- Legal Settlement Opens Door: Between FIFA and Relevant Sports in the USA, allowing consideration of overseas games.
- Premier League Not Planning Overseas Games: Despite being involved in the ’39th game’ idea.
- Council Meeting Decisions: Agreed to form a working group for further information and recommendations.
- Factors to Consider: Scheduling notice, competition balance, football development in host countries, fan attendance provisions.
Newsypeople- FIFA is the international governing body of association football, futsal, and beach soccer. It is the highest governing body of association football in the world, as well as one of the oldest international sports federations.
FIFA was founded in 1904 in Paris, France by representatives from seven national associations: Belgium, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland.
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FIFA To Study Impact Of Hosting Domestic Matches Abroad
FIFA is to establish a working group to examine the implications of hosting domestic matches abroad, after a legal settlement with FIFA and match promoter Relevant Sports in the USA.
It has opened the door for league matches to be played abroad, although the Premier League has no current plans to pursue such projects.
La Liga has already started plans for overseas matches in 2025-26, resuming its plans after cancelling a league match against Girona in 2019 to be staged in Miami.
🚨 FIFA is to set to establish a working group to look at the impact of playing competitive domestic matches abroad.
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) May 15, 2024
(Source: BBC Sport) pic.twitter.com/CLKjJu3No3
FIFA previously stated it was against the notion of overseas matches because they would take away financial resources from domestic teams.
The working group will seek further information and make recommendations in relation to competitive domestic matches being played overseas and any impact on the host country. Matters to be considered include the notice given for scheduling matches, the balance of sporting competition, and football development in host countries.
The Council confirmed that proper provision needed to be made to allow fans of the teams playing out-of-territory matches to have the opportunity to attend in the host country.
FIFA Biography And History Explored
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association was established on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, aiming at organizing the world’s most popular sport. The founders were the national associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain — represented by Real Madrid CF, since the Royal Spanish Football Federation was not formed until 1913, Sweden, and Switzerland.
On the same day, the German Football Association expressed its intention to join. The first president of FIFA was Robert Guérin, replaced in 1906 by Daniel Burley Woolfall from England. Under the presidency of Woolfall, FIFA organized its first major event, the 1908 Olympics football competition in London, which was a huge success despite the involvement of professional players, against the original principles of FIFA.
FIFA extended its membership beyond Europe when South Africa joined in 1909, Argentina in 1912, Canada and Chile in 1913, and the United States in 1914. This was the actual expansion of FIFA and the real means that marked its global influence in football. However, the organization has gone through a lot of rough tides in recent times with most scandals threatening the integrity and reputation of the governing body.
One of the high-profile scandals includes the 2015 FIFA corruption case. The publication of Andrew Jennings’ “Foul The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote-Rigging, and Ticket Scandals” book came forth to reveal international cash-for-contracts scandals and vote-rigging allegations in regard to Sepp Blatter’s re-election as FIFA president. The revelations had been highly condemned, and FIFA’s governance came under harsh criticism, with loud calls for reform.
The challenges, however, continued to exist, yet FIFA continued to promote and develop football globally. They hold a number of prestigious tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, FIFA U-20 World Cup, FIFA U-17 World Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup among others, bringing in millions of viewers and earning them the respect of other international bodies like the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations.
There have been changes in the leadership of the body over the years. The current president, Gianni Infantino, has been in office since 2016. FIFA has also faced several other criticisms in regard to the structure, governance, and handling of finance; thus, efforts have been done to address these issues and regain the trust of stakeholders.
