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.