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Governance

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How FIFA Works

A general view of FIFA headquarters

As a world governing body, FIFA must full fill numerous different requirements. FIFA has played a pioneering role amongst international sporting federations in the area of governance, issuing regulations and reports (e.g. the FIFA Financial Report) in close cooperation with legal and accounting specialists.

To ensure a separation of powers, the independent Ethics  Committee, established as the third judicial body under the  FIFA Code of Ethics, is responsible for watching over the entire football community and helping to tackle current  challenges in football such as illegal betting, bribery and other prohibited activities. Under the Code of Ethics, disciplinary sanctions can be imposed on offending officials, players, players’ agents and match agents.

FIFA's Structure

The President

FIFA sign
The FIFA President holds the highest office at FIFA. He is elected for four years by those member associations represented at the FIFA Congress  who are eligible to vote and he can also be re-elected. The FIFA President’s rights and duties are set forth in the FIFA Statutes. He represents FIFA and presides over the FIFA Congress,  Executive and Emergency Committee meetings and those committees of which he has been appointed chairman. Like the other members of the FIFA Executive Committee, he is entitled to vote and he casts the deciding vote when a ballot is tied.

FIFA Congress

The FIFA Congress

According to the statutes, the FIFA Congress is the organisation's supreme body. Numerous articles dictate which items are to be discussed and which decisions are to be passed at this forum. As the legislative body of world football - football's parliament in other words - the Congress bears a particular responsibility for developing the game, the nature of which has been subject to increasingly rapid change over the past few years. Each member has one vote at the Congress.

 

Committees

Meeting of the FIFA Executive Committee at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on 24 February 2016

 

Although football remains a simple game, its circumstances have changed dramatically. As the world governing body, FIFA must take into account a wide range of developments and other factors and decide on numerous issues in accordance with the FIFA Statutes and regulations.

Strategy is determined by the FIFA Executive Committee chaired by the FIFA President, a forum where all of the confederations can directly influence the decision-making process since each has its own representation under the FIFA Statutes. The executive’s decisions are guided by the recommendations of some 22 specialist standing committees, in which representatives from the confederations and associations are able to express their various views and requirements. The FIFA administration implements the decisions passed by the FIFA Congress, the executive and the standing committees.

Ethics Committee

Chairman of FIFA's ethics committee, Claudio Sulser's hand holds the "FIFA's code of ethics"
To ensure a separation of powers, the independent Ethics Committee, established as the third judicial body under the FIFA Code of Ethics, is responsible for watching over the entire football community and helping to tackle current challenges in football such as illegal betting, bribery and other prohibited activities. Under the Code of Ethics, disciplinary sanctions can be imposed on offending officials, players, players’ agents and match agents.

Finance

FIFA Football Facilities Development Seminar
According to article 69, paragraph 2 of the FIFA Statutes, FIFA’s revenue and expenditure “shall be managed so that they balance out over the financial period”. Furthermore, “FIFA’s major duties in the future shall be guaranteed through the creation of reserves”.

The Reform process

FIFA reforms process
FIFA is firmly committed to the principles of good governance, transparency and zero tolerance towards any wrongdoing – whether it is in sporting contests or any other context of association football. FIFA has adapted its structures and procedures in order to meet the evolving needs of the game’s governance and respond to the increasing complexity of its functions and operations.

Official Documents