International
By the end of the nineteenth
century the game was being played in many countries, but
there was still no international football competition.
England played Scotland every year after 1872, and Wales
began playing the other two British nations after 1876.
It was not until 1901 that the first international took
place outside of Britain - a draw between Argentina and
neighbouring Uruguay. The next year there were
internationalsin Europe.
In May 1904, representatives from different football
associations across the world met in Paris. Nine football
associations sent representatives: the Netherlands,
Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Sweden,
France and Spain.
Together they formed a world football association. They
called it the Federation International of Football
Associations or F.I.F.A.
FIFA
At first F.I.F.A did not really
represent world football. It was formed before there were
phones or faxes or email. Contacting the different football
associations was slow and difficult. No country from
outside Europe sent a representative because of the travel
and expense involved.
Another problem was that the English Football Association
did not welcome the new organisation. The FA wanted to
control all England's international matches. They also
wanted the headquarters to be in London.
The FA finally sent a representative in 1906. In the same
year an Englishman, D.B Woodfall was elected President.