A kids’ guide to FIFA: The organisation behind world football

This children’s article, A kids’ guide to FIFA: The organisation behind world football, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children practise reading and comprehension, learn useful vocabulary, and understand who runs international football. Written by Mark Pulley, a teacher and writer who creates fun and informative news articles for English learners.

What is FIFA?

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup about to kick off in Canada, Mexico and the United States, football fans around the world will be seeing the name FIFA everywhere. It appears on match broadcasts, football shirts and giant stadium screens. So what exactly is FIFA?

FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. It is the organisation that helps run international football. FIFA sets the rules for many major competitions and brings together football associations from countries around the world.

Today, more than 200 national football associations belong to FIFA, making it one of the largest sporting organisations on Earth.

The history of FIFA

FIFA was founded in 1904 in Paris, France. At first, only a handful of European countries were involved, but the organisation quickly grew as football became more popular around the world.

One of FIFA’s biggest achievements was the creation of the FIFA World Cup. The first men’s World Cup took place in 1930 in Uruguay and quickly became one of the world’s most important sporting events.

Over the decades, FIFA expanded to include countries from every continent. Today, almost every football-playing nation in the world is a member.

How does FIFA work?

FIFA sits at the top of a large football structure. Under FIFA are six continental organisations, which help organise football in different parts of the world. These include Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America and Oceania.

The current president of FIFA is Gianni Infantino. The president helps lead the organisation and represents it at major events. Before him, Sepp Blatter served as president for many years.

FIFA has sometimes faced criticism over power and corruption. Several officials were investigated during the 2010s, and some were removed from football administration. Since then, FIFA has said it has worked to improve its rules and make the organisation more transparent.

What does FIFA do?

Most people know FIFA because it organises the World Cup, the biggest football tournament in the world. However, FIFA does much more than that. It also helps organise women’s football competitions, youth tournaments and international matches.

The organisation provides funding, training and equipment to help football develop in poorer countries. This support can help build pitches, train coaches, and give more children the chance to play the game.

FIFA’s goal is to grow football worldwide. Whether children are playing in a huge city or a small village, FIFA hopes to help make the sport available to everyone.

Article vocabulary list

• Association: An organised group of people working towards a common goal.
• Tournament: A competition involving many teams or players.
• President: The leader of an organisation.
• Continent: One of Earth’s large land areas, such as Africa or Asia.
• Corruption: Dishonest behaviour by people in positions of power.
• Transparent: Open and honest about decisions and actions.
• Funding: Money provided to support a project or activity.
• Administration: The work of managing an organisation.

Comprehension questions

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