This page has been created to provide a general overview and understanding of how the different world governing bodies of soccer work together to promote the sport of soccer across the globe and within their region. Links to their sites have been provided so you can obtain more detailed information about the organizations.

Federation Internationale de Football Association

      Established in Paris France on May 21 1904, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is a non-profit organization and the world's only top governing body of soccer. It is responsible for supervising international competitions (such as the World Cup) and safeguarding the sport against negative imagery and its rules against abuse. Through its development programs FIFA tries to promote soccer throughout the world.

      Today FIFA is aided in its coordinating task by its six confederations. These trusted partners are the AFC (in Asia), CAF (in Africa), Football Confederation (in North and Central America and the Caribbean), CONMEBOL (in South America), UEFA (in Europe), and OFC (in Oceania).

      Composed of 203 member national associations, FIFA generates its revenue through the collection of annual subscriptions, World Cup entry fees, and the collection of a percentage of receipts from national team matches. However, as a non-profit organization, FIFA can only retain funds which are needed to cover its administrative costs and central activities. Most remaining funds always flow back to its member associations and Cup finalist teams.

The Football Confederation

      Each of the six Confederations of FIFA serve as the overall governing body for a specific continental territory. The Football Confederation (FC) , originally known as CONCACAF, is soccer's governing body for the North and Central America and Caribbean region. The FC organizes national team and club competitions for its regional 38 members. As one of FIFA's partners, the FC also conducts qualifying tournaments for the FIFA World Cup, Women's World Cup, Youth(U-20) and Juniors (U-17) Championships.

U.S. Soccer Federation

      The U.S. Soccer Federation is the governing body for all soccer activities in the United States. It oversees youth, national, and major league soccer in all 50 states and reports to FIFA. It is comprised of three councils. The Professional Council, which oversees issues concerning Major League Soccer, Women's United Soccer Association and the second division A-League, the Amateur Council, which deals with Amateur Soccer in the US, and the Youth Council, which concerns itself with youth soccer.