FIFA, UEFA, FIGC: acronyms that sports enthusiasts often hear, but what is their exact role and how they interact with each other? The world of football is not governed by a single entity, but by a system in which each organization has specific tasks worldwide, continental and national level. While the Olympic Committee (CIO) holds the ethical values, the Fifa governs the development of sport worldwide, with UEFA And FIGC who organize European and national competitions in detail.
- 1The International Olympic Committee – CIO
- 2nd international level: FIFA
- 3 The UEFA represents the community level
- 4th national level: the FIGC
The International Olympic Committee – that is
The IOC, born in 1894 based in Lausanne, is the supreme authority of the entire Olympic movement. Among its functions we recognize coordination, dissemination and respect for the values dictated by Olimpism, the organization of sports competitions and Olympic games – through collaboration with international and national organizations – and the promotion of sports ethics. As a supreme authority, the IOC recognizes the national Olympic committees, such as Coni in Italy, and some international federations, such as FIFA in the specific case of football.
In fact, the FIs are non -governmental organizations that aim to administer one or more sports worldwide. Their actual recognition (provisional for an initial period) takes place only following the application of the anti -doping code and compliance with the Olympic card.
The international level: FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the international football federation, 5 -a -side football and beach soccer. It was founded in 1904 and is based in Zurich. As its main role is to ensure and promote the development of one’s sport all over the world in compliance with the rules established in its statute and through the organization of reference competitions (for example world and club worldwide). All this is carried out taking into account the provisions of the Olympic paper and the IOC. With reference to the Olympic games, however, each FI (therefore also FIFA) establishes its admission criteria and has the responsibility of providing assistance and technical direction. Inside, FIFA is organized in some bodies: the legislative power is exercised by the congress, the executive one by the Council, while the general secretariat is responsible for administrative tasks. Then there are permanent commissions (such as disciplinary or ethics) and ad hoc that have the role of advising and assisting the committee in the exercise of its functions. The president currently in office is Gianni Infantino.
Furthermore, the associations belonging to the same continent have formed the following confederations recognized by FIFA:
- Confederación South American de Fútbol – Conmebol
- Asian Football Confederation – AFC
- Union des Associations Europénes de Football – UEFA
- Confédération Africine de Football – CAF
- Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football – Concaf
- Oceania Football Confederation – Ofc
UEFA represents the community level
As far as we are concerned, therefore, the next step in the hierarchy is represented by Union des Associations Europénes de Football O UEFA, founded in 1954 and operating in Nyon. As easily intuitive, the objectives of the organization, currently led by Aleksander Čeferin, are the promotion, management and control of European football. In order to achieve these purposes, it also guarantees the organization of community competitions (such as the Champions League).
Also in UEFA we find a well -defined internal organization that, in addition to the president, includes: the Congress (Supreme Control Body), the Executive Committee and the bodies for the administration of justice.
The belonging to UEFA, net of some exceptions, is reserved for the national football federations located on the continent, based in a country recognized as independent of the majority of the United Nations members. These, only after the definitive acceptance by the congress, are responsible for football activities in their territory of competence.
National level: the FIGC
The Italian Football Federation of football or FIGC (based in Rome) is the association of clubs and sports associations that pursue the aim of practicing football in Italy, is affiliated to the CONI, FIFA (since 1905) and, therefore, to UEFA (since 1954).
In his work, in harmony with the principles dictated by all hierarchically “superior” organizations, he promotes and regulates Italian football, taking care of international relations, protecting the objectives of the technical school and youth nurseries and medical-sports health. As a national sports federation, he administers from a technical, organizational point of view and regulates the people, alloys and competitions of their competence. Its organization is slightly more complex than the other views before. In fact, we find: the Assembly, the President (Gabriele Gravina) and the vice-president, the committee, the Federal Council, the Secretary General and the Board of Auditors.
The entire coordination of world football rests, therefore, on this pyramidal structure. In addition, all the organizations described above must submit to other values and principles – those proper to the Olympic card – not directly related to the technical football aspect, but of fundamental importance for the development of world sport. Among these: peace, education, the absence of any form of discrimination and fair-play.
