Russian Football Union

Russian Football Union

UEFA
Association crest
Founded	January 19, 1912
FIFA affiliation	1912 - 1917, 1992 1946 - 1991 as Football Federation of USSR
UEFA affiliation	1954 (as Football Section of Soviet Union)
President	Vitaly Mutko
Website	http://www.rfs.ru

The Russian Football Union (Russian: Российский Футбольный Союз, Rossiyskiy Futbolny Soyuz), known as RFS, is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the Russian Federation. With headquarters in Moscow, the FIFA member governs Russia amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, beach soccer, futsal and Paralympic national teams. RFS sanctions referees and soccer tournaments for Russian Premier League and most soccer leagues in Russia.

Structure

RFS is governed by a Board of Directors, led by Chairman and Director General. Nikita Simonyan is the acting Chairman with Aleksander Alaev as Director General.

Russian Football Union is a member of international soccer bodies FIFA and UEFA, and also has a relationship with the International Olympic Committee.

History

Russian Empire

The All-Russian Football Union (VFS) was created on January 19, 1912 and in the same year was admitted to FIFA. The Unions initially consisted of 52 organizations across the Russian Empire. All-Russian Football Union was the organizer of Russian Empire national football team which played 16 internationals between 1910 and 1914.

Soviet Union

In 1934 the Football Federation of USSR was formed initially under the name the Football Section of Soviet Union. The organization of it was in accordance with the Declaration of the All-Union Council of Fitness Culture of USSR on December 27, 1934. The Section was admitted to FIFA as the Soviet organization in 1946 and admitted to UEFA in 1954. Later the Section was reorganized as the Football Federation of USSR. Concurrently with the Section and later Federation until 1972 there operated the Football Directorate of the Soviet Sport Committee that was subordinated directly to the Soviet Ministry of Sport. The Directorate was never recognized on the international level.

Russian Federation

With the fall of the Soviet Union the modern Russian Football Union was formed (a constituent conference took place on February 8, 1992), inheriting everything from the previous associations such as VRS and Football Federation of USSR and reinstated in FIFA on July 3, 1992. In July 1992 the Russian national football team was formed.

Presidents

File:Putin on the 100th anniversary of the Russian Football Union.ogv

Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaking on the 100th anniversary of the Russian Football Union.

Chairmen of All-Russian Football Union

• Arthur Mcpherson (January 1912 - 1914)
  • Robert Fulda (deputy chairman)
  • Georges Duperron (deputy chairman)
• Robert Fulda (1914 - 1915)

Russian Football Union

• Vyacheslav Koloskov (1992 - April 2, 2005)
• Vitaliy Mutko (April 2, 2005 - November 24, 2009) (acting)
• Nikita Simonyan (November 24, 2009 - February 3, 2010)
• Sergei Fursenko (February 3, 2010 - June 25, 2012)
• Nikita Simonyan (June 25, 2012 - September 3, 2012)
• Nikolai Tolstykh (September 3, 2012 - May 2015)
• Nikita Simonyan (May 2015 - September 2, 2015)
• Vitaly Mutko (Sentember 2, 2015 — present) (acting)

External links

• Football Union of Russia Website (in Russian and English)
• (Russian) Department of professional football of the Russian Football Union
• Russia (USSR) National Football Team
• Russia at FIFA site
• Russia at UEFA site