FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, isn't just the name behind the World Cup; it's the global governing body orchestrating the world's most popular sport. From its 1904 origins in Paris, it has grown into a colossal entity uniting 211 national associations, wielding immense influence over football's rules, finances, and global events. Yet, this power has also brought intense scrutiny, marking FIFA's journey with both unprecedented success and persistent controversy. FIFA serves as the primary international governing body for association football, overseeing major tournaments and establishing universal rules in collaboration with IFAB. With 211 member associations, FIFA wields vast global influence and financial power, generating billions in revenue from its premier competitions. Despite its unifying mission, FIFA's history is marred by significant corruption scandals and governance challenges, leading to continuous calls for greater transparency and accountability.
AI Summary
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, isn't just the name behind the World Cup; it's the global governing body orchestrating the world's most popular sport. From its 1904 origins in Paris, it has grown into a colossal entity uniting 211 national associations, wielding immense influence over football's rules, finances, and global events. Yet, this power has also brought intense scrutiny, marking FIFA's journey with both unprecedented success and persistent controversy.
- FIFA serves as the primary international governing body for association football, overseeing major tournaments and establishing universal rules in collaboration with IFAB.
- With 211 member associations, FIFA wields vast global influence and financial power, generating billions in revenue from its premier competitions.
- Despite its unifying mission, FIFA's history is marred by significant corruption scandals and governance challenges, leading to continuous calls for greater transparency and accountability.
The Global Architect of Football
Imagine a single entity responsible for regulating the most popular sport on Earth, uniting continents, and staging the planet's biggest sporting spectacle. That's FIFA — the Fédération Internationale de Football Association. It's the self-regulatory international governing body for association football, futsal, and beach soccer.
FIFA’s core objectives are ambitious: to grow football internationally, make it accessible to everyone, and champion integrity and fair play. It's the driving force behind the sport's biggest international tournaments, most notably the Men's World Cup, which first captivated the world in 1930, and the Women's World Cup, launched in 1991.
This global reach and influence generate massive revenue. In 2022 alone, FIFA reported over $5.8 billion in revenue, ending its cycle with a net positive of $1.2 billion and substantial cash reserves of over $3.9 billion. This financial might underscores its significant impact on the sport globally.
The Genesis of Global Football
The need for a single body to oversee international football became clear at the turn of the 20th century. Thus, on May 21, 1904, in a modest rear office in Paris, FIFA was born, its French name and acronym adopted worldwide.
The founding members were visionary associations from Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain (represented by Real Madrid CF), Sweden, and Switzerland. Germany quickly declared its intention to affiliate via telegram on the very same day, underscoring the immediate need for this new international federation.
Early Leadership and Expansion
Robert Guérin of France served as FIFA's first president. He was succeeded in 1906 by Daniel Burley Woolfall from England, whose leadership saw FIFA stage its first tournament: the association football competition at the 1908 London Olympics, a successful event even with professional players participating.
Woolfall’s tenure also marked FIFA's first steps beyond European borders. In 1909, South Africa became the first non-European member, followed swiftly by Argentina in 1912, and then Canada, Chile, and the United States in 1913 and 1914. Football was rapidly becoming a truly global game.
Surviving World War I and Birthing a Legend
The outbreak of World War I posed an existential threat to FIFA. International travel became near-impossible, and many players were called to the front lines, leaving the organization in doubt. It barely survived, largely thanks to the steadfast efforts of Dutchman Carl Hirschmann, who kept its flame alive after Woolfall's death.
This turbulent period led to the temporary withdrawal of the 'Home Nations' (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) who were reluctant to compete with their former wartime adversaries. But FIFA endured, eventually welcoming them back, paving the way for a monumental achievement: the inaugural FIFA World Cup, held in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1930.
The Face and Sound of FIFA
FIFA has cultivated a distinct identity, symbolized by its blue flag emblazoned with the iconic wordmark logo, first seen flying proudly at the 2018 World Cup opening ceremony. This visual identity is complemented by an instantly recognizable auditory one.
Since the 1994 FIFA World Cup, a powerful anthem composed by German musician Franz Lambert, and later re-arranged, has heralded the start of official FIFA sanctioned matches and tournaments worldwide. Since 2007, broadcasters are often required to use it for event coverage and commercial breaks, cementing FIFA's brand and promoting its sponsors globally.
The Presidents Through the Eras
From its inception, a succession of leaders has guided FIFA through its formative years, immense growth, and periods of unprecedented scrutiny. Many presidents oversaw significant transformations, some even passing away in office, underscoring the demanding nature of the role.
No Name Country Took office Left office Note 1 Robert Guérin France 23 May 1904 4 June 1906 2 Daniel Burley Woolfall England 4 June 1906 24 October 1918 Died in office — Cornelis August Wilhelm Hirschman Netherlands 24 October 1918 1920 Acting 3 Jules Rimet France 1 March 1921 21 June 1954 4 Rodolphe Seeldrayers Belgium 21 June 1954 7 October 1955 Died in office 5 Arthur Drewry England 9 June 1956 25 March 1961 Died in office — Ernst Thommen Switzerland 25 March 1961 28 September 1961 Acting 6 Stanley Rous England 28 September 1961 8 May 1974 7 João Havelange Brazil 8 May 1974 8 June 1998 8 Sepp Blatter Switzerland 8 June 1998 8 October 2015 Expelled — Issa Hayatou Cameroon 8 October 2015 26 February 2016 Acting 9 Gianni Infantino Italy Switzerland Lebanon 26 February 2016 Incumbent
A Global Web of Governance
FIFA's structure is a complex, hierarchical network designed to govern football worldwide. At its core are six recognized confederations, each overseeing the sport within distinct geographical regions. However, it's the 211 national associations, not the confederations, that hold direct membership in FIFA itself, with membership in a regional confederation being a mandatory prerequisite.
The Six Confederations
Asian Football Confederation (AFC; 47 members, 46 are FIFA members) Confederation of African Football (CAF; 54 members, all FIFA members + 2 associate members) Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF; 41 members, 35 are FIFA members) Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL; 10 members, all FIFA members) Oceania Football Confederation (OFC; 13 members, 11 are FIFA members) Union of European Football Associations (UEFA; 55 members, all FIFA members)
This expansive membership means FIFA recognizes more national associations than there are UN member states, including entities like the UK's 'Home Nations' and China's special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, as members in their own right. FIFA also maintains comprehensive Men's and Women's World Rankings, updated regularly based on international performance.
The Seat of Power: Congress and Council
FIFA's supreme decision-making body is the FIFA Congress, an annual assembly where each affiliated national association holds a single, equal vote. The Congress is where major decisions are made, including changes to FIFA's governing statutes and the election of the FIFA President and other key officials.
Between Congress meetings, the FIFA Council—formerly the Executive Committee—serves as the organization's main strategic body. Comprising 37 members, including the President, eight vice-presidents (six ex-officio as Confederation Presidents, two from UEFA), and 28 members from the confederations with a mandate to include at least one woman per confederation, the Council reviews World Cup bids and proposes them to the Congress for final selection.
The President and Secretary General lead FIFA's daily administration, supported by a staff of approximately 280. Gianni Infantino currently holds the presidency, elected in 2016 after the suspension of Sepp Blatter. Beyond these core bodies, FIFA also operates numerous standing committees like the Ethics, Finance, and Disciplinary Committees.
Laws, Discipline, and Technological Evolution
While FIFA applies the rules, the actual 'Laws of the Game' are collaboratively maintained by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). This unique body consists of four representatives from FIFA and one each from the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland — a nod to their role in the game's invention. Any changes to the laws require agreement from at least six of these eight delegates.
FIFA also wields significant disciplinary power, notably suspending national teams or associations if governments interfere in their internal affairs. They've also had to adapt rules for player transfers to accommodate varying international football seasons, demonstrating an active role in the sport's practical governance.
For much of its history, FIFA was famously resistant to technology in officiating. Former President Sepp Blatter once quipped, 'Let it be as it is and let's leave football with errors... a man, not a machine.' This stance dramatically shifted after a high-profile 'ghost goal' incident involving England in the 2010 World Cup.
By 2012, FIFA sanctioned goal-line technology, and in 2018, it permanently adopted Video Assistant Referees (VARs) into the Laws of the Game, though their use remains optional for competitions. This marked a profound turning point, bringing modern technological aids into the fast-paced world of football.
Shadows of Controversy and Calls for Reform
The 2015 FIFA corruption scandal exposed a widespread scheme of bribery and self-enrichment, tainting the organization's image at its highest levels. Accusations centered on illicit payments related to World Cup hosting rights, particularly for Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, with the U.S. Department of Justice indicting over two dozen officials and marketing executives for approximately $150 million in bribes over two decades.
The scandal led to a wave of arrests, resignations, and suspensions, including that of long-serving president Sepp Blatter. It revealed an organizational culture plagued by greed and secrecy, prompting widespread demands for radical governance reforms to restore trust in the beautiful game's global stewards.
More recently, FIFA has faced criticism for its consistency in sanctions, notably suspending Russia from all competitions after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but not imposing similar boycotts on other nations involved in conflicts or human rights violations. Current president Gianni Infantino also faced scrutiny for allegedly attempting to prevent the re-election of ethics committee chairmen in 2017.
Further allegations surfaced in 2024, with 420 players claiming FIFA owed them up to £3 million in unpaid sums. In 2026, the organization controversially rescinded a World Cup red-card suspension for the first time since 1962, drawing criticism over disciplinary process integrity. Also in 2026, Infantino's proposal to sell a stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise to private investors faced heavy opposition and was ultimately discontinued.
Recognizing Excellence and Controversy in Awards
FIFA holds an annual awards ceremony, 'The Best FIFA Football Awards,' recognizing both individual and team achievements. Key accolades include 'The Best FIFA Men's Player,' 'The Best FIFA Women's Player,' 'The Best FIFA Football Coach,' and the 'FIFA FIFPRO World 11' for top performers.
Other prominent honors include the Ballon d'Or, presented jointly with the French Football Federation, and the FIFA Puskás Award for the most beautiful goal of the year. In 2000, FIFA also recognized Real Madrid as 'Club of the Century' and jointly awarded Pelé and Diego Maradona 'Player of the Century.'
However, FIFA's award history isn't without controversy. In 2025, FIFA announced the creation of its 'FIFA Peace Prize,' which was controversially awarded to Donald Trump at the 2026 World Cup draw. This decision generated widespread ridicule and scrutiny from human rights groups and football stakeholders, questioning FIFA's claims of political neutrality and human rights commitments.
Article
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) (French for 'International Association Football Federation') is an international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to oversee international competition among the national associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, its membership now comprises 211 national associations. These national associations must also be members of one of the six regional confederations: CAF (Africa), AFC (Asia), UEFA (Europe), CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean), OFC (Oceania), and CONMEBOL (South America).
FIFA has several objectives in its organisational statutes, including growing the game internationally, ensuring it is accessible to everyone, and advocating for integrity and fair play. It is responsible for organising and promoting association football's major international tournaments, notably the World Cup which began in 1930, and the Women's World Cup which commenced in 1991.
FIFA is a member of the International Football Association Board, which is responsible for the laws of the game, and FIFA applies and enforces the rules across its competitions. FIFA tournaments generate revenue from sponsorships; in 2022, FIFA had revenues of over US$5.8 billion, ending the 2019–2022 cycle with a net positive of $1.2 billion, and cash reserves of over $3.9 billion.
History
FIFA
The need for a single body to oversee association football became increasingly apparent at the beginning of the 20th century with the increasing popularity of international fixtures. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in the rear of the headquarters of the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA) at the Rue Saint Honoré 229 in Paris on 21 May 1904. The French name and acronym are universally adopted outside French-speaking countries. The founding members were the national associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain (represented by then-Real Madrid CF; the Royal Spanish Football Federation was not created until 1913), Sweden and Switzerland.
On the same day, the German Football Association declared through a telegram its intention to affiliate.
The first president of FIFA was Robert Guérin. Guérin was replaced in 1906 by Daniel Burley Woolfall from England, by then a member of the association. The first tournament FIFA staged, the association football competition for the 1908 Olympics in London was more successful than its Olympic predecessors, despite the presence of professional footballers, contrary to the founding principles of FIFA.
Membership of FIFA expanded beyond Europe with the application of South Africa in 1909, Argentina in 1912, Canada and Chile in 1913, and the United States in 1914.
The 1912 Spalding Athletic Library "Official Guide" includes information on the 1912 Olympics (scores and stories), AAFA, and FIFA. The 1912 FIFA president was Dan B Woolfall. Daniel Burley Woolfall was president from 1906 to 1918.
During World War I, with many players sent off to war and the possibility of travel for international fixtures severely limited, the organisation's survival was in doubt. Post-war, following the death of Woolfall, the organisation was run by Dutchman Carl Hirschmann. It was saved from extinction but at the cost of the withdrawal of the Home Nations (of the United Kingdom), who cited an unwillingness to participate in international competitions with their World War enemies. The Home Nations later resumed their membership. The FIFA collection is held by the National Football Museum at Urbis in Manchester, England. The first World Cup was held in 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Identity
Flag
The FIFA flag is blue, with the organization's wordmark logo in the middle. The current FIFA flag was first flown during the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Moscow, Russia.
Anthem
Akin to the UEFA Champions League, FIFA has adopted an anthem composed by the German composer Franz Lambert since the 1994 FIFA World Cup. It has been re-arranged and produced by Rob May and Simon Hill. The FIFA Anthem is played at the beginning of official FIFA sanctioned matches and tournaments such as international friendlies, the FIFA World Cup, FIFA Women's World Cup, FIFA U-20 World Cup, FIFA U-17 World Cup, Football at the Summer Olympics, FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup, FIFA Futsal World Cup, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
Since 2007, FIFA has also required most of its broadcast partners to use short sequences including the anthem at the beginning and end of FIFA event coverage and for break bumpers to help promote FIFA's sponsors. This emulates practices long used by international football events, such as the UEFA Champions League. Exceptions may be made for specific circumstances; for example, an original piece of African music was used for bumpers during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Presidents of FIFA
FIFA
<table><thead><tr><th>No</th><th>Name</th><th>Country</th><th>Took office</th><th>Left office</th><th>Note</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Robert Guérin</td><td> France</td><td>23 May 1904</td><td>4 June 1906</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Daniel Burley Woolfall</td><td> England</td><td>4 June 1906</td><td>24 October 1918</td><td>Died in office</td></tr><tr><td>—</td><td>Cornelis August Wilhelm Hirschman</td><td> Netherlands</td><td>24 October 1918</td><td>1920</td><td>Acting</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Jules Rimet</td><td> France</td><td>1 March 1921</td><td>21 June 1954</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Rodolphe Seeldrayers</td><td> Belgium</td><td>21 June 1954</td><td>7 October 1955</td><td>Died in office</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Arthur Drewry</td><td> England</td><td>9 June 1956</td><td>25 March 1961</td><td>Died in office</td></tr><tr><td>—</td><td>Ernst Thommen</td><td> Switzerland</td><td>25 March 1961</td><td>28 September 1961</td><td>Acting</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Stanley Rous</td><td> England</td><td>28 September 1961</td><td>8 May 1974</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>João Havelange</td><td> Brazil</td><td>8 May 1974</td><td>8 June 1998</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Sepp Blatter</td><td> Switzerland</td><td>8 June 1998</td><td>8 October 2015</td><td>Expelled</td></tr><tr><td>—</td><td>Issa Hayatou</td><td> Cameroon</td><td>8 October 2015</td><td>26 February 2016</td><td>Acting</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Gianni Infantino</td><td> Italy Switzerland Lebanon</td><td>26 February 2016</td><td>Incumbent</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
Structure
Six confederations and 222 national associations
Besides its worldwide institutions, there are six confederations recognized by FIFA which oversee the game in the different continents and regions of the world. National associations, and not the continental confederations, are members of FIFA. The continental confederations are provided for in FIFA's statutes, and membership of a union is a prerequisite to FIFA membership.
• Asian Football Confederation (AFC; 47 members - 46 are FIFA members) • Confederation of African Football (CAF; 54 members (all FIFA members) + 2 associate members) • Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF; 41 members - 35 are FIFA members) • Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL; 10 members - all FIFA members) • Oceania Football Confederation (OFC; 13 members - 11 are FIFA members) • Union of European Football Associations (UEFA; 55 members - all are FIFA Members)
In total, FIFA recognizes 211 national associations and their associated men's national teams as well as 204 women's national teams; see the list of national football teams and their respective country codes. The number of FIFA member associations is higher than the number of UN member states as FIFA has admitted associations from 23 non-sovereign entities as members in their own right, such as the four Home Nations within the United Kingdom and the two special administrative regions of China: Hong Kong and Macau.
FIFA can suspend countries due to numerous multifaceted issues. Common reasons include governance interference, corruption, and financial irregularities. Doping or the misappropriation of drugs is also a consideration for expulsion. FIFA suspended Russia from all competitions after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The FIFA Men's World Rankings are updated six times each year and rank each team based on their performance in international competitions, qualifiers, and friendly matches. The FIFA Women's World Rankings are updated on a quarterly schedule.
Laws and governance
FIFA headquarters in Zürich, Switzerland
FIFA headquarters is in Zürich, and it is an association established under the law of Switzerland.
FIFA's supreme body is the FIFA Congress, an assembly of representatives from each affiliated member association. Each national football association has one vote, regardless of size or footballing strength. The Congress assembles in ordinary sessions once every year, and extraordinary sessions have been held once a year since 1998. Congress makes decisions relating to FIFA's governing statutes and their method of implementation and application. Only Congress can pass changes to FIFA's statutes. The congress approves the annual report and decides on the acceptance of new national associations, and holds elections. Congress elects the President of FIFA, its general secretary, and the other members of the FIFA Council in the year following the FIFA World Cup.
The FIFA Council – formerly called the FIFA Executive Committee – is the organisation's main strategic body, making decisions in the intervals between Congress meetings. The council comprises 37 people: the president, who chairs the Council; 8 vice-presidents; and 28 members from the confederations. Each confederation must elect at least one woman to the Council. Six of the Vice-Presidents hold the role ex officio as the Presidents of the Confederations, and the remaining two must come from UEFA. The Council reviews the bids to host the World Cup and proposes up to three of these to the Congress, which votes to select the host country or countries.
The President and the Secretary General are the main office holders of FIFA and are in charge of its daily administration, carried out by the general secretariat, with its staff of approximately 280 members. Gianni Infantino is the current president, elected on 26 February 2016 at an extraordinary FIFA Congress session after former president Sepp Blatter was suspended pending a corruption investigation.
FIFA's worldwide organizational structure also consists of several other bodies under the authority of the FIFA Council or created by Congress as standing committees. Among those bodies are the Finance Committee, and Referees Committee, as well as independent judicial bodies the Disciplinary Committee, and the FIFA Ethics Committee.
The FIFA Emergency Committee deals with all matters requiring immediate settlement in the time frame between the regular meetings of the FIFA Council. The Emergency Committee consists of the FIFA president as well as one member from each confederation. Emergency Committee decisions made are immediately put into legal effect, although they need to be ratified at the next Executive Committee meeting.
Between 1994 and 2017, FIFA's independent research arm, the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC), led global sports medicine initiatives. The centre standardized injury surveillance, developed the widespread "FIFA 11+" injury prevention warm-up programme, and established the medical evidence that led to mandatory cooling breaks during matches in extreme heat.
Administrative cost
FIFA publishes its results according to International Financial Reporting Standards. The total compensation for the management committee in 2011 was 30 million for 35 people. Blatter, the only full-time person on the committee, earned approximately two million Swiss francs, 1.2 million in salary, and the rest in bonuses. A report in London's The Sunday Times in June 2014 said the members of the committee had their salaries doubled from $100,000 to $200,000 during the year. The report also said leaked documents had indicated $4.4 million in secret bonuses had been paid to the committee members following the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Governance
FIFA
The laws that govern football, known officially as the Laws of the Game, are not solely the responsibility of FIFA; they are maintained by a body called the International Football Association Board (IFAB). FIFA has members on its board (four representatives); the other four are provided by the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, who jointly established IFAB in 1882 and are recognized for the creation and history of the game. Changes to the Laws of the Game must be agreed upon by at least six delegates.
The FIFA Statutes form the overarching document guiding FIFA's governing system. The governing system is divided into separate bodies with the appropriate powers to create a system of checks and balances. It consists of four general bodies: the Congress, the executive committee, the general Secretariat, and standing and ad hoc committees.
Discipline of national associations
FIFA frequently takes active roles in the running of the sport and developing the game around the world. One of its sanctions is to suspend teams and associated members from international competition when a government interferes in the running of FIFA's associate member organizations or if the associate is not functioning correctly.
A 2007 FIFA ruling that a player can be registered with a maximum of three clubs and appear in official matches for a maximum of two in a year measured from 1 July to 30 June has led to controversy, especially in those countries whose seasons cross that date barrier, as in the case of two former Ireland internationals. As a direct result of this controversy, FIFA modified this ruling the following year to accommodate transfers between leagues with out-of-phase seasons.
Video replay and goal-line technology
FIFA now permits the use of video evidence during matches, as well as for subsequent sanctions. However, for most of FIFA's history it stood opposed to its use. The 1970 meeting of the International Football Association Board "agreed to request the television authorities to refrain from any slow-motion play-back which reflected, or might reflect, adversely on any decision of the referee". As recently as 2008 FIFA president Sepp Blatter said: "Let it be as it is and let's leave [football] with errors. The television companies will have the right to say [the referee] was right or wrong, but still, the referee makes the decision – a man, not a machine." This stance was finally overturned on 3 March 2018, when the IFAB wrote video assistant referees (also known as VARs) into the Laws of the Game permanently. Their use remains optional for competitions.
In early July 2012 FIFA sanctioned the use of goal-line technology, subject to rules specified by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), who had officially approved its use by amending the Laws of the Game to permit (but not require) its use. This followed a high-profile incident during a second-round game in the 2010 FIFA World Cup between England and Germany, where a shot by Englishman Frank Lampard, which would have levelled the scores at 2–2 in a match that ultimately ended in a 4–1 German victory, crossed the line but was not seen to do so by the match officials, which led FIFA officials to declare that they would re-examine the use of goal-line technology.
Corruption
FIFA
The 2015 FIFA corruption scandal exposed a widespread bribery and corruption scheme within FIFA. This scandal implicated over two dozen FIFA officials and associates in a 24-year self-enrichment scheme that reached the highest levels of FIFA management. The scandal damaged its reputation and prompting widespread calls for significant reforms in the governance of international football.
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, by a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA suspended the participation of Russia. The Russian Football Union unsuccessfully appealed the FIFA ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld the ban.
In 2024 allegations against FIFA were made by 420 players from several countries claiming the organisation did not pay them agreed sums of money, the total reaching up to £3 million.
For the first time since 1962, FIFA rescinded a World Cup red-card suspension in 2026 after United States forward Folarin Balogun was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The reversal prompted criticism from football officials and governing bodies, who expressed concern that the decision could undermine confidence in FIFA's disciplinary process.
In 2026, in an effort create a $20 billion private commercial subsidiary, FIFA President Gianni Infantino proposed plans to sell a minority stake of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), an event management company, to private investors. Infantino's proposal was ultimately discontinued after heavy opposition and boycott threats from multiple football associations.
Anti-corruption initiatives
Since the 2010s, FIFA has implemented a variety of initiatives – such as the FIFA Ethics Committee – to combat corruption in international football to mixed results. FIFA banned Indonesia in 2015 due to government intervention within the team. FIFA faced public scrutiny in 2017 after the dismissal of ethics committee chairs Cornel Borbély and Hans-Joachim Eckert who claimed that the organization was unwilling to maintain an independent ethics office.
Recognition and awards
FIFA
FIFA holds an annual awards ceremony, The Best FIFA Football Awards since (/wiki/TheBestFIFAFootballAwards2016), which recognizes both individual and team achievements in international association football. Individually, the top men's player is awarded The Best FIFA Men's Player, and the top women's player is The Best FIFA Women's Player. Other prominent awards are The Best FIFA Football Coach and FIFA FIFPRO World 11.
FIFA presents many other awards each year, including the Ballon d'Or (which is jointly presented with the French Football Federation), given to the best and most popular player. The FIFA Puskás Award honors the most beautiful goal of the year, while the Golden Glove is awarded to the top-performing goalkeeper at each World Cup. Other notable awards include The FIFA Team of The Year, FIFA Player of The Century, and the Golden Boy award.
In 2000, FIFA presented two awards, FIFA Club of the Century and FIFA Player of the Century, to decide the greatest football club and player of the 20th century. Real Madrid was the club winner, while Diego Maradona and Pelé were the joint Player of the Century winners.
FIFA Peace Prize
On 6 November 2025, FIFA announced the creation of its FIFA Peace Prize—"an award to recognise exceptional actions for peace and unity... bestowed on behalf of all football-loving people from all around the world". At the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., on 5 December 2025, the inaugural prize was presented to Donald Trump, president of the United States, by head of FIFA Gianni Infantino. The creation of the prize and the choice of Trump as its first recipient generated widespread ridicule, scrutiny and controversy. Human rights groups, analysts, and soccer stakeholders questioned the transparency of the selection process, the suitability of the inaugural laureate, and the implications both for FIFA's claims of political neutrality and its human rights commitments.
FIFA variants
FIFA
• Association football: Recognized 1904 (men), 1988 (women) • Futsal: Recognized 1986 (men), 2023 (women) • Esports: Recognized 2004 • Beach soccer: Recognized 2005 (men), 2019 (women)
Current title holders
FIFA
<table><thead><tr><th>Competition</th><th rowspan="1"></th><th>Year</th><th>Champions</th><th>Details</th><th>Runners-up</th><th rowspan="1"></th><th>Next</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th colspan="8">Men's national teams</th></tr><tr><td>FIFA World Cup (qualification)</td><td rowspan="11"></td><td>2026 (qual.)</td><td>Spain </td><td>Final</td><td> Argentina</td><td rowspan="11"></td><td>2030 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>Men's Olympic Football Tournament (U-23)</td><td>2024 (qual.)</td><td>Spain</td><td>Final</td><td>France</td><td>2028 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA U-20 World Cup</td><td>2025 (qual.)</td><td>Morocco </td><td>Final</td><td> Argentina</td><td>2027 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA U-17 World Cup</td><td>2025 (qual.)</td><td>Portugal </td><td>Final</td><td> Austria</td><td>2026 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2026</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Futsal World Cup</td><td>2024 (qual.)</td><td>Brazil </td><td>Final</td><td> Argentina</td><td>2028 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup (see BSWW)</td><td>2025 (qual.)</td><td>Brazil </td><td>Final</td><td> Belarus</td><td>2027 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Series</td><td>2026</td><td>Australia Aruba Azerbaijan Bulgaria Finland Kazakhstan Puerto Rico Rwanda Uzbekistan </td><td>RR Final Final Final RR RR Final Final RR</td><td> Cameroon Liechtenstein Sierra Leone Indonesia New Zealand Namibia U.S. Virgin Islands Grenada Venezuela</td><td>2028</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Youth Series</td><td>2025</td><td>Paraguay </td><td>Final</td><td> New Zealand</td><td>2029</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Arab Cup (senior teams of the UAFA (Arab world))</td><td>2025 (qual.)</td><td>Morocco </td><td>Final</td><td> Jordan</td><td>2029</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA ASEAN Cup (senior teams of the AFF (Southeast Asia))</td><td>2026</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>2028</td></tr><tr><th colspan="8">Women's national teams</th></tr><tr><td>FIFA Women's World Cup (qualification)</td><td rowspan="7"></td><td>2023 (qual.)</td><td>Spain </td><td>Final</td><td> England</td><td rowspan="7"></td><td>2027 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>Women's Olympic Football Tournament</td><td>2024 (qual.)</td><td>United States </td><td>Final</td><td> Brazil</td><td>2028 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup</td><td>2024 (qual.)</td><td>North Korea </td><td>Final</td><td> Japan</td><td>2026 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA U-15 Women Worid Cup & Festival</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2027</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup</td><td>2025 (qual.)</td><td>North Korea </td><td>Final</td><td> Netherlands</td><td>2026 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup</td><td>2025 (qual.)</td><td>Brazil </td><td>Final</td><td> Portugal</td><td>2029 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Series</td><td>2026</td><td>Australia Brazil Ivory Coast Thailand </td><td>Final RR RR Final</td><td> Kenya Canada Mauritania DR Congo</td><td>2028</td></tr><tr><th colspan="8">Men's club teams</th></tr><tr><td>FIFA Club World Cup</td><td rowspan="2"></td><td>2025 (qual.)</td><td>Chelsea</td><td>Final</td><td>Paris Saint-Germain</td><td rowspan="2"></td><td>2029 (qual.)</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Intercontinental Cup</td><td>2025</td><td>Paris Saint-Germain</td><td>Final</td><td>Flamengo</td><td>2026</td></tr><tr><th colspan="8">Women's club teams</th></tr><tr><td>FIFA Women's Club World Cup</td><td rowspan="2"></td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td rowspan="2"></td><td>2028</td></tr><tr><td>FIFA Women's Champions Cup</td><td>2026</td><td>Arsenal</td><td>Final</td><td>Corinthians</td><td>2027</td></tr></tbody></table>
eSports
<table><thead><tr><th>Competition</th><th rowspan="11"></th><th>Season</th><th>Game</th><th>Winner (Player/Gamer ID)</th><th>Details</th><th>Runner-up (Player/Gamer ID)</th><th rowspan="11"></th><th>Next season</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th colspan="11">Esports</th></tr><tr><td rowspan="5">FIFAe World Cup</td><td>2023</td><td>EA Sports FIFA 23</td><td>ManuBachoore - Manuel Bachoore</td><td>Final</td><td>Mark Zakhary - Mark11</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>Football Manager 2024</td><td>Ichsan Taufiq (manager), Manar Hidayat (assistant)</td><td>Final</td><td>Sven Goly (manager), Terry Whenett (assistant)</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>2025</td><td>Rocket League</td><td>Théo Sabiani-juicy, Axel Touret-Vatira, Alexis Bernier-Zen</td><td>Final</td><td>Yazid Bakhashwin-Kiileerrz, Saleh Bakhashwin-Rw9, Mohammed Alotaibi-trk511</td><td>2026</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">2025</td><td>eFootball Console</td><td>Ostrybuch, Zilo, Rdk.GG (coach)</td><td>Final</td><td>SupremaEttorito, Naples, thesvnom (coach)</td><td rowspan="2">2026</td></tr><tr><td>eFootball Mobile</td><td>JXMKT</td><td>Final</td><td>JUNINHOEFOITBALL</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">FIFAe Club World Cup (part of the FIFAe Club Series)</td><td>2023</td><td>EA Sports FIFA 23</td><td>RBLZ Gaming</td><td>Final</td><td>FUTWIZ</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>2026</td><td>Football Manager 2026</td><td></td><td>Final</td><td></td><td>2027</td></tr><tr><td>FIFAe Nations Series (part of the FIFAe Nations Cup)</td><td>2023</td><td>EA Sports FIFA 23</td><td>(Paulo Henrique Chaves) (Pedro Henrique Soares) (Paulo Neto)</td><td>Final</td><td>(Levi de Weerd) (Manuel Bachoore) (Emre Yilmaz)</td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>FIFAe Continental Cup</td><td>2023</td><td>FIFA Online 4</td><td>FaZe Clan</td><td>Final</td><td>Manchester City Esports</td><td>N/A</td></tr></tbody></table>
Sponsors of FIFA
FIFA Partners
• Adidas • Aramco • Coca-Cola • Hyundai–Kia • Lenovo • Qatar Airways • Visa
FIFA+
FIFA
Previous logo (2022–2025)
In April 2022 FIFA launched FIFA+, an OTT service providing up to 40,000 live matches per year, including 11,000 women's matches. It was also confirmed that FIFA would make available archival content, including every FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup match recorded on camera, together with original documentary content. Eleven Sports was later reported to be responsible for populating the FIFA+ platform with live matches.
FIFA+ broadcast all matches of the youth World Cups in both genders, starting with the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. FIFA+ also showed the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup live in selected regions such as Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand.
FIFA+ have the rights to competitions in Oceania including the OFC Champions League and the OFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. They also have rights to the New Zealand domestic competitions and national teams.
FIFA+ was launched exclusively on DAZN in June 2026.
Competitions
As of 16 May 2025 FIFA+ covers the following competitions:
International
• OFC Women's Champions League • OFC U-16 Men's Championship • OFC U-16 Women's Championship • OFC Men's Champions League • OFC U-19 Men's Championship • OFC U-19 Women's Championship • OFC Men's Nations Cup • CAFA Nations Cup (final and third-place match only) • UNCAF Women's Interclub Championship • COSAFA Cup • COSAFA Women's Champions League • COSAFA Women's Championship • COSAFA U-17 Youth Championship • COSAFA U-17 Women's Championship
Channels
• Plex (FIFA+) • Eurosport India (FIFA+) • mewatch (FIFA+) • TrueVisions (FIFA+) 634 • Xfinity (FIFA+) • DAZN (FIFA+)