Today witnesses a special birthday celebration in Zurich as the Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) marks its 107th anniversary.
World football's governing body came into being on 21 May 1904, when representatives from France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland signed the foundation act at the Union Françoise de Sports Athletiques headquarters in Paris. Two days later, the first building blocks were put in place with the first-ever FIFA Congress and the election of Frenchman Robert Guerin as the organisation’s inaugural President.
Of course, the years and decades since have seen FIFA blossom beyond recognition, with 1932 bringing about the historic switch from Paris to a new base in Zurich. Further growth and development forced another move in 2006, this time within Zurich, when FIFA relocated from Sonnenberg to its current state-of-the-art headquarters on FIFA Strasse.
Now, having celebrated a landmark year in 2010 with a hugely successful first FIFA World Cup™ on African soil, FIFA is enjoying an equally busy 2011. The next few months alone are set to provide another feast of global events, with the FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup sure to thrill fans across the globe.
