History of FIFA in Timeline
FIFA, or the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, is the international governing body for association football, beach soccer, and futsal. Established on May 21, 1904, it was created to manage international competitions between national associations, initially including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, FIFA currently consists of 211 national associations, each of which is also a member of one of six regional confederations: CAF, AFC, UEFA, CONCACAF, OFC, and CONMEBOL.
1906: Daniel Burley Woolfall Presidency Begins
Daniel Burley Woolfall became president of FIFA in 1906.
1906: Daniel Burley Woolfall Replaces Robert Guérin as FIFA President
In 1906, Daniel Burley Woolfall from England replaced Robert Guérin as the president of FIFA.
1908: FIFA Stages Association Football Competition for the Olympics
In 1908, FIFA staged its first tournament, the association football competition for the London Olympics, which was more successful than its Olympic predecessors.
1909: South Africa Joins FIFA
In 1909, South Africa became a member of FIFA, expanding the organization beyond Europe.
1912: Spalding Athletic Library Includes Information on FIFA
The 1912 Spalding Athletic Library "Official Guide" includes information on the 1912 Olympics (scores and stories), AAFA, and FIFA.
1913: Royal Spanish Football Federation Creation
The Royal Spanish Football Federation was created in 1913.
1914: United States Joins FIFA
In 1914, the United States became a member of FIFA.
1918: End of Daniel Burley Woolfall's Presidency
Daniel Burley Woolfall's presidency ended in 1918.
1930: Inaugural FIFA World Cup
In 1930, FIFA organized and promoted the first major international tournament, the World Cup.
1930: First FIFA World Cup Held in Uruguay
In 1930, the first World Cup was held in Montevideo, Uruguay.
1970: IFAB Requests Television Authorities to Refrain From Slow-Motion Replays
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".
1989: ISL Allegedly Pays Bribes to FIFA Officials
In 1989, it was alleged that ISL started paying bribes to FIFA officials to secure the marketing contract for successive World Cups, as revealed in a Panorama exposé in November 2010.
1991: Inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup
In 1991, FIFA commenced the Women's World Cup.
1994: Adoption of FIFA Anthem
Since the 1994 FIFA World Cup, FIFA has adopted an anthem composed by Franz Lambert.
1997: Alleged Bribe Accepted by João Havelange
In 1997, Panorama alleged that João Havelange accepted a $1 million 'bung' from ISL, leading to an IOC inquiry in June 2011.
1998: Extraordinary Sessions Held Once a Year Since 1998
Extraordinary sessions of the FIFA Congress have been held once a year since 1998.
1999: ISL Allegedly Continues Paying Bribes to FIFA Officials
In 1999, it was alleged that ISL continued paying bribes to FIFA officials until this year to secure the marketing contract for successive World Cups, as revealed in a Panorama exposé in November 2010.
2000: FIFA Club and Player of the Century Awards
In 2000, FIFA presented two awards: FIFA Club of the Century, which was awarded to Real Madrid, and FIFA Player of the Century, which was jointly awarded to Diego Maradona and Pelé, to decide the greatest football club and player of the 20th century.
May 2006: Publication of "Foul! The Secret World of FIFA"
In May 2006, British investigative reporter Andrew Jennings' book, "Foul! The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote-Rigging, and Ticket Scandals", caused controversy within the football world. The book detailed an alleged international cash-for-contracts scandal and revealed how some football officials had been urged to secretly repay the sweeteners they received.
June 2006: BBC Panorama Exposé on FIFA
In June 2006, a BBC Panorama exposé by Andrew Jennings and BBC producer Roger Corke reported that Sepp Blatter was being investigated by Swiss police over his role in a secret deal to repay more than £1m worth of bribes pocketed by football officials.
2007: FIFA Ruling on Player Registration Leads to Controversy
In 2007, a 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 led to controversy, especially in countries with seasons crossing the date barrier of 1 July to 30 June.
2007: FIFA Requires Broadcast Partners to Use Anthem Sequences
Since 2007, FIFA has 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.
2008: Sepp Blatter's Stance Against Video Evidence in Football
In 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."
November 2010: Further Panorama Exposé on FIFA Bribes
In November 2010, a further Panorama exposé alleged that three senior FIFA officials, Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou, and Ricardo Teixeira, had been paid huge bribes by ISL between 1989 and 1999. The program also alleged that another current official, Jack Warner, has been repeatedly involved in reselling World Cup tickets to touts.
November 2010: FIFA Executive Committee Members Banned for Alleged Vote Selling
In November 2010, two members of FIFA's executive committee were banned from all football-related activity for allegedly offering to sell their votes to undercover newspaper reporters.
2010: High-Profile Incident in 2010 FIFA World Cup Leads to Re-Examination of Goal-Line Technology
During a second-round game in the 2010 FIFA World Cup between England and Germany, a shot by Frank Lampard crossed the line but was not seen by the match officials, leading FIFA to re-examine the use of goal-line technology.
2010: Allegations of Corruption by CONCACAF and FIFA Leadership
In 2010, Mel Brennan, a former CONCACAF official, went public with substantial allegations of corruption, nonfeasance, and malfeasance by CONCACAF and FIFA leadership. Brennan exposed allegedly inappropriate allocations of money by CONCACAF and drew connections between ostensible CONCACAF criminality and similar behaviors at FIFA. He has since called for an alternative to FIFA.
2010: Use of African Music for Bumpers During 2010 FIFA World Cup
In 2010, an original piece of African music was used for bumpers during the FIFA World Cup, as an exception to the usual anthem sequences.
2010: $4.4 Million in Secret Bonuses Paid to FIFA Committee Members After 2010 World Cup
Leaked documents indicated that $4.4 million in secret bonuses had been paid to FIFA committee members following the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
May 2011: British Parliamentary Inquiry into England's Failed 2018 Bid
In early May 2011, a British parliamentary inquiry was told by a member of parliament, Damian Collins, that there was evidence from The Sunday Times newspaper that Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Jacques Anouma of Ivory Coast were paid by Qatar to secure the 2018 finals.
May 2011: Allegations of Bribery in Qatar's World Cup Bid
In early May 2011, a whistle-blower claimed that FIFA executive committee members Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma were paid $1.5 million to vote for Qatar in the 2022 World Cup bid.
May 2011: FIFA Opens Investigation into Four Officials
On May 25, 2011, FIFA announced the opening of an investigation into the conduct of four officials—Mohamed Bin Hammam, Jack Warner, Debbie Minguell, and Jason Sylvester—regarding alleged ethics violations during the 2011 FIFA presidential election.
May 2011: Bahamas Football Association VP Alleges $40,000 Bribe
On May 30, 2011, Fred Lunn, vice-president of the Bahamas Football Association, reported being offered $40,000 in cash as an inducement to vote for Mohamed bin Hammam in the FIFA presidential election.
May 2011: The Sunday Times Agrees to Bring Whistleblower
On May 23, 2011, FIFA president Blatter announced that The Sunday Times had agreed to bring its whistle-blowing source to meet with senior FIFA officials, who would decide whether to order a new investigation into alleged World Cup bidding corruption.
June 2011: IOC Inquiry Against João Havelange
In June 2011, the International Olympic Committee started inquiry proceedings against FIFA honorary president João Havelange into claims of bribery.
June 2011: Surinamese FA President Alleges $40,000 Incentive
On June 11, 2011, Louis Giskus, president of the Surinamese Football Association, alleged he received $40,000 in cash for "development projects" as an incentive to vote for Mohamed Bin Hammam.
October 2011: Dick Pound Criticizes FIFA's Governance
In October 2011, Dick Pound criticized FIFA, stating that the organization had fallen short of demonstrating its recognition of the problems it faced and its willingness to solve them, and lacked transparency.
2011: Total Compensation for FIFA Management Committee in 2011
In 2011, the total compensation for the FIFA management committee was 30 million for 35 people.
July 2012: FIFA Appoints Ethics Committee Chairmen
In July 2012, following anti-corruption reforms announced by Sepp Blatter, FIFA appointed US lawyer Michael J. Garcia as chairman of the investigative chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, and German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert as chairman of the Ethics Committee's adjudication chamber.
July 2012: FIFA Sanctions the Use of Goal-Line Technology
In early July 2012, FIFA sanctioned the use of goal-line technology, subject to rules specified by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
2013: Financial Misconduct Charges by Individuals and Corporations
Between 2013 and 2015, four individuals and two sports television rights corporations pleaded guilty to United States financial misconduct charges, with the pleas unsealed in May 2015.
June 2014: FIFA Committee Salaries Doubled
A report in London's The Sunday Times in June 2014 stated that FIFA committee members had their salaries doubled from $100,000 to $200,000 during the year.
September 2014: Garcia Delivers Report on World Cup Bids
In September 2014, Michael Garcia delivered his 350-page report on the investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding processes. However, Hans-Joachim Eckert announced that the report would not be made public for legal reasons.
December 2014: Garcia Resigns as FIFA Ethics Investigator
In December 2014, Michael Garcia resigned from his role as FIFA ethics investigator in protest of FIFA's conduct, citing a "lack of leadership" and lost confidence in the independence of Eckert from FIFA. Prior to this, FIFA's Appeal Committee dismissed Garcia's appeal against the Eckert summary.
2014: Dave Zirin on Corruption in FIFA Leadership
In a 2014 interview, American sportswriter Dave Zirin stated that corruption is endemic to FIFA leadership and that the organization should be abolished for the good of the game. He suggested separating the monitoring of corruption from the marketing and selling of the sport into two organizational bodies.
May 2015: Arrests of FIFA Officials on Corruption Charges
In May 2015, 14 people were arrested, including nine FIFA officials, after being accused of corruption.
May 2015: Arrest of FIFA Officials in Switzerland
In May 2015, FIFA's top officials were arrested at a hotel in Switzerland on suspicion of receiving bribes totaling $100 million (£65 million). The US Department of Justice stated that nine FIFA officials and four executives of sports management companies were arrested and accused of over $150 million in bribes.
May 2015: Indictment of FIFA Officials and Marketing Executives
In May 2015, fourteen FIFA officials and marketing executives were indicted by the United States Department of Justice. The officials were arrested in Switzerland and faced charges including wire fraud, racketeering, and money laundering.
May 2015: Unsealing of Guilty Pleas in US Financial Misconduct Charges
In May 2015, the pleas of Chuck Blazer, José Hawilla, Daryan Warner, Darrell Warner, Traffic Group, and Traffic Sports USA, relating to United States financial misconduct charges between 2013 and 2015, were unsealed.
May 2015: FIFA Officials Arrested Amidst Corruption Allegations
On 27 May 2015, Swiss authorities arrested several high-ranking FIFA officials due to corruption, bribery, and vote-rigging allegations related to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup awards.
May 2015: 2015 FIFA Corruption Scandal Exposed
On 27 May 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted 14 FIFA officials and marketing executives, charging them with receiving approximately $150 million in bribes over two decades, exposing a widespread bribery and corruption scheme within FIFA.
June 2015: Swiss Authorities Claim Report is of "little value"
In June 2015, Swiss authorities claimed the report was of "little value".
September 2015: Sepp Blatter Suggests Pre-Planned World Cup Awards
On September 28, 2015, Sepp Blatter suggested that the 2018 World Cup being awarded to Russia was planned before the voting, and the 2022 World Cup would have been awarded to the United States, but this plan changed after the election ballot, and the 2022 World Cup was awarded to Qatar instead of the US.
February 2016: Gianni Infantino Elected FIFA President
On 26 February 2016, Gianni Infantino was elected as the president of FIFA at an extraordinary FIFA Congress session after Sepp Blatter was suspended.
2016: The Best FIFA Football Awards Inaugurated
Since 2016, FIFA has been holding The Best FIFA Football Awards annually. These awards recognize individual and team achievements in international association football, with prominent awards including The Best FIFA Men's Player, The Best FIFA Women's Player, The Best FIFA Football Coach, and FIFA FIFPRO World 11.
May 2017: FIFA Council Decides Not to Renew Mandates of Ethics Committee Chairmen
On 9 May 2017, The FIFA Council decided not to renew the mandates of Cornel Borbély and Hans-Joachim Eckert, the chairmen of the ethics committee, following a proposal from Gianni Infantino. Together with the chairmen, 11 of 13 committee members were removed.
March 2018: IFAB Writes Video Assistant Referees (VARs) into the Laws of the Game
On 3 March 2018, the IFAB wrote video assistant referees (VARs) into the Laws of the Game permanently.
2018: Criticism of 2018 World Cup Awarded to Russia
In 2018, FIFA's choice to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia has been widely criticized by the media, with allegations of Russian kickbacks securing the bid. Sepp Blatter was criticized for warning about the "evils of the media" before the vote.
2018: Criticism of Panorama Broadcast Timing
In 2018, Prime Minister David Cameron and Andy Anson, head of England's World Cup bid, criticized the timing of the Panorama broadcast because it might damage England's bid for hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
2018: Criminal Investigation into 2018 World Cup Bids
In 2018, Swiss authorities opened a separate criminal investigation into FIFA's operations pertaining to the 2018 World Cup bids.
2018: Allegations Against FIFA Officials in 2018 Bidding
In 2018, allegations against FIFA officials have also been made to the UK Parliament by David Triesman, the former head of England's bid and the English Football Association. Triesman told the lawmakers that four long-standing FIFA executive committee members—Jack Warner, Nicolás Leoz, Ricardo Teixeira and Worawi Makudi—engaged in "improper and unethical" conduct in the 2018 bidding, which was won by Russia.
2018: Allegations of Bribery in 2018 FIFA World Cup Bidding
In May 2011, a British parliamentary inquiry heard allegations that Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma were paid by Qatar in relation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup bidding process. Qatar, Hayatou, and Anouma all denied the allegations.
2018: Allegation of Pre-Planned 2018 World Cup Award to Russia
In September 2015, Sepp Blatter suggested that the 2018 World Cup being awarded to Russia was planned before the voting.
2018: Allegations of Corruption Surrounding the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Reports surfaced linking FIFA leadership with corruption, bribery, and vote-rigging related to the organization's decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia.
2018: Bribery Allegations Related to Awarding of 2018 World Cup
The 2015 FIFA corruption scandal included accusations of bribery related to the awarding of hosting rights for the 2018 World Cup to Russia.
2019: Start of FIFA Financial Cycle
The 2019-2022 financial cycle for FIFA began.
February 2022: FIFA Suspends Russia's Participation
In February 2022, FIFA suspended Russia's participation in FIFA events due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, following a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee. The Russian Football Union's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was unsuccessful, and the ban was upheld.
April 2022: FIFA+ OTT Service Launched
In April 2022, FIFA launched FIFA+, an OTT service providing up to 40,000 live matches per year, including 11,000 women's matches. Additionally, FIFA made available archival content, including every FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup match recorded on camera, along with original documentary content. Eleven Sports was later reported to be responsible for populating the FIFA+ platform with live matches.
November 2022: FIFA Officials Warn Players Against Political Involvement in Qatar
In November 2022, FIFA officials advised players participating in the Qatar World Cup to focus on sports and avoid getting involved in politics.
2022: Suspicions of Corruption Regarding the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Bid
FIFA has been suspected of corruption regarding the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup bid.
2022: Al Jazeera Offered $400 Million to FIFA for Broadcasting Rights
In 2022, According to leaked documents, the Qatari state-run television channel Al Jazeera secretly offered $400 million to FIFA, for broadcasting rights, just 21 days before FIFA announced that Qatar would hold the 2022 World Cup.
2022: FIFA Revenue in 2022
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.
2022: Criticism of 2022 World Cup Awarded to Qatar
In 2022, FIFA's choice to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar has been widely criticized by the media.
2022: Criminal Investigation into 2022 World Cup Bids
In 2022, Swiss authorities opened a separate criminal investigation into FIFA's operations pertaining to the 2022 World Cup bids.
2022: Possibility of Reopening the 2022 Vote
In May 2011, FIFA president Blatter did not rule out reopening the 2022 World Cup vote if corruption could be proved, urging to take the matter "step by step".
2022: Allegation of Change in Plans for 2022 World Cup Award
In September 2015, Sepp Blatter suggested that the original plan was for the 2022 World Cup to be awarded to the United States, but this changed, and Qatar was awarded the World Cup instead.
2022: Allegations of Corruption Surrounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Reports surfaced linking FIFA leadership with corruption, bribery, and vote-rigging related to the organization's decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
2022: Bribery Allegations Related to Awarding of 2022 World Cup
The 2015 FIFA corruption scandal included accusations of bribery related to the awarding of hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
2023: FIFA+ Broadcasts Youth World Cups and Women's World Cup
In 2023, 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.
October 2024: Players Allege FIFA Failed to Pay Agreed Sums
In October 2024, allegations surfaced against FIFA as players from various countries claimed the organization failed to pay them agreed sums of money, totaling up to £3m. Reports indicated that four hundred and twenty players did not receive the payments as agreed with FIFA.
October 2024: Female Footballers Demand FIFA End Sponsorship Deal with Aramco
In October 2024, over 100 female footballers sent an open letter to FIFA urging the organization to terminate its sponsorship deal with Saudi oil company Aramco due to human rights violations, women's rights abuses, and the criminalization of homosexuality in Saudi Arabia.
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