Irish Football Association

The Irish Football Association (IFA) is the governing body for association football in Northern Ireland. It originally organised the Ireland national football team which, after 1921 or 1950, depending on which event is taken as the significant factor, became the Northern Ireland national football team. It should not be confused with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), which is the governing body in the Republic of Ireland.

History

Foundation of the IFA

The IFA was formed in 1880 by seven football clubs mostly in the Belfast area, as the organising body for the sport across all of Ireland. A meeting was called by Cliftonville of other football clubs that followed the rules set out by the Scottish Football Association (SFA). At that meeting, on 18 November of that year, seven clubs formed the IFA, making it the fourth oldest national football association in the world (after those of England, Scotland and Wales). The founding members were: Alexander, Avoniel, Cliftonville, Distillery, Knock, Moyola Park and Oldpark. The IFA's first decision was to form an annual challenge cup competition similar to the FA Cup and Scottish Cup competitions, called the Irish Cup. Two years later, Ireland played its first international against England, losing 13–0 (which remains a record for both teams; a record win for England, and a record loss for (Northern) Ireland).