confederations
Joined sovereign states
Confederations are unions of states, organizations, or groups that join together for a common purpose while retaining significant independence.
The term often describes loose political alliances where member entities keep more autonomy than in a federation: The Articles of Confederation preceded the U.S. Constitution.
Sports confederations govern regional competitions: the Asian Football Confederation.
The word implies cooperation without full merger—partners working together while maintaining separate identities.
Binding pact between nations
- ententeInformal international understanding
- accordHarmony between parties
- pactFormal agreement between parties
- covenantBinding formal pledge
compact · protocol · concordat · understanding · agreement · partnership · consortium · bloc
Price-fixing coalition
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
- consortiumCooperative group for ventures
- conglomerateCorporation spanning many industries
- blocAllied group sharing interests
merger · amalgamation · combine · monopoly · OPEC
Joining into one
- statesModes of being
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- centralizationUnifying control in one place
decentralization · constitution · articles · charter · member · assembly · legislature · ratification
Association or distance unit
- tournamentMulti-round competitive event
- FIFAInternational soccer authority
- UEFAEuropean football federation
- AFCFootball league division
clubs · teams · competition · champions · matches · fixtures · qualifiers · finals
treaty
Binding pact between nations
- ententeInformal international understanding
- accordHarmony between parties
- pactFormal agreement between parties
covenant · compact · protocol · concordat · understanding · agreement · partnership · consortium · bloc · association
cartel
Price-fixing coalition
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
- consortiumCooperative group for ventures
- conglomerateCorporation spanning many industries
union
Joining into one
- statesModes of being
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
centralization · decentralization · constitution · articles · charter · member · assembly · legislature · ratification · supranational
league
Association or distance unit
- tournamentMulti-round competitive event
- FIFAInternational soccer authority
- UEFAEuropean football federation
AFC · clubs · teams · competition · champions · matches · fixtures · qualifiers · finals · semifinals
- historyancient civilizations, past events, historian, epochs, era
- organizationsorganization, organizations, company, companies, club
- ancient diplomacyenvoys, ambassadors, emissaries, peace treaties, alliances
- global governanceUN, United Nations, EU, World Bank, IMF
- professional organizationsprofessional association, trade unions, trade association, unions, professional society
- competitorscompetitor, contestant, competitors, rivals, opponents
confederationsempires
Extensive ruled territories
absolute monarchies · dictatorships · autocracies · totalitarian regimes · nation-states
- Articles of ConfederationOriginal American governing charter
- German ConfederationPost-Napoleonic European league
- fathers of confederation