FIFA is the acronym for Federation Internationale de Football association. It was founded on 21st May 1904 in the rear headquarters of the Union Francaise de sports athletiques at the rue saint Honore 229 in Paris.
The act authorizing the foundation was signed by representatives of the following Associations:
Spain-MFC Belgium-UBSSA France-USFSA Denmark-DBU Netherlands-NVB Sweden-SBF Switzerland-ASF
Uruguay was the favorite nation for hosting the first world Cup tournament for FIFA, for various reasons including the fact that they were the Gold Medal winners in Olympics in the years 1924& 1928.The first FIFA World Cup tournament was held on 18th July, 1930 at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo in Uruguay. Only teams from four European countries i.e. France, Belgium, Romania and Yugoslavia participated. The reasons ascribed were multiform, including the economic crisis faced by Europe.
Italian Soccer was chosen as the venue country for hosting the second FIFA World Cup. A qualifying round was held to select the 16 finalists. This time too the host country lifted the cup. For the first time the final match was transmitted on radio.The third FIFA World Cup was hosted by the founder nation of FIFA. Due to Austria not participating in the tournament Sweden was left without an opponent in the opening round, Uruguay showed its dissent by not participating & Argentina too had withdrawn from the championship, for this reason teams from Cuba & the Dutch East Indies were invited. This time the cup was lifted by Italy. The subsequent FIFA World Cup was canceled due to World War II, Finally they were hosted in 1950 in Brazil & Switzerland was chosen as the option for the year 1954.
The last 25 years have seen the status of football enhanced to a leading game globally. It has reached into different branches of society, commerce & politics. The game now has some 200 million active players. FIFA now has some 208 member associations; this fact makes it one of the world’s biggest & most popular sports federations.