The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the international governing body for association football (soccer), beach soccer, and futsal. Founded in 1904, FIFA aims to oversee international competitions among its 211 member national associations. Headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, FIFA divides its members into six regional confederations: CAF (Africa), AFC (Asia), UEFA (Europe), CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean), OFC (Oceania), and CONMEBOL (South America).
May 1904: FIFA Founded
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in May 1904 at the headquarters of the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA) in Paris.
1904: FIFA Founded
In 1904, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in Paris to oversee international competition among the national associations of its founding members: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain (represented by Madrid Football Club at the time), Sweden, and Switzerland.
1906: Daniel Burley Woolfall Becomes FIFA President
Daniel Burley Woolfall from England became FIFA's president in 1906.
1906: Daniel Burley Woolfall Becomes FIFA President
Daniel Burley Woolfall served as FIFA president from 1906.
1908: First FIFA-Organized Tournament
In 1908, FIFA staged its first tournament: the association football competition for the 1908 Olympics in London.
1909: South Africa Joins FIFA
South Africa's application to join FIFA was accepted in 1909.
1912: Argentina Joins FIFA
Argentina's application to join FIFA was accepted in 1912.
1912: Spalding Athletic Library Publishes FIFA Information
The 1912 Spalding Athletic Library "Official Guide" includes information on FIFA, the 1912 Olympics, and the AAFA.
1913: Canada and Chile Join FIFA
Canada and Chile's applications to join FIFA were both accepted in 1913.
1914: United States Joins FIFA
The United States's application to join FIFA was accepted in 1914.
1918: Daniel Burley Woolfall's Presidency Ends
Daniel Burley Woolfall's tenure as FIFA president ended in 1918.
1930: Inaugural FIFA World Cup
The first FIFA World Cup, a major international football tournament, was held in 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay.
1930: Inaugural FIFA World Cup
The first FIFA World Cup, a major international football tournament, was held in 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay.
1970: International Football Association Board Discourages Slow-Motion Replays
In 1970, the International Football Association Board decided to request television companies to refrain from showing slow-motion replays that could cast doubt on the referee's decisions.
1991: First FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA held the inaugural Women's World Cup, a major international football tournament, in 1991.
1994: FIFA Adopts Anthem
FIFA adopted an anthem composed by German composer Franz Lambert for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and has continued to use it since.
1998: Extraordinary FIFA Congress Sessions Held Annually
Since 1998, extraordinary sessions of the FIFA Congress have been held annually.
2000: FIFA Names Real Madrid Club of the Century and Diego Maradona and Pelé as Players of the Century
In the year 2000, FIFA awarded Real Madrid the title of "FIFA Club of the Century." The "FIFA Player of the Century" award was shared by two football legends, Diego Maradona and Pelé.
May 2006: Andrew Jennings Publishes "Foul! The Secret World of FIFA"
In May 2006, a book titled "Foul! The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote-Rigging, and Ticket Scandals" by Andrew Jennings, a British investigative journalist, was published. The book exposed alleged corruption within FIFA, sending shockwaves through the football community.
June 2006: BBC Panorama Airs Exposé on FIFA Corruption
Following the publication of Andrew Jennings' book, BBC's Panorama program aired an exposé in June 2006, further detailing the alleged corruption within FIFA and prompting investigations into Sepp Blatter's involvement.
2007: FIFA Implements Controversial Player Registration Ruling
In 2007, FIFA established a rule allowing players to register with a maximum of three clubs and play for two within a year. This rule sparked controversy, especially in countries with seasons crossing the July 1 to June 30 timeframe.
2007: FIFA Requires Anthem in Broadcasts
Starting in 2007, FIFA began requiring that most of its broadcast partners use short sequences of the FIFA anthem at the beginning and end of FIFA event coverage and for break bumpers.
2008: Sepp Blatter Reaffirms Opposition to Video Technology
In 2008, FIFA president Sepp Blatter publicly reiterated FIFA's stance against using video technology in football, emphasizing the human element of refereeing.
November 2010: Panorama Exposé Alleges Bribery in FIFA
In November 2010, a Panorama exposé alleged that senior FIFA officials Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou, and Ricardo Teixeira had received bribes from ISL between 1989 and 1999. The exposé also alleged that Jack Warner was involved in reselling World Cup tickets.
November 2010: FIFA Bans Officials for Vote Selling
Two FIFA executive committee members were banned from all football activities in November 2010 after allegedly offering to sell their votes to undercover reporters.
2010: Blatter Promises FIFA Reform
After being re-elected, Sepp Blatter vowed to implement reforms within FIFA following the bribery scandal, leading to expectations of significant changes.
2010: Original African Music Used for Bumpers During World Cup
An original piece of African music was used for bumpers during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as an exception to FIFA's requirement that broadcasters use the FIFA anthem.
2010: Controversial No-Goal Incident Prompts Goal-Line Technology Review
During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a controversial incident occurred in a game between England and Germany, where a shot by Frank Lampard appeared to cross the goal line but was not awarded as a goal. This led FIFA to reevaluate the use of goal-line technology.
2010: Mel Brennan Publicly Accuses CONCACAF and FIFA of Corruption
In 2010, Mel Brennan, a former CONCACAF official, made public allegations of corruption and misconduct within both CONCACAF and FIFA, marking a significant moment in exposing the organizations' wrongdoings.
2010: Secret Bonuses Paid to FIFA Committee Members After World Cup
Leaked documents revealed that secret bonuses were paid to FIFA committee members after the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, as reported by The Sunday Times.
May 2011: FIFA Investigates Alleged Bribery
In May 2011, FIFA launched an investigation into alleged bribery during the 2011 presidential election, with accusations against Mohamed Bin Hammam and Jack Warner.
May 2011: Bribery Allegations from Bahamas
In May 2011, Fred Lunn of the Bahamas Football Association alleged he received a $40,000 bribe to vote for Bin Hammam in the FIFA presidential election.
May 2011: FIFA to Meet with Whistleblower
FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced that The Sunday Times agreed to present its source, who claimed that FIFA executive committee members were bribed to vote for Qatar, to FIFA officials for a potential investigation.
May 2011: FIFA Considers Reopening 2022 World Cup Vote
Following allegations of bribery in the 2022 World Cup bid, FIFA considered reopening the vote if corruption was proven.
June 2011: Bribery Allegations from Suriname
In June 2011, Louis Giskus of the Surinamese Football Association claimed he was given $40,000 as a bribe to vote for Bin Hammam.
June 2011: IOC Investigates FIFA Honorary President
In June 2011, the International Olympic Committee began an inquiry into FIFA honorary president João Havelange, following allegations of bribery from ISL in 1997.
October 2011: Criticism of FIFA's Lack of Transparency
Dick Pound, a prominent sports figure, criticized FIFA in October 2011 for its lack of transparency and inadequate response to corruption allegations.
2011: FIFA Management Committee Compensation Revealed
In 2011, FIFA's financial reports revealed that the total compensation for the 35-member management committee was $30 million.
July 2012: FIFA Appoints Corruption Investigators
In July 2012, FIFA appointed Michael J. Garcia and Hans-Joachim Eckert as chairmen to investigate corruption within the organization.
July 2012: FIFA Approves Goal-Line Technology
In July 2012, FIFA officially sanctioned the use of goal-line technology in football, following rules set by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). This decision came after a controversial incident in the 2010 World Cup where a goal was not awarded despite the ball crossing the line.
August 2012: Investigation into World Cup Bids Begins
In August 2012, Garcia announced an investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, focusing on potential corruption.
2013: Guilty Pleas in FIFA Corruption Case
Between 2013 and 2015, four individuals and two sports television rights corporations pled guilty to financial misconduct charges in the United States.
June 2014: The Sunday Times Exposes FIFA Bonuses and Salary Increases
In June 2014, The Sunday Times in London reported that FIFA committee members had their salaries doubled and received $4.4 million in secret bonuses following the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
September 2014: Garcia Delivers Corruption Report
Michael J. Garcia delivered a 350-page report in September 2014 detailing findings from his investigation into the World Cup bidding process.
December 2014: Garcia Resigns in Protest
Garcia criticized Eckert's summary and resigned from his role as FIFA ethics investigator in December 2014, citing a lack of leadership and transparency within FIFA.
2014: Sportswriter Calls for FIFA's Abolition
American sportswriter Dave Zirin argued in 2014 that FIFA's inherent corruption necessitates its abolishment for the well-being of football. He proposed separate entities for monitoring corruption and for marketing and selling the sport.
May 2015: FIFA Officials Arrested on Corruption Charges
Fourteen people, including nine FIFA officials, were arrested in May 2015 on corruption charges.
May 2015: FIFA Officials Arrested Amid Corruption Allegations
In May 2015, Swiss authorities arrested several high-ranking FIFA officials following allegations of corruption, bribery, and vote-rigging related to the organization's decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively.
May 2015: US Indicts FIFA Officials on RICO Charges
May 2015 saw the United States Department of Justice indict fourteen FIFA officials and marketing executives. The officials, arrested in Switzerland, faced extradition to the US on charges including wire fraud, racketeering, and money laundering.
June 2015: Swiss Authorities Dismiss Report
Swiss authorities declared the Garcia report of little value in June 2015.
September 2015: Sepp Blatter Suggests Predetermined World Cup Host
In September 2015, Sepp Blatter suggested that the decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia was made before the official vote. He claimed that the initial plan was to award the 2022 World Cup to the United States, but the plan changed during the election.
February 2016: Gianni Infantino Elected FIFA President
In February 2016, Gianni Infantino was elected as the new president of FIFA at an extraordinary congress session. This followed the suspension of former president Sepp Blatter due to a corruption investigation.
2016: FIFA Introduces The Best FIFA Football Awards
In 2016, FIFA launched its annual awards ceremony, The Best FIFA Football Awards. This event was created to acknowledge both individual and team achievements within international association football.
May 2017: FIFA Council Removes Ethics Committee Members
In May 2017, the FIFA Council decided not to renew the mandates of ethics committee chairmen Cornel Borbély and Hans-Joachim Eckert, leading to their removal, alongside 11 other committee members, following allegations of corruption within FIFA.
March 2018: IFAB Officially Approves VARs in Football
In March 2018, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) made a significant change to the Laws of the Game by officially approving the use of video assistant referees (VARs). This marked a shift from FIFA's long-standing opposition to video evidence in football.
2018: Russia Hosts World Cup
Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
2018: Allegations of Bribery in World Cup Bid
There were allegations of bribery during the bidding process for the 2018 World Cup.
2018: Switzerland Investigates FIFA World Cup Bids
Swiss authorities launched a criminal investigation into FIFA's operations related to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
2018: Russia Hosts World Cup
Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
2018: FIFA Revises Code of Ethics
In a controversial move, FIFA revised its code of ethics in 2018, removing "corruption" and introducing a statute of limitations for pursuing offenses.
2018: World Cup Awarded to Russia Amid Controversy
FIFA awarded the 2018 World Cup to Russia, which sparked controversy and allegations of corruption within the organization.
2018: England Criticizes Timing of Panorama Exposé
England's Prime Minister and the head of England's World Cup bid criticized the timing of the Panorama exposé, which aired just days before the vote for the 2018 World Cup host, fearing it would hurt England's chances.
2018: Allegations of Misconduct in 2018 World Cup Bid
David Triesman, former head of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup, accused four FIFA executive committee members of unethical conduct during the bidding process.
2021: List of FIFA Members Updated
FIFA updated its list of members in 2021.
April 2022: FIFA Launches FIFA+ OTT Service
April 2022 marked the launch of FIFA+, an over-the-top (OTT) streaming service by FIFA. This platform was designed to offer a wide range of football content, including live matches, archival footage, and original documentaries.
November 2022: FIFA Tells Players to Avoid Politics
In November 2022, FIFA instructed players to refrain from political involvement while in Qatar for the World Cup, sparking criticism from players and associations.
2022: Qatar Hosts World Cup
Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
2022: Australia Questions Future World Cup Bids
Following the corruption scandal, Australia expressed concerns about FIFA's practices and questioned future bids after spending millions on their 2022 bid.
2022: Qatar Hosts World Cup
Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
2022: Al Jazeera's Alleged Payment to FIFA
Leaked documents obtained by The Sunday Times alleged that Qatar's state-run television channel, Al Jazeera, offered FIFA $400 million for broadcasting rights shortly before Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup.
2022: Warner Alleges Qatari Bribery
Following his suspension, Jack Warner alleged that Qatar had bribed its way to secure the 2022 World Cup, a claim Qatar denied.
2022: Suspicions of Corruption Regarding Qatar World Cup
FIFA faced suspicions of corruption regarding the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
2022: World Cup Awarded to Qatar Amid Controversy
FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, which sparked controversy and allegations of corruption within the organization.
2022: Allegations of Bribery in World Cup Bid
Allegations of bribery and financial influence arose concerning Qatar's bid for the 2022 World Cup.