The Football Association
Encyclopedia
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England
, and the Crown Dependencies
of Jersey
, Guernsey
and the Isle of Man
. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association. Based at Wembley Stadium
, London
, it is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of football in England, both professional and amateur.
The FA sanctions all competitive football matches in England, either directly (at a National Level), or indirectly (at a local level through County Football Association
s). It runs numerous competitions, the most famous of which is the annual FA Cup
. It is also responsible for appointing the management of the men's, women's
and youth
national football teams.
The FA is a member of both UEFA
and FIFA
and holds a permanent seat on the International Football Association Board
(IFAB) which is responsible for the laws of the game. As the first ever football association, it uniquely does not use the national name (i.e. English) in its title (compared to the Scottish Football Association
, for example). It is based at Wembley Stadium
, London
, United Kingdom
having moved from offices at Soho Square
in 2009.
All of England's professional football teams are members of the Football Association. The FA is responsible for the appointment of the management of the England men's
and women's
national teams and the organization of the FA Cup
. Although it does not run the day-to-day operations of the country's top league, the Premier League, it has veto power over the appointment of the League Chairman and Chief Executive and over any changes to league rules. The Football League
, England's second tier league, consisting of The Championship
, League One
and League Two
, is self-governing.
Both the FA and the Football League have the power to restrict transfers and deduct points from clubs, most commonly for clubs going into administration or experiencing financial irregularities.
The game is controlled at the local level, by 43 County Football Association
s affiliated to The Football Association but with responsibilities for organising and running football activities in their area. The Jersey
, Guernsey
, and Isle of Man
Football Associations are organised as County Football Associations below the FA. A hierarchy of leagues operates throughout the game, each taking responsibility for the administration of their own activities, such as membership, fixtures and registrations.
The FA owns and runs both Wembley Stadium
and the National Football Centre
(The National Football Centre is under construction with a target for completion set for 2012).
on 26 October 1863, there were no universally accepted rules for playing football. In each public school
the game was formalised according to local conditions; but when the schoolboys reached university, chaos ensued when the players used different rules, so members of Cambridge University devised and published a set of Cambridge Rules in 1848 which was widely adopted. Another set of rules, the Sheffield Rules
, was used by a number of clubs in the North of England from the 1850s.
13 London football clubs met in 1862 to agree common rules. The founding clubs present at the first meeting were Barnes, Bucks F.C. (High Wycombe) Civil Service
, Crusaders
, Forest of Leytonstone (later to become Wanderers
), N.N. (No Names) Club (Kilburn), the original Crystal Palace, Blackheath, Kensington School, Perceval House (Blackheath), Surbiton and Blackheath Proprietary School
; Charterhouse
sent their captain, B.F. Hartshorne, but declined the offer to join. Many of these clubs are now defunct or play rugby union
.
Central to the creation of the Football Association and modern football
was Ebenezer Cobb Morley
. He was a founding member of the Football Association in 1862. In 1863, as captain of the Mortlake-based club, he wrote to Bell's Life newspaper proposing a governing body for the sport that led to the first meeting at the Freemason's Tavern that created the FA. He was the FA's first secretary (1863-66) and its second president (1867-74) and drafted the Laws of the Game generally called the "London Rules" at his home in Barnes, London. As a player, he played in the first ever match in 1863.
The first version of the rules for the modern game was drawn up over a series of six meetings held in the Freemasons' Tavern from October till December. At the final meeting, F. M. Campbell
, the first FA treasurer and the Blackheath representative, withdrew his club from the FA over the removal of two draft rules at the previous meeting, the first which allowed for the running with the ball in hand and the second, obstructing such a run by hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead
and did not join the FA but instead in 1871 formed the Rugby Football Union
. The term "soccer" dates back to this split to refer to football played under the "association" rules.
An inaugural game using the new FA rules was initially scheduled for Battersea Park
on 2 January 1864, but enthusiastic members of the FA couldn't wait for the new year and an experimental game was played at Mortlake on 19 December 1863 between Morley's Barnes team and their neighbours Richmond
(who were not members of the FA), ending in a goalless draw. The Richmond side were obviously unimpressed by the new rules in practice because they subsequently helped form the Rugby Football Union in 1871. The Battersea Park game was postponed for a week, and the first exhibition game using FA rules was played there on Saturday 9 January 1864. The members of the opposing teams for this game were chosen by the President of the FA (A. Pember) and the Secretary (E. C. Morley) and included many well-known footballers of the day.
After the first match according to the new FA rules a toast was given "Success to football, irrespective of class or creed".
Charles Alcock
of the Wanderers was elected to the committee of the FA in 1866, becoming its first full-time secretary and treasurer in 1870. He masterminded the creation of the Football Association Cup
—the longest-running association football competition in the world—in 1871. Fifteen participating clubs subscribed to purchase a trophy. The first Cup Final was held at The Oval
on 16 March 1872, fought between the Wanderers and the Royal Engineers, watched by 2,000 spectators.
This competition was initially contested by mostly amateur teams but by the end of the 19th century it was dominated by professional teams that were mostly members of the Football League that had been founded in 1888 and expanded during the 1890s.
After many years of wrangling between the London Association and the Sheffield Football Association, the FA Cup brought the acceptance that one undisputed set of laws was required. The two associations had played 16 inter-association matches under differing rules; the Sheffield Rules, the London Rules and Mixed Rules. In April 1877, those laws were set with a number of Sheffield Rules being incorporated.
In 1992, the Football Association took control of the newly-created Premier League which consisted of 22 clubs who had broken away from the First Division
of the Football League. The Premier League reduced to 20 clubs in 1995 and is one of the richest football leagues in the world.
and the FA Cup
. Turnover for the year ending 31 December 2008 was £261.8 million. on which it made an operating profit of £16.6 million and loss before tax of £15.3 million. The loss was attributable to £39.6 million of interest payable and similar charges, principally relating to the cost of constructing the new Wembley Stadium
, opened in 2006, which the FA owns via its subsidiary Wembley National Stadium Limited. For the 4 seasons from 2008 to 2012, the FA has secured £425 million from ITV
and Setanta
for England and FA Cup games domestic television rights, a 42% increase over the previous contract, and £145 million for overseas television rights, up 272% on the £39 million received for the previous four-year period. However during 2008-09 Setanta UK went into administration, which weakened the FA's cashflow position.
The FA's income does not include the turnover of English football clubs, which are independent businesses. As well as running its own operations the FA chooses five charities each year to which it gives considerable financial support.
. The Chairman of the FA has overall responsibility for policy. Traditionally this person rose through the ranks of the FA's committee structure (e.g. by holding posts such the chairmanship of a county football association). In 2008 the politician Lord Triesman
was appointed as the FA's first "independent chairman", that is the first from outside the football hierarchy. The day to day head of the FA was known as the Secretary until 1989, when the job title was changed to Chief Executive.
Key:
† = National Game Representative
‡ = Premier League Representative
* = Football League Representative
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and the Crown Dependencies
Crown dependency
The Crown Dependencies are British possessions of the Crown, as opposed to overseas territories of the United Kingdom. They comprise the Channel Island Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel, and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea....
of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
and the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association. Based at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, it is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of football in England, both professional and amateur.
The FA sanctions all competitive football matches in England, either directly (at a National Level), or indirectly (at a local level through County Football Association
County Football Association
The County Football Associations are the local governing bodies of association football in England. County FAs exist to govern all aspects of football in England...
s). It runs numerous competitions, the most famous of which is the annual FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. It is also responsible for appointing the management of the men's, women's
England women's national football team
The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
and youth
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
national football teams.
The FA is a member of both UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
and FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and holds a permanent seat on the International Football Association Board
International Football Association Board
The International Football Association Board is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football.-Operations:...
(IFAB) which is responsible for the laws of the game. As the first ever football association, it uniquely does not use the national name (i.e. English) in its title (compared to the Scottish Football Association
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
, for example). It is based at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
having moved from offices at Soho Square
Soho Square
Soho Square is a square in Soho, London, England, with a park and garden area at its centre that dates back to 1681. It was originally called King Square after Charles II, whose statue stands in the square. At the centre of the garden, there is a distinctive half-timbered gardener's hut...
in 2009.
All of England's professional football teams are members of the Football Association. The FA is responsible for the appointment of the management of the England men's
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and women's
England women's national football team
The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
national teams and the organization of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. Although it does not run the day-to-day operations of the country's top league, the Premier League, it has veto power over the appointment of the League Chairman and Chief Executive and over any changes to league rules. The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, England's second tier league, consisting of The Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
and League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, is self-governing.
Both the FA and the Football League have the power to restrict transfers and deduct points from clubs, most commonly for clubs going into administration or experiencing financial irregularities.
The game is controlled at the local level, by 43 County Football Association
County Football Association
The County Football Associations are the local governing bodies of association football in England. County FAs exist to govern all aspects of football in England...
s affiliated to The Football Association but with responsibilities for organising and running football activities in their area. The Jersey
Jersey Football Association
The Jersey Football Association is the body that co-ordinates and organises the sport of football in Jersey. It is not a member of either UEFA or FIFA, but is a member of the Football Association and has the status of an English county, despite the fact that Jersey is a Crown dependency, separate...
, Guernsey
Guernsey Football Association
The Guernsey Football Association, also simply known as the Guernsey FA, is the body that co-ordinates and organises the sport of football in Guernsey. It is not a member of either UEFA or FIFA, but is a member of the Football Association and has the status of an English county, despite that...
, and Isle of Man
Isle of Man Football Association
The Isle of Man Football Association is the governing body of football on the Isle of Man. The IoMFA is not a member of either UEFA or FIFA, but is a member of the English Football Association and has the status of a County Football Association, despite the Isle of Man being a Crown dependency, a...
Football Associations are organised as County Football Associations below the FA. A hierarchy of leagues operates throughout the game, each taking responsibility for the administration of their own activities, such as membership, fixtures and registrations.
The FA owns and runs both Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
and the National Football Centre
St George's Park National Football Centre
St George's Park is the FA's National Football Centre which is situated near Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire and is due to be completed in 2012. It was originally referred to as NFC by The FA and was informally referred to as "Burton" but following a public consultation the FA favoured a name...
(The National Football Centre is under construction with a target for completion set for 2012).
History
For centuries before the first meeting of the Football Association in the Freemasons' Tavern on Long Acre, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 26 October 1863, there were no universally accepted rules for playing football. In each public school
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
the game was formalised according to local conditions; but when the schoolboys reached university, chaos ensued when the players used different rules, so members of Cambridge University devised and published a set of Cambridge Rules in 1848 which was widely adopted. Another set of rules, the Sheffield Rules
Sheffield Rules
The Sheffield Rules were a code of football devised and played in the English city of Sheffield between 1857 and 1877. They were devised by Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest for use by the newly founded Sheffield Football Club. The rules were subsequently adopted as the official rules of...
, was used by a number of clubs in the North of England from the 1850s.
13 London football clubs met in 1862 to agree common rules. The founding clubs present at the first meeting were Barnes, Bucks F.C. (High Wycombe) Civil Service
Civil Service F.C.
Civil Service F.C. is an English football club based in the city of London. The club originally played both association football and rugby football and the Civil Service, along with Blackheath F.C., is one of the two clubs that can claim to be a founder member of both the Football Association and...
, Crusaders
Crusaders F.C. (London)
Crusaders Football Club was an English association football club based in London. The club was founded in 1863 and was a founder member of the Football Association. They entered the FA Cup during the 1880s and 1890s, but never progressed beyond the fourth round....
, Forest of Leytonstone (later to become Wanderers
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
), N.N. (No Names) Club (Kilburn), the original Crystal Palace, Blackheath, Kensington School, Perceval House (Blackheath), Surbiton and Blackheath Proprietary School
Blackheath Proprietary School
The Blackheath Proprietary School was an educational establishment founded in 1830 that was noted in the contemporary press as an extremely successful school in terms of its education but is perhaps most notable for its profound influence on the game of football, in both Association and Rugby codes...
; Charterhouse
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
sent their captain, B.F. Hartshorne, but declined the offer to join. Many of these clubs are now defunct or play rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
.
Central to the creation of the Football Association and modern football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
was Ebenezer Cobb Morley
Ebenezer Cobb Morley
Ebenezer Cobb Morley was an English sportsman and is regarded as the father of The Football Association and modern Football.Morley was born at 10 Garden Square, Princess Street in Hull and lived in the city until he was 22. He moved to Barnes in 1858 forming the Barnes Club, a founding member of...
. He was a founding member of the Football Association in 1862. In 1863, as captain of the Mortlake-based club, he wrote to Bell's Life newspaper proposing a governing body for the sport that led to the first meeting at the Freemason's Tavern that created the FA. He was the FA's first secretary (1863-66) and its second president (1867-74) and drafted the Laws of the Game generally called the "London Rules" at his home in Barnes, London. As a player, he played in the first ever match in 1863.
The first version of the rules for the modern game was drawn up over a series of six meetings held in the Freemasons' Tavern from October till December. At the final meeting, F. M. Campbell
Francis Maule Campbell
Francis Maule Campbell was born in Blackheath, London. The son of Dawson Campbell, a wine merchant, who died around 1860 while Campbell was in his teens. Campbell attended the Blackheath Proprietary School and left in 1859 aged 15. A year later he was playing for the School’s old boys team,...
, the first FA treasurer and the Blackheath representative, withdrew his club from the FA over the removal of two draft rules at the previous meeting, the first which allowed for the running with the ball in hand and the second, obstructing such a run by hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead
History of rugby union
The history of rugby union follows from various football games played long before the 19th century, but it was not until the middle of that century that rules were formulated and codified....
and did not join the FA but instead in 1871 formed the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
. The term "soccer" dates back to this split to refer to football played under the "association" rules.
An inaugural game using the new FA rules was initially scheduled for Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Battersea Park is a 200 acre green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in England. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, and was opened in 1858....
on 2 January 1864, but enthusiastic members of the FA couldn't wait for the new year and an experimental game was played at Mortlake on 19 December 1863 between Morley's Barnes team and their neighbours Richmond
Richmond F.C.
Richmond Football Club is a rugby union club from Richmond, London. It is a founding member of the Rugby Football Union, and is one of the oldest football clubs...
(who were not members of the FA), ending in a goalless draw. The Richmond side were obviously unimpressed by the new rules in practice because they subsequently helped form the Rugby Football Union in 1871. The Battersea Park game was postponed for a week, and the first exhibition game using FA rules was played there on Saturday 9 January 1864. The members of the opposing teams for this game were chosen by the President of the FA (A. Pember) and the Secretary (E. C. Morley) and included many well-known footballers of the day.
After the first match according to the new FA rules a toast was given "Success to football, irrespective of class or creed".
Charles Alcock
C. W. Alcock
Charles William Alcock was an influential English sportsman and administrator. He was a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup....
of the Wanderers was elected to the committee of the FA in 1866, becoming its first full-time secretary and treasurer in 1870. He masterminded the creation of the Football Association Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
—the longest-running association football competition in the world—in 1871. Fifteen participating clubs subscribed to purchase a trophy. The first Cup Final was held at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
on 16 March 1872, fought between the Wanderers and the Royal Engineers, watched by 2,000 spectators.
This competition was initially contested by mostly amateur teams but by the end of the 19th century it was dominated by professional teams that were mostly members of the Football League that had been founded in 1888 and expanded during the 1890s.
After many years of wrangling between the London Association and the Sheffield Football Association, the FA Cup brought the acceptance that one undisputed set of laws was required. The two associations had played 16 inter-association matches under differing rules; the Sheffield Rules, the London Rules and Mixed Rules. In April 1877, those laws were set with a number of Sheffield Rules being incorporated.
In 1992, the Football Association took control of the newly-created Premier League which consisted of 22 clubs who had broken away from the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
of the Football League. The Premier League reduced to 20 clubs in 1995 and is one of the richest football leagues in the world.
Finances
The FA's main commercial asset is its ownership of the rights to England internationalsEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. Turnover for the year ending 31 December 2008 was £261.8 million. on which it made an operating profit of £16.6 million and loss before tax of £15.3 million. The loss was attributable to £39.6 million of interest payable and similar charges, principally relating to the cost of constructing the new Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, opened in 2006, which the FA owns via its subsidiary Wembley National Stadium Limited. For the 4 seasons from 2008 to 2012, the FA has secured £425 million from ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and Setanta
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
for England and FA Cup games domestic television rights, a 42% increase over the previous contract, and £145 million for overseas television rights, up 272% on the £39 million received for the previous four-year period. However during 2008-09 Setanta UK went into administration, which weakened the FA's cashflow position.
The FA's income does not include the turnover of English football clubs, which are independent businesses. As well as running its own operations the FA chooses five charities each year to which it gives considerable financial support.
Competitions
The FA also runs several competitions:- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- FA TrophyFA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
- FA VaseFA VaseThe Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System...
- FA Women's CupFA Women's CupThe Football Association Women’s Challenge Cup Competition, commonly referred to as the FA Women's Cup, is the top cup competition for women's football clubs in England – designed as an exact equivalent to the FA Cup created 99 years earlier...
- FA Women's Premier League CupPremier League CupThe Football Association Women's Premier League Cup is a cup competition in English Women's association football. It is also referred to as the Women's League Cup as it is the women's equivalent to the men's League Cup, although both competitions are organised by different governing bodies.The...
- FA Youth CupFA Youth CupThe Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
- FA Sunday CupFA Sunday CupThe FA Sunday Cup is a knock-out competition for English Sunday league football teams.Prior to 1960 The Football Association did not permit clubs or players under its jurisdiction to take part in competitive football played on Sunday...
- FA County Youth CupFA County Youth CupThe FA County Youth Cup is a football competition run by The Football Association in England. It was launched in the 1944-45 season to provide young players who had not yet signed with a professional club, even on a scholarship basis, with competitive representative football...
- FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
- FA Inter-League Cup
- FA Umbro FivesFA Umbro FivesThe FA Umbro Fives is a national 5-a-side football competition run by The Football Association. The National Final is held every year at Wembley Stadium with winners from Regional Finals across the country competing to become the official 5-a-side champions of England...
- FA Futsal CupFA Futsal CupThe FA Futsal Cup is a national competition organised by the Football Association in the game of futsal.In 2005, Doncaster College for the Deaf became the first disability side to win a major open football competition.-Winners:*2003 - Sheffield Hallam...
Principals
The FA has a figurehead President, since 1939 always a member of the British Royal FamilyBritish Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
. The Chairman of the FA has overall responsibility for policy. Traditionally this person rose through the ranks of the FA's committee structure (e.g. by holding posts such the chairmanship of a county football association). In 2008 the politician Lord Triesman
David Triesman, Baron Triesman
David Maxim Triesman, Baron Triesman is a former Chairman of the Football Association, a British politician, a Labour member of the House of Lords and previously a minister at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills....
was appointed as the FA's first "independent chairman", that is the first from outside the football hierarchy. The day to day head of the FA was known as the Secretary until 1989, when the job title was changed to Chief Executive.
| Office | Name | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| President | Arthur Pember Arthur Pember Arthur Pember was a British sportsman, journalist and author, notable for being the first president of The Football Association, from 1863 to 1867, as a member of N.N. Club or N.N... |
1863–1867 |
| E.C. Morley Ebenezer Cobb Morley Ebenezer Cobb Morley was an English sportsman and is regarded as the father of The Football Association and modern Football.Morley was born at 10 Garden Square, Princess Street in Hull and lived in the city until he was 22. He moved to Barnes in 1858 forming the Barnes Club, a founding member of... |
1867–1874 | |
| Francis Marindin Francis Marindin Colonel Sir Francis Arthur Marindin, KCMG served with the Royal Engineers and was a key figure in the early development of association football. He was later knighted for his work in public services.... |
1874–1890 | |
| Arthur Kinnaird Arthur Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird KT was a principal of The Football Association and a leading footballer.... |
1890–1923 | |
| Charles Clegg | 1923–1937 | |
| William Pickford | 1937–1939 | |
| Rt Hon Earl of Athlone Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone Major-General Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone , was a close relative of the shared British and Canadian royal family, as well as a British military commander and major-general who served as Governor-General of the Union of South Africa, the... |
1939–1955 | |
| HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch.... |
1955–1957 | |
| HRH The Duke of Gloucester Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was a soldier and member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary.... |
1957–1963 | |
| Rt Hon Earl of Harewood George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood George Henry Hubert Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood, KBE AM , styled The Hon. George Lascelles before 1929 and Viscount Lascelles between 1929 and 1947, was the elder son of the 6th Earl of Harewood , and Princess Mary, Princess Royal, the only daughter of King George V of the United Kingdom and... |
1963–1971 | |
| HRH The Duke of Kent Prince Edward, Duke of Kent The Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 29 July 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career that would last over 20 years. He was promoted to captain on 29 July 1961. The Duke of Kent saw service in Hong Kong from 1962–63... |
1971–2000 | |
| HRH The Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
2000–2006 | |
| HRH The Duke of Cambridge | May 2006–present | |
| Chairman | Charles Clegg Charles Clegg (footballer) Sir John Charles Clegg , better known as Charles Clegg, was an English footballer and later both chairman and president of the Football Association. He was born in Sheffield and lived there his whole life. He competed in the first international match between England and Scotland in 1872... |
1890–1937 |
| A. G. Hines | 1938 | |
| M. Frowde | 1939–1941 | |
| Amos Brook Hirst | 1941–1955 | |
| Arthur Drewry Arthur Drewry Arthur Drewry was the 5th President of FIFA, serving from 1955 to 1961. He was elected as President on June 7, 1955 at the FIFA Conference in Lisbon where he succeeded Rodolphe William Seeldrayers from Belgium who had only been President for 15 months following the death of Jules Rimet... |
1955–1961 | |
| Graham Doggart Graham Doggart Alexander Graham Doggart, JP was an English administrator, cricketer, footballer and magistrate.Doggart was born in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. He was educated at Bishop's Stortford College and Cambridge... |
1961–1963 | |
| Joe Mears Joe Mears John 'Joe' Mears was chairman of Chelsea Football Club and the Football Association.Mears was the son and nephew of Chelsea F.C. founders, Joseph and Gus Mears respectively. He was a goalkeeper for the Old Malvernians before joining the Chelsea board in 1931, in doing so becoming the youngest... |
1963–1966 | |
| Andrew Stephen Andrew Stephen Sir Andrew Stephen was a chairman of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. and the Football Association. He was born to a family of tenant farmers near Aberdeen. He trained as a doctor at the University of Aberdeen's School of Medicine and qualified in 1928. Two years later Stephen moved to Sheffield to become... |
1967–1976 | |
| Harold Thompson Harold Warris Thompson Sir Harold Warris Thompson was an English physical chemist.He was born in Wombwell, Yorkshire, the son of William Thompson, a colliery executive, and Charlotte Emily. He was educated at King Edward VII School in Sheffield, then at Trinity College, Oxford, where he was tutored by Cyril Norman... |
1976–1981 | |
| Bert Millichip Bert Millichip Sir Frederick Albert Millichip was an English association footballer best known for his sometimes controversial contributions to the administration of the game.... |
1981–1996 | |
| Keith Wiseman | 1996–1999 | |
| Geoff Thompson Geoff Thompson (football) Geoffrey "Geoff" Thompson OBE is the former chairman of the Football Association, and a vice-president of both UEFA and FIFA. He has long been associated with football especially in South Yorkshire, having previously been general manager of Doncaster Rovers and held senior positions in the... |
1999–2008 | |
| Lord Triesman David Triesman, Baron Triesman David Maxim Triesman, Baron Triesman is a former Chairman of the Football Association, a British politician, a Labour member of the House of Lords and previously a minister at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.... |
2008–2010 | |
| David Bernstein David Bernstein (executive) David Bernstein is a British business executive who was the former chairman of French Connection.A chartered accountant by trade, Bernstein has also been involved in the footballing world and was the chairman of Manchester City Football Club from 1998 to 2003, a period of revival and stability in... |
2011–present | |
| Secretary | E. C. Morley | 1863–1866 |
| R. W. Willis | 1866–1868 | |
| R. G. Graham | 1868–1870 | |
| Charles Alcock C. W. Alcock Charles William Alcock was an influential English sportsman and administrator. He was a major instigator in the development of both international football and cricket, as well as being the creator of the FA Cup.... |
1870–1895 | |
| Frederick Wall | 1895–1934 | |
| Stanley Rous Stanley Rous Sir Stanley Ford Rous, CBE was the 6th President of FIFA, serving from 1961 to 1974. He also served as secretary of the Football Association from 1934 to 1962 and was an international referee.-Early Life:... |
1934–1962 | |
| Denis Follows Denis Follows Sir Denis Follows, CBE was a British sports administrator. Between 1962 and 1975 he was Secretary of the Football Association and from 1977 was Chairman of the British Olympic Association. He was educated at the universities of London and Nottingham, and was President of the National Union of... |
1962–1973 | |
| E. A. Croker Ted Croker Edgar Alfred Croker was an English football administrator. He was Secretary of the Football Association from 1973 to 1989.-Life and Career:... |
1973–1989 | |
| Chief executive | Graham Kelly Graham Kelly (football) Graham Kelly is an English football administrator. He was Secretary of the Football League and Chief executive of the Football Association from 1989 to 1998.... |
1989–1998 |
| Adam Crozier Adam Crozier Adam Crozier is a Scottish businessman, and the current chief executive officer of media company ITV plc, operator of the television channel ITV in England and Wales... |
2000–2002 | |
| Mark Palios Mark Palios Mark Palios is an English chartered accountant, football administrator and former professional footballer. He studied Psychology at Manchester University.... |
2003–2004 | |
| Brian Barwick Brian Barwick Brian Barwick is an English football administrator and the former chief executive of The Football Association having held the post from January 2005 to December 2008. He previously worked with the BBC and ITV. He is a known supporter of Liverpool F.C... |
2005–2008 | |
| Ian Watmore Ian Watmore Ian Watmore , is an English accountant and current civil servant.Born in Croydon, Surrey, he was schooled at Trinity School, Croydon and then graduated with a degree in mathematics and management studies from Trinity College, Cambridge... |
2009–2010 | |
| Executive Director | David Davies David Davies (football administrator) David Davies OBE is a former Executive Director of the The Football Association. He previously worked as sports correspondent for BBC Midlands Today as well as presenter from 1988 until 1994, and also appeared on BBC North West Tonight previously.... |
1998–2000 |
| Acting Chief Executive | 2002–2003 | |
| 2004–2005 |
Board of directors
- Chairman: David BernsteinDavid Bernstein (executive)David Bernstein is a British business executive who was the former chairman of French Connection.A chartered accountant by trade, Bernstein has also been involved in the footballing world and was the chairman of Manchester City Football Club from 1998 to 2003, a period of revival and stability in...
- Vice-Chairman: Barry Bright (Kent FAKent County Football AssociationThe Kent County Football Association, also simply known as the Kent F.A., is the governing body of football in the county of Kent, England, and was formed in 1881. The Kent FA run a number of cups at different levels for teams across Kent.-History:...
) † - General Secretary: Alex Horne
- Other Members:
- Dave Henson †
- Michael Game (Essex FAEssex County Football AssociationThe Essex County Football Association, also simply known as the Essex FA, is the governing body of football in the county of Essex.-External links:*...
) † - Phil GartsidePhil GartsidePhilip 'Phil' Gartside is a businessman and the current chairman of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.He joined the board of Bolton Wanderers Football Club in April 1989, having been a fan of the club since his days as a pupil at Leigh Grammar School.He became chairman of Bolton Wanderers in October...
(Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
Chairman) ‡ - David GillDavid Gill (executive)David Alan Gill is British football executive, currently Chief Executive of Manchester United F.C. and a board member of the Football Association...
(Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
Chief Executive) ‡ - Roger Burden (Gloucestershire FAGloucestershire County Football AssociationThe Gloucestershire County Football Association, also simply known as the Gloucestershire FA or GFA, is the governing body of football in the county of Gloucestershire. It was formed in 1886.-History:...
) † - Sir Dave RichardsDave RichardsSir Dave Richards is the chairman of the FA Premier League, member of the Football Association 's Board, chairman of the FA's international committee, president of the European Professional Football Leagues organisation, chairman of UEFA's Professional Football Committee and former chairman of...
(Premier League Chairman) ‡ - John Ward (Hampshire FAHampshire Football AssociationThe Hampshire Football Association, also known as Hampshire FA, is the governing body of football in the county of Hampshire. It was formed in 1887.-External links:* * *...
) † - David SheepshanksDavid SheepshanksDavid Sheepshanks is the joint-acting Chairman of The FA. He is best known for being the former chairman of Ipswich Town Football Club in the Football League Championship in England....
(Ipswich TownIpswich Town F.C.Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
Non-Executive Director) * - Neil DoncasterNeil DoncasterNeil Doncaster is an association football executive. He was appointed as chief executive of the Scottish Premier League in July 2009, having previously held the same position at Norwich City F.C. from 2001 to 2009.-Profile:...
(Scottish Football LeagueScottish Football LeagueThe Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
Chief Executive) *
Key:
† = National Game Representative
‡ = Premier League Representative
External links
- England FIFA
- England UEFA
- The FA official site
- Tom Bower Has the Blazer Brigade doomed football? The Guardian 2 July 2005
- When the Royal Engineers won the FA Cup 1875 Royal Engineers Museum