| Europe
|-
| NCAPBF
| [[North and Central American Paintball Federation]]
| North America and Central America
|-
| SAPBF
| [[South American Paintball Federation]]
| South America
|}

The structure reflects the federation's original regional model, although the names and membership arrangements of individual confederations have evolved since the organisation's early years. [1][3]

=== National membership ===

The UPBF recognises one representative organisation per country for the purposes of international competition and membership.

National representatives may be established federations or other sporting associations meeting the federation's membership requirements.

Its membership framework also provides for provisional recognition where an established national governing organisation does not yet exist. This allows developing paintball communities to participate internationally while building more formal representative structures.

The federation distinguishes national representation from other types of affiliation, including tournament organisers, clubs and commercial partners. [8]