A short guide (for the inexperienced only!) to the worldwide Government of Football - Institutions, regulations and offices - to introduce the greatest spread and World following

1. FIFA: “The stadiums’ State”
June 2015
A short guide (for the inexperienced
only!) to the worldwide Government
of Football - Institutions, regulations
and offices - to introduce the greatest
spread and World following

2. FIFA: the origins
May 21 1904, Paris.
7 European Countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, the
Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) founded the
Fédération Internationale de Football Association - FIFA.
Italy joined it in 1905.

3. FIFA: the objectives
An objective - to develop international Football - and few
rules for a start:
mutual recognition of the national associations;
a code of common rules, the “Laws of the Game of the
Football Association”.
Today 6 Continental Confederations are members of FIFA.
For Europe, it is the “Union des Associations Européennes de
Football” (UEFA). In total,
209 National Football Associations
belong to FIFA.

4. FIFA: For the Game, For the World
Aims to improve the game of football and promote it
globally.
It’s the Guardian of the game: drafts and updates
Organisational Regulations. FIFA guarentees the
observation of the rules and their enforcement.
Organisesanumberofinternationaltournaments,especially
the FIFA World Cup, that has taken place from 1930 every
4 years (except in 1942 and in 1946).
It awards the FIFA Ballon d’Or to the best player of the
year. Who is the best player in charge?
Cristiano Ronaldo!

5. Where is FIFA?
Home of FIFA is in Zurich, Switzerland, (not only) simbolically
representing the driving force behind the global Government of
Football.
It includes offices, meeting rooms, auditorium, football fields and
equipped-sports areas.

6. Elected by the FIFA Congress, he remains in office for 4
years (renewable). He must collect the absolute majority
in the first election round (2/3 of valid and secret votes)
or, if not, the simple majority of votes during the following
election round/s.
Each FIFA affiliated member association can nominate
candidates for the FIFA Presidency, by an official request
to the General Secretary at least 2 months before the
elections.
The President

7. Lack of transparency?
This method has been contested for its lack of transparency:
sponsors of the electoral presidential FIFA campaigns are
not publically known and the General Secretary presents
the candidates only a month in advance, with little notice.
Furthermore, this office is renewable without time limits.
Since 1998, the undisputed dominus of Football is the
Swiss Joseph Blatter. Recently he resigned because of
scandals that involved other FIFA representatives. Blatter
remains in office until December 2015.

8. Presides over the FIFA Congress and the Executive
Committee; he represents FIFA legally.
Looks after the external and political bodies -
affiliated Football Confederations and member associations,
Government Institutions and other stakeholders.
Has a casting vote for the Executive Committee.
May propose the appointment or dismissal of the Secretary.
Presides over the Standing Committees meetings,
included the Organising Committee for the FIFA World Cup
and the Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility.
May propose the appointment of Standing Committees’
Presidents and members.
In the opinion of many, this is a monistic system of power
without provision for checks and balances.
The powers of the “King” of Football

9. It is the FIFA collective body with executive and decisional
powers, consisting of:
FIFA Government: the Executive Committee
President.
8 Vice Presidents, elected by the Confederations.
15 ordinary Members, appointed by the Confederations
and the Associations.

10. It passes decisions on all cases that do not come within the
sphere of responsibility of the Congress or are not reserved
for other bodies, e.g.:
The Executive Committee: Tasks
appoints representatives of FIFA who shall attend the
General Assembly of the IFAB (International Football
Association Board);
may decide to set up ad hoc Temporary Committees;
decides whether to admit, suspend or expel a Member;
appoints the Chairmen, Deputy chairmen and members of
the Standing Committees;
approves FIFA Organisational Regulations;
elects, on the proposal of the President, the General
Secretary;
until 2011, it selected the host venue from the bids
designated by the Executive Committee. This particular
competence passed to the Congress, starting from the
choice of the Nation hosting FIFA World Cup 2026.

11. It is the FIFA legislative body - the Parliament of Football
- chaired by the President.
Since 1998, it meets at least one a year.
It is a democratic body, with one vote for each Member.
It approves FIFA Organisation Regulations, the Annual
Report, the Budget.
It establishes, for each member association, the
subscriptions.
It elects the President.
The Congress

12. The final tournament is hosted by a selected Country;
few rules, in particular the right to host the event shall not
be awarded to members of the same Confederation for
two consecutive FIFA World Cups.
The bidding procedure to select the venue of the FIFA
World Cup is long and controversial, since there are not
clear and precise criteria, and it is determined by political
factors.
Focus on... the FIFA World Cup
Let us take one example: FIFA could consider moving the 2022
Qatar World Cup, to winter, for clear climatic reasons!
32 national teams compete, in two stages: the group
stage followed by the knockout stage.

13. Since 2006, when the World Cup was won by Italy, the
trophy - 36 cm (14.2 in) high, made of solid 18 carat gold - is
not anymore held by the winning nation permanently because
damages have occurred in the past years.
Winners returned home with
a gold-plated replica.
Out of curiosity
The trophy is designed by
the Italian Silvio Gazzaniga
and both (those true and
the copy) were made by the
goldsmith GDE Bertoni in
Paderno Dugnano (MI).