Around the World - but not in 80 Days
F IFA - Federation Internationale de Football Associations
By the turn of the century Football Associations and League and Cup competitions had been established in many countries.
In those days they all looked to Britain for leadership, but British football showed an almost incredible insularity. Several attempts were made to involved the British in the formation of an international organisation, but all were rejected.
On 21 May 1904 representatives from Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland met in Paris and FIFA was founded.
Two years later, the British associations belatedly realised the extent to which football was flourishing on the continent and relented.
England entered FIFA in 1906. Scotland, Ireland and Wales were admitted in 1910.
The United Kingdom has twice left FIFA. After the First World
War in 1918 the UK, France, Belgium and Luxembourg refused to be associated with their former enemies Austria, Germany
and Hungary. They rejoined in 1924.
In 1928 the UK left again over a disagreement concerning the definition of amateurism. They rejoined in 1946, after the Second World War.
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