FIFA Congress
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| FIFA Congress | |
|---|---|
| Name | FIFA Congress |
| Caption | The 73rd FIFA Congress held in Paris in 2019. |
| Formation | 0 1904 |
| Type | Supreme legislative body |
| Headquarters | FIFA headquarters, Zürich, Switzerland |
| Membership | 211 national associations |
| Language | English, French, German, Spanish |
| Parent organization | Fédération Internationale de Football Association |
FIFA Congress. The FIFA Congress is the supreme legislative body of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the global governing body for association football. Established at the foundation of FIFA in 1904, it convenes representatives from all member associations to decide on the organization's fundamental direction. Its decisions, which include amending the FIFA Statutes, electing the FIFA President, and selecting FIFA World Cup hosts, are binding for the entire football community.
History and establishment
The inaugural meeting, effectively the first session, was convened in Paris on 21 May 1904 by founding associations including the French Football Federation and the Royal Dutch Football Association. This gathering established the original FIFA Statutes and elected Robert Guérin as the first FIFA President. Early sessions were often held in conjunction with the Summer Olympic Games, such as the 1908 Congress in Vienna and the 1912 meeting in Stockholm. Following the disruptions of the First World War, the organization was revitalized under the leadership of Jules Rimet, with the 1929 Congress in Barcelona crucial in planning the inaugural 1930 FIFA World Cup in Uruguay. The post-Second World War era saw expansion, with the 1954 Congress in Bern restructuring governance and establishing the European confederation.
Composition and membership
The body is composed of delegates from each of FIFA's 211 member associations, which are the recognized national governing bodies like the English Football Association and the Brazilian Football Confederation. Each member holds one vote, regardless of the size or footballing history of the country. Membership is organized within six continental confederations: the Asian Football Confederation, the Confederation of African Football, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, the South American Football Confederation, the Oceania Football Confederation, and UEFA. Representatives from these confederations, along with the FIFA Council and the FIFA President, participate in deliberations.
Powers and functions
Its primary authority is derived from the FIFA Statutes, which it alone can amend. It holds the exclusive power to elect or dismiss the FIFA President and the members of the independent FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee. It formally admits or suspends member associations and approves the annual report and financial statements. Crucially, it makes the final decision on the hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup, following an extensive bidding process and evaluation by the FIFA Council. It also sets the framework for FIFA's judicial bodies, including the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and the FIFA Ethics Committee.
Meetings and procedures
An ordinary session is held annually, with the location rotating globally; recent hosts include Kigali, Bangkok, and Moscow. The FIFA Council sets the agenda, which must include standard items like the financial report. Extraordinary sessions can be convened by the FIFA President or upon request from one-fifth of the members. Proceedings are conducted in the four official languages—English, French, German, and Spanish—with simultaneous interpretation. Decisions on statutory matters require a three-quarters majority, while other resolutions pass with a simple majority. The FIFA General Secretariat, led by the FIFA Secretary General, handles all logistical and administrative preparations.
Role in governance and decision-making
As the supreme authority, it provides the foundational legitimacy for FIFA's entire governance structure. It elects and oversees the FIFA Council, which exercises executive power between sessions. Major reforms to FIFA's governance, such as those prompted by the FIFA corruption case and detailed in the Garcia Report, have been enacted through its resolutions. Its decisions directly influence global football policy, from the international match calendar coordinated with The IFAB to financial distribution programs like FIFA Forward Development Programme. It serves as the final arbiter on matters of membership and statutory compliance for entities like the Kuwait Football Association or the Guatemalan National Football Federation.
Notable sessions and resolutions
The 1996 Congress in Zürich was historic for increasing the FIFA World Cup finals to 32 teams. The 2002 session in Seoul confirmed the rotation policy for World Cup hosting among confederations. The 2011 Congress, also in Zürich, re-elected Sepp Blatter amid significant controversy. A pivotal extraordinary session in 2016 in Zürich, following the FIFA corruption case, elected Gianni Infantino as president and approved sweeping governance reforms recommended by the FIFA Reform Committee. The 2019 Congress in Paris saw the approval of the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup format and the selection of the United States, Canada, and Mexico as joint hosts. More recently, the 2023 Congress in Kigali made landmark amendments to the FIFA Statutes.