Formed in 1954 and based in Nyon, Switzerland, UEFA works and acts on behalf of the member associations to promote football and ensure its well-being on the continent. The organisation is responsible for many high-profile competitions, some involving national teams such as the prestigious European Championship which next takes place in Portugal in 2004. UEFA's premier club competitions are the European Champions League and the UEFA Cup, in which FA Premier League clubs aspire to compete and succeed in on a yearly basis.

The FA and 50 other national associations of UEFA are all affiliated to the world's governing body, FIFA based in Zurich.

The scope of FIFA's roles and duties has vastly expanded in recent years, and the body is supported in its task of organising, promoting and developing football by the six confederations across the globe. The AFC in Asia, CAF in Africa, CONCACAF in North and Central America and the Caribbean, CONMEBOL in South America, the OFC in Oceania and UEFA comprise 204 member associations in total.

FIFA, formed in 1904 and now one of the world's biggest sports organisations, strives to safeguard the game's good image and it is responsible for the Laws of the Game, which are based upon the rules that were first ratified in 1886.

The rules and regulations are discussed on a yearly basis by the International Football Association Board, which comprises four representatives of FIFA and one each from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, acknowledging the significance of the British associations in the history of the game.

FIFA can also boast the World Cup as its prized asset, the ultimate stage on which a professional footballer can perform and a tournament which captures the imagination of the entire planet.

To find out more about The FA's work abroad click here