Rebuilding the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) after the Second World War (1944-1950) Milestones of a History of International Sports
During the interwar period, soccer became increasingly important to international relations. During those years, all European governments, whether authoritarian, totalitarian, or democratic, made soccer – and above all, the success of their national teams – a barometer of national reputation and prestige. If the Second World War shook the geopolitical balance, within the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), many team presidents, secretaries, and coaches continued in their positions between 1944 and 1950 and contributed to reorganizing European and world soccer. The purpose of our study is to highlight FIFA’s reconstruction process after the Second World War by examining FIFA’s archives and the correspondence between its president, Jules Rimet, and secretary, Ivo Schricker.