|
 The
Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was
founded in the rear of the headquarters of the Union Française
de Sports Athlétiques in Paris on 21 May 1904. The foundation
act was signed by the authorized representatives of the
following Associations:
-
France - Union
des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques USFSA
-
Belgium - Union
Belge des Sociétés de Sports UBSSA
-
Denmark - Dansk
Boldspil Union DBU
-
Netherlands -
Nederlandsche Voetbal Bond NVB
-
Spain - Madrid
Football Club
-
Sweden -
Svenska Bollspells Förbundet SBF
-
Switzerland -
Association Suisse de Football ASF
FIFA
gets its shape
The first FIFA Congress held two
days later on 23 May 1904 elected Robert Guérin (FRA) as
President. Victor E.
 Schneider (SUI) and Carl Anton Wilhelm
Hirschmann (NED) were made Vice-Presidents. Louis Muhlinghaus (BEL)
was appointed Secretary and Treasurer, with the assistance of Ludvig Sylow (DEN). These pioneers were faced with an immense
task because FIFA only existed on paper so to speak. One had to
give it shape, create Associations as true national
representations and get hold of new members. In the first place,
the English had to be convinced that their membership to this
newly created organization was indispensable.
FIFA only
consisted of European Associations up until 1909. The first
members from overseas joined in the following order: South
Africa in 1909/1910, Argentina and Chile in 1912, USA in 1913.
This was the start of FIFA's international activities. The long
path towards full expansion had been sketched out.
World Cup Summaries
1930 |
1934 |
1938 |
1950 |
1954 |
1958 |
1962 |
1966 |
1970 |
1974 |
1978 |
1982 |
1986 |
1990 |
1994 |
1998 |
2002
Women's World Cup
Summaries
1991 |
1995 |
1999 |
2003
More associations to follow
The
start of the first World War (1914) caused a major interruption.
And yet, all the international relations were not broken, even
if they were only maintained on a small scale. Jules Rimet
became 3rd President on 1 March 1921. FIFA became the life task
of the then 48 year-old Frenchman. When he took over the world
football federation, the latter which had been shaken by the I
World War, counted 20 members. The British had left in unison
and neither Brazil nor Uruguay were present. In the 33 years of
his presidency, FIFA experienced an incredible upswing in spite
of the II World War. One ought to talk about a "Jules Rimet Era"
because he managed to reorganize FIFA and to materialize the
dream of a World Cup. On passing on the reins of FIFA in 1954,
when he opened his 5th World Cup in Switzerland, FIFA counted 85
members!
Planning the first FIFA World Cup
 The resonance at the Olympic Games
intensified FlFA's wish for its own world championship.
Following a remarkable proposal of the Executive Committee, the
FIFA Congress in May 1928 decided to stage a world championship
organized by
FIFA. Now, the
organizing country had to be chosen.
Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden
submitted their candidatures. Right from the start, Uruguay was
the favorite for important reasons: The country of the twofold
Olympic winner (in 1924 and 1928) was celebrating its 100th
anniversary of independence in 1930 at great expense.
The first World
Cup was opened at the Centenary Stadium in Montevideo on 18 July
1930. A new epoch had begun for world football.
Four years later,
the "Father of the World-Cup" Jules Rimet saw his wish
fulfilled, when the 3rd World Cup took place in France, his home
country.
The FIFA World
Cup should have taken place for the 4th time in 1942. However,
the appointment of an organizer was renounced at the Congress in
Paris in 1938. The 1942 World Cup never took place. One had to
wait until 1 July 1946 for the next Congress. There was only one
candidate for the next World Cup Brazil was chosen unanimously.
Return of the British Associations
1946 saw the return of the four
British Associations to FIFA. This was again thanks to the
diplomatic talent of Jules Rimet who found in Arthur Drewry and
Sir Stanley Rous farsighted partners in the other party.
Four years later, at the fifth FIFA
World Cup in Switzerland the 80 year-old President retired at
the Congress in Bern. He became the first Honorary President on
that 21 June 1954. For the last time, the " Father of the World
Cup" presented the captain of the victorious German team with
the "Jules Rimet Cup" and so departed from the top rank.
50th Anniversary
 The Belgian, Rodolphe William
Seeldrayers was the fourth President of FIFA. In his new
function, he could celebrate the 50th Anniversary of FIFA, which
now counted 85 members. After having assisted Jules Rimet as
Vice-President for over 25 years, he died in October 1955. His
successor was Arthur Drewry who was elected on 9 June 1956, but
had already headed FIFA for over half a year on an interim
basis. He chaired the Study Committee for the new FIFA Statutes
and opened the 6th World Cup in Stockholm in 1958 which
proceeded very positively. Arthur Drewry died in 1961 at 70.
FIFA operations
were then controlled by the Swiss, Ernst B. Thommen until the
Extraordinary Congress on 28 September 1961. As Chairman of the
Organizing Committee for the 1954,1958 and 1962 FIFA World Cups,
he did a great deal for the world football federation. Sir
Stanley Rous was elected 6th President of FIFA.
Among the first
steps taken by newly independent nations was their affiliation
to FIFA. So, the number of members grew steadily. The TV
transmission of the World Cup also considerably contributed
towards the worldwide expansion. As a private institution, FIFA
received neither governmental subsidies nor funds from other
sources. Funds strictly came from profits from the FIFA World
Cup. It hardly seemed possible to accomplish more without taking
risks. Thus, with a great deal of self-sacrifice, one went about
consolidating and maintaining the work. Sir Stanley Rous
achieved all this. In recognition of his merits, he was made
Honorary President of FIFA in Frankfurt on 11 June 1974. On that
day, the Brazilian Dr. João Havelange took over the reins of
FIFA.
A New Era
When Dr. João Havelange was elected
at the 39th Congress in 1974, he was ready to consider football
not only as a competition, but also to try and find new ways and
means to worldwide technical development and to prepare new
generations for this.
Havelange's
installation in FIFA's headquarters heralded the dawn of a new
era. Previously, with survival depending almost exclusively on
limited resources from World Championships in four-yearly
intervals, FIFA had been somewhat conservative and reserved when
it came to taking decisions. Administrative energy had been
concentrated on consolidating and maintaining the status quo. In
no time, Havelange transformed an administration-oriented
institution into a dynamic enterprise brimming with new ideas
and the will to see them through. The actual address in Zurich
has not altered but instead of the romantic Derwald Villa on the
Zurichberg, where in 1974 a staff of twelve used to coordinate
the fate of world football, there are now five different office
buildings housing more than 120 employees coming to grips with
an ever increasing workload.
Globalization
Over the past 25 years football has
not only taken root as the world's major game in an ephemeral
world but has also blossomed in other branches of society,
commerce and politics. Football, more than any other factor, has
enveloped whole regions, people and nations. With approximately
two hundred million active players it now constitutes a
substantial chunk of the leisure industry, having opened up new
markets for itself and for the rest of the business world.
204 Member Associations
On 8 June 1998 Joseph S. Blatter (SUI)
was elected as the successor to João Havelange as the eighth
FIFA President. This victory at the 51st FIFA Ordinary Congress
in Paris elevated Blatter, who had already served FIFA in
various positions for 23 years, onto the highest rung in
international football.
Related Information
History of the FIFA World Cup
|
History of the FIFA World Cup Trophy |
History of the FIFA Women's World Cup
|
History of the World's Game
|
Jules Rimet Cup |
World Soccer Origins |
History of CONCACAF |
Olympic Soccer History |
