Ken Light, Photographer. Football game, San Pedro, California. 1989. Library of Congress American Folklife Center.

Football's Global Appeal:Football is a sport with overwhelming global appeal, and as the audience continues to expand, its allure only grows. Known as soccer in the rest of the world, professional football is a truly international sport. It's estimated that there are over 240 million registered players worldwide, with fan engagement in the billions.

The Birth of FIFA:Founded in 1904, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the international governing body for the sport of football, comprising men's and women's clubs from around the world. Currently, FIFA has 205 member associations, boasting over 300,000 clubs and 240 million football players. The FIFA president is elected every four years by the member organizations, serving as the legal representative of the organization and presiding over FIFA congresses.

Continental Football Confederations:In 1954, FIFA began creating continental football (soccer) confederations. The first to be established was the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), consisting of 25 member countries. Subsequently, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was formed. The Oceania Football Confederation was the last to join FIFA, initially in 1966 and officially in 1996. All member clubs within each confederation participate in the World Cup competition, with the championship trophy awarded to the best football team in the FIFA confederation. The World Cup competition is divided into men's and women's events. Currently, FIFA is divided into six confederations, each responsible for managing the competitions of its member countries and having a degree of autonomy as per FIFA's rules and regulations.

Continental Confederations:

• AFC (Asian Football Confederation) — 45 member countries

• CAF (Confederation Africaine de Football) — 52 member countries

• CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football) — 35 member countries

• CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation)

• OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) — 11 member countries

• UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) — 51 member countries

Major League Soccer (MLS) in North America:In the United States and Canada, Major League Soccer (MLS) is the men's professional football league, founded in 1993 as part of the United States' successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, MLS has 27 teams, with 24 in the United States and 3 in Canada, with plans to expand by 2023. The season consists of 34 matches, starting in late February or early March and continuing through mid-October, culminating in the MLS Cup, which features the top 14 teams in a postseason tournament. Since its inception, the league has gained prominence and financial viability through television contracts and additional designated player rules that allow teams to sign star players like David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, making it more profitable.

The Super League Controversy:In April 2021, 12 elite clubs from England, Spain, and Italy announced the formation of a Super League, breaking away from the existing UEFA-operated Champions League. However, within days, English teams (Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea) changed course, and other teams like Inter Milan are also expected to withdraw from the proposed league.

Revenue Sources:As a non-profit organization, FIFA derives most of its revenue from the television broadcasting rights and advertising of the FIFA World Cup™, though licensing sales also generate millions of dollars in revenue. The annual budget is submitted to the FIFA Congress for approval each year and is considered a cash budget, covering FIFA's expenses, primarily operational costs and contributions to tournaments, players, associations, and FIFA's development programs.

Media and Marketing Impact:FIFA's biggest source of income is the broadcast of the World Cup. With billions of viewers, it's one of the most-watched sports events in the world. Europe and the United States are the two largest markets for television broadcast rights income, and the costs of television licensing agreements are expected to continue to rise.

The internet also plays a significant role in the growing popularity of football. FIFA's official website for the World Cup has attracted an unprecedented global audience. FIFA has also begun to employ internet marketing strategies, promoting ticket sales and other World Cup™ activities through online channels.