Football and International Relations: FIFA Politics

FIFA is the largest sports organization, uniting 211 member associations, which is more members than there are states in the UN. The FIFA Congress is the highest body, where each association has one vote — Monaco and China have equal rights. This is democratic, but sometimes it also allows for the possibility of buying the votes of small countries.

There have been many corruption scandals in FIFA's history. In 2015, "FIFAgate" occurred when the US FBI arrested FIFA officials on charges of bribery and money laundering. Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were banned from football. Reforms are being carried out under the leadership of Gianni Infantino, but criticism continues — especially regarding the selection process for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

The Uzbekistan FA (Uzbekistan Football Association), as a member of FIFA and AFC, is actively participating in the international arena. Strengthening international relations is crucial for the development of Uzbek football. Friendly matches, international tournaments, and cooperation programs are all tools of football diplomacy.