Международный совет футбольных ассоциаций (IFAB)

Body that determines the rules of association football

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is an international self regulatory body of association football that is known for determining the Laws of the Game, the regulations for the gameplay of football. It was founded in 1886 in order to establish standardised regulations or "Laws" for the gameplay of international competition, and has since acted as the primary maintainer ("Guardian") of these Laws. FIFA, a prominent governing body for football, has recognised IFAB's jurisdiction over its Laws since its establishment in 1904. IFAB is a distinct body from FIFA, although FIFA is represented on the board and holds 50% of the voting power. The founding football associations of IFAB, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales each have permanent seats on the organisation. Amendments to the Laws mandate a three quarter supermajority vote, meaning that FIFA's support is necessary but not sufficient for a motion to pass.

Although the rules of football had largely been standardised by the early 1880s, England's Football Association (The FA), the Scottish Football Association (SFA), the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and the Irish Football Association (IFA) had conflicting rules. When international matches were played, the rules of the home team's national association were used. While this solution was technically feasible, it was impractical. To remedy this, the FAs initialised a meeting on 6 December 1882 in Queen’s Hotel, Manchester in order to systematise a set of rules that could be applied uniformly to matches between the UK football associations' national teams. This was later named the “International Football Conference”. In the summer of 1885, the English FA declared that it legalised professionalism. The Scottish FA responded that it would refuse to allow professionals in its own national team, and would refuse to play international matches against an England team containing professionals. The Irish FA attempted to arbitrate by proposing that "an international conference should be held each year, say, in August, to be called in turn by each national association to deal with the laws of the game, and discuss other matters of interest to Association football, and at which international disputes could be adjusted".

The initial meeting of IFAB took place at The FA's offices at Holborn Viaduct in London on 2 June 1886. The FA, SFA, FAW and IFA each had equal voting rights. It was chaired by Sir Francis Marindin, and attended by Charles W. Alcock acting as Secretary. The meeting was notable for Marindin’s proposal, which outlined "That no player shall wear any kind of projection on the soles of heels of his boots with the exception of flat leather bars of an approved pattern". The petition was analysed, and IFAB concluded that it wasn’t the right time to establish FIFA as a member, and McDowall proceeded to write a response to the organisation explaining the consensus. At a special meeting held on 25 January 1913 in Wrexham, IFAB approved FIFA’s request after a proposition by The FA was made proposing that two members from FIFA should attend the board, making FIFA the fifth member of IFAB.

For the first four post war IFAB meetings (1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923), FIFA was once again excluded, on account of a dispute between FIFA and the home nations regarding payments to amateur players. From 1924, the dispute had been reconciled, and FIFA resumed attendance of IFAB meetings. In 1958, the Board agreed on a voting system that would be used to this day. Since Irish partition in 1921, the IFA has evolved to become the organising body for football in Northern Ireland, with football in the Republic of Ireland being organised by the FAI. A request for the FAI to become a member of IFAB was denied at the 1923 annual general meeting.

The IFAB is made up of representatives from England's Football Association (The FA), the Scottish Football Association (SFA), the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and Northern Ireland's Irish Football Association (IFA)—and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA, the International Association Football Federation), the international governing body for football. Each British or Irish association has one vote and FIFA has four. IFAB deliberations must be approved by three quarters of the vote, or at least six of the eight votes. Thus, FIFA's approval is necessary for any IFAB decision, but FIFA alone cannot change the Laws of the Game—they need to be agreed by at least two of the UK members. As of 2016, all members must be present for a binding vote to proceed. In cases of necessity, the Board can meet in a Special Meeting in addition to the two ordinary annual meetings. As of December 2012, the last Special Meeting was hosted by FIFA in Zürich on 5 July 2012. The decisions of each year's Annual General Meeting of the Board regarding changes to the Laws of the Game enter into force from 1 July (and are binding on FIFA and on the other members of the Board, and, given that FIFA's Statutes establish that FIFA and its member associations and affiliates adhere to the Laws of the Game laid down by IFAB, those changes bind also FIFA's other member associations, FIFA's continental confederations of member associations, and the subnational entities of the national associations) but confederations, member associations and other bodies whose current season has not ended by 1 July may delay the introduction of the adopted alterations to the Laws of the Game in their competitions until the beginning of their next season. As well as permanent changes to the Laws, IFAB also authorises trials of potential amendments.

Year Date Host Location Venue Votes Notes / references FA SFA FAW IFA FIFA Requiredto amend laws 1886 01 FA Football Association Offices,51 Holborn Viaduct 2 2 2 2 0 100% First meeting 1887 01 SFA Scottish Football Association Offices,6 Carlton Place First meeting to amend the Laws of the Game 1888 01 FAW Wynnstay Arms Hotel 1889 01 IFA Commercial Hotel 1890 01 FA Anderton's Hotel 1891 01 SFA Alexandra Hotel 1892 01 FAW Prince of Wales Hotel 1893 01 IFA Hotel Shaftesbury Date of subsequent meetings fixed to be the third Monday in June. 1894 01 FA Ferry Hotel 1895 01 SFA Alexandra Hotel 1896 01 FAW White Horse Hotel 1897 01 IFA Mourne Hotel 1898 01 FA Football Association Offices,61 Chancery Lane 1899 01 SFA St. Enoch's Station Hotel 1900 01 FAW Royal Hotel 1901 01 IFA tejas hotel also 1902 01 FA Grand Hotel 1903 01 SFA Station Hotel Date of subsequent meetings moved to the second Saturday in June. 1904 01 FAW British Hotel 1905 01 IFA Lake Hotel First meeting to be held outside today's United Kingdom. 1906 01 FA Royal Hotel 1907 01 SFA Alexandra Hotel 1908 19–20 June FAW Rock Hotel 1909 01 IFA Great Northern Hotel 1910 01 FA Royal York Hotel 1911 01 SFA Station Hotel 1912 01 FAW Queen's Hotel 1913 01 IFA Northern Counties Hotel 2 2 2 2 2 80% First meeting to include FIFA 1914 01 FIFA Hotel Palais D'Orsay First meeting held outside Britain and Ireland. Last meeting before the First World War. 1920 12–14 June FA Torbay Hotel 2 2 2 2 0 100% First meeting after the First World War. FIFA again excluded. 1921 01 SFA Portpatrick Hotel 1922 01 FAW Imperial Hotel 1923 01 IFA Causeway Hotel Last meeting to exclude FIFA 1924 01 FA Football Association Offices,42 Russell Square 2 2 2 2 2 80% 1925 01 FIFA 11 Rue de Londres 1926 01 SFA Grand Hotel 1927 01 FAW Grand Hotel 1928 01 IFA Slieve Donard Hotel 1929 01 FIFA Fédération Française de Football Association Offices,22 Rue de Londres 1930 01 FA Royal Exeter Hotel 1931 01 SFA Gleneagles Hotel 1932 01 FAW Imperial Hotel 1933 01 IFA Northern Counties Hotel Rules amended to allow FIFA hosted meetings to take place in "the territory of a Continental National Association", rather than being restricted to Paris. 1934 01 FIFA Hôtel des Anglais 1935 01 FA Daish's Hotel 1936 01 SFA Marine Hotel 1937 01 FAW Imperial Hotel 1938 11 & 13 June IFA Northern Counties Hotel 1939 01 FIFA Hotel Negresco Last meeting held before World War II. A meeting was scheduled for London in 1940, but was abandoned when FIFA and IFA delegates were unable to attend. 1947 01 FA Imperial Hotel First meeting held after World War II. 1948 01 FIFA Palace Hotel First meeting held outside Britain, Ireland and France. Meeting would have regularly been hosted by the SFA, but it was unanimously agreed to accept an invitation from FIFA to host this meeting. 1949 01 SFA Hydro Hotel 1950 01 FAW Bulkeley Arms Hotel 1951 01 IFA Northern Counties Hotel 1952 01 FIFA Morgano Tiberio Hotel Date of future meetings moved to third Saturday in June. 1953 01 FA Cavendish Hotel 1954 01 FIFA Schweizerhof Hotel The SFA agreed to forego its regularly scheduled hosting duties in order to allow FIFA to host the meeting at its 50th anniversary celebrations preceding the 1954 World Cup. 1955 01 SFA Marine Hotel 1956 01 FAW Imperial Hotel 1957 01 IFA Northern Counties Hotel 1958 01 FIFA Hotel Foresta 1 1 1 1 4 75% Meeting held on the day before the opening of the 1958 World Cup. New rules adopted, with greater voting weight given to FIFA "on behalf of all other National Associations in membership with it". Hosting rules changed to provide that "when the FIFA Congress and the World Cup coincide", FIFA should host the meeting at the World Cup venue, if practicable. Date of meeting may be any time in June. 1959 01 FA Pomme d'Or Hotel First of four consecutive meetings hosted by the FA outside England in the Channel Islands 1960 01 SFA Rusack's Marine Hotel 1961 01 FAW Seabank Hotel 1962 01 IFA Slieve Donard Hotel 1963 01 FIFA Palazzo della Camera di Commercio 1964 01 FA Grand Hotel 1965 01 SFA Caledonian Hotel 1966 01 FAW Marine Hotel 1967 01 IFA Slieve Donard Hotel Last meeting hosted by the IFA for 13 years. The IFA withdrew from its regular hosting schedule during the 1970s owing to the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland. 1968 01 FIFA Hotel Excelsior 1969 01 FA Grand Hotel 1970 01 SFA Caledonian Hotel 1971 01 FAW Dragon Hotel 1972 01 FIFA Parkhotel Schönbrunn FIFA stepped in to replace the IFA. 1973 01 FA Duke of Richmond Hotel 1974 01 FIFA Hotel Bachmair Meeting held two days after the final of the 1974 World Cup in nearby Munich. First meeting not held in June. 1975 01 SFA Gleneagles Hotel 1976 01 FAW Seabank Hotel 1977 01 FA Royal Garden Hotel The IFA withdrew from hosting this meeting. 1978 01 FIFA Hotel Sheraton First meeting outside Europe. Held on the opening day of the 1978 World Cup. 1979 01 SFA Gleneagles Hotel 1980 01 IFA Culloden Hotel 1981 01 FAW Ruthin Castle IFAB had accepted an invitation by FIFA President João Havelange to host this meeting in Brazil, but the invitation was subsequently withdrawn, with Havelange missing this meeting for personal reasons. 1982 01 FIFA Palacio de Congresos Meeting held the day after the final of the 1982 World Cup 1983 01 FA Chewton Glen Hotel 1984 01 SFA Turnberry Hotel 1985 01 IFA Culloden Hotel 1986 01 FIFA Camino Real Hotel First (and, as of 2020, only) meeting in North America. Originally scheduled to be held in Zürich, but moved to Mexico in connection with the 1986 World Cup. 1987 01 FAW Bodysgallen Hall 1988 01 FA Royal Lancaster Hotel 1989 01 SFA Caledonian Hotel 1990 01 FIFA Hilton Cavalieri Hotel Held during the 1990 World Cup 1991 01 IFA Culloden Hotel 1992 01 FAW Celtic Manor Hotel New rules adopted by IFAB: in future years there will be two annual meetings: the Annual General Meeting, held in February / March, and the Annual Business Meeting in September / October. 1993 01 FA Hanbury Manor 1994 01 FIFA FIFA House 1995 01 SFA Turnberry Hotel 1996 01 FIFA Copacabana Palace Hotel Last meeting held outside Europe (as of 2020). Originally scheduled to be hosted by the IFA in Northern Ireland, but moved to Brazil at the instigation of outgoing FIFA President João Havelange. 1997 01 IFA Culloden Hotel 1998 01 FIFA Hôtel Plaza Athénée 1999 01 FAW Miskin Manor Hotel 2000 01 FA Cliveden 2001 01 SFA Balmoral Hotel 2002 01 FIFA Hôtel Mont Cervin 2003 01 IFA Culloden Hotel 2004 01 FIFA Claridge's Hotel Hosted in London by FIFA as part of its centenary celebrations, to celebrate the role of the four Home Associations in the development of the game. 2005 01 FAW Miskin Manor Hotel 2006 01 FIFA Palace Hotel120th anniversary. 2007 01 FA Lowry Hotel 2008 01 SFA Gleneagles Hotel 2009 01 IFA Slieve Donard Hotel 2010 01 FIFA FIFA headquarters 2011 01 FAW Celtic Manor Hotel 2013 01 SFA Balmoral Hotel 2014 01 FIFA FIFA headquarters 2015 27 February–1 March IFA Culloden Hotel 2016 01 FAW St. David's Hotel and Spa 130th Anniversary. 2017 01 FA Wembley Stadium 2018 01 FIFA FIFA headquarters 2019 01 SFA Marcliffe Hotel 2020 01 IFA Culloden Hotel 2021 01 FAW Meeting held by videoconference N/A 2022 01 FIFA Meeting held by videoconference20234 March FA Wembley Stadium 20242 March SFA Cameron House