The main body that governs world football - FIFA, was founded more than a hundred years ago in 1904. Today, all world competitions in football, futsal, beach football for both men and women, as well as their youth and youth counterparts, are held under the FIFA flag.
A bit of history
The International Football Federation was created against the backdrop of the rapidly growing popularity of the game itself and its international tournaments. Since the organization was founded in Paris, its name has French roots - Fédération Internationale de Football Association, hence the abbreviation FIFA.
The official languages of FIFA are English, Spanish, French and German. The minutes are kept in English, the same applies to official correspondence and the preparation of various announcements.
At first, the organization included only European countries, then South Africa joined in 1909, Argentina in 1912, and the United States in 1913.
The first big tournament was organized by FIFA at the London Olympics in 1908, and the first world championship was held in 1930. But in the interval between the two world wars, FIFA left the British football associations in order not to participate in the same competition with the enemies. Therefore, the results of the first three FIFA World Cups did not quite correspond to the real balance of power in this sport.
FIFA developed rapidly after World War II. The British football associations, the founders of this game, returned to the federation, the USSR and the associations of countries of all continents joined the federation.
Today it is the most powerful sports federation with more members than the United Nations.
FIFA membership
Any association that organizes football life in its country can become a member of FIFA, subject to the independence of this country and its recognition by the world community. At the same time, FIFA recognizes only one association in each country. The exception is the Kingdom of Great Britain, which at the time of its return to FIFA bargained for itself a special status. He is now represented by four football associations: England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, whose national teams, respectively, can take part in the competition.
FIFA recognizes and cooperates with the Confederations of countries united on a continental basis. Among them:
- South American Football Confederation - CONMEBOL;
- Asian Football Confederation - AFC (AFC);
- Union of European Football Associations - UEFA (UEFA);
- African Football Confederation - CAF (CAF);
- Confederation of Associated Football of North and Central America and the Caribbean - CONCACAF (CONCACAF);
- Oceania Football Confederation - OFC (OFC).
Naturally, all the listed Confederations should be guided in their work by the goals declared by FIFA.
FIFA goals
The International Football Federation has the following goals:
- organization under its auspices of international competitions;
- improving the football game and promoting it throughout the world through the prism of its uniting, educational, cultural and humane values;
- drawing up regulations and provisions, as well as monitoring their implementation;
- control over all types of football competitions held by associations that are members of FIFA for compliance with the organization's charter and the approved rules of the game;
- prevention of any incidents jeopardizing the cleanliness of matches or competitions.
Organization leadership
The highest legislative and supreme body of FIFA is Congress. Its powers include the adoption of amendments to the fundamental documents, the approval of the financial report and budget, the admission of new members, the temporary or permanent exclusion from the organization, the election of the President of FIFA.
Congress meets annually, unless an emergency occurs. One of them caused an extraordinary convocation of the Congress on February 26, 2016, when Joseph Blatter was forced to leave the post of president of the organization due to a corruption scandal.
The President is elected for a term of 4 years and heads the FIFA Executive Committee, which, in addition to him, includes 8 vice-presidents and 15 more members elected by confederations and associations. Only 24 people. It is the executive body that makes decisions on all matters outside the remit of Congress or other structures of the organization. In particular, the Executive Committee:
- appoints the chairpersons, their deputies and members of the standing committees;
- appoints the chairpersons, their deputies and members of the judiciary, which in FIFA are the disciplinary and appeal committees;
- may decide to establish ad hoc committees at any time, if the need arises;
- on the proposal of the President, appoints or dismisses the Secretary General, who directs all administrative work;
- determines the place, terms and conditions of the final competitions of FIFA tournaments.
The organization has two dozen permanent committees in various areas of activity. These are finance, internal audit, organization of competitions, sports medicine, strategic research, media relations, marketing and others.
Within the framework of the Executive Committee, which meets at least twice a year, the Extraordinary Committee works. Its task is to consider issues, the solution of which cannot wait for the next meeting of the Executive Committee.
In the event of a conflict, FIFA creates the opportunity to apply to the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) - an independent arbitration court headquartered in Lausanne (Switzerland) - to resolve any disputes between FIFA, confederations, associations, leagues, clubs, players, football agents, etc.
Financial relationships
Associations affiliated with FIFA pay an annual membership fee, which does not exceed one thousand US dollars. In addition, the federation receives deductions from all matches of the national teams, which are represented by the associations - members of FIFA. But the organization receives its main income from the World Championships. For example, at the 2014 World Cup, which was held in Brazil, FIFA's total revenue was US $ 4 billion. Of these: 1.7 billion - from the sale of television rights, 1.4 billion - from sponsorship contracts.
Considering that FIFA spent about half of this money on the organization of the tournament itself, the net income was about $ 2 billion. Of these, $ 420 million were received by 32 teams - participants in the World Cup final. In general, the International Football Federation keeps 10% of the profits for itself, the rest goes to its member federations.
