Federação Portuguesa de Futebol

Lore & Background

Founded on 31 March 1914 by the three then existing regional associations - Lisbon, Portalegre and Porto - the Portuguese Football Union was the predecessor of the Portuguese Football Federation, which won its name at the Extraordinary Congress of 28 May 1926. The first statutes had been previously published on 12 January 1914. Portugal's first championship, the Campeonato de Portugal (a knock-out tournament, precursor of the Taça de Portugal), was realized in 1921. In 1954, Portugal became one of the founding members of UEFA in Basel, Switzerland. On 9 April 1956, the federation received the Commander of the Order of Goodwill. In 1968, the federation settled its headquarters at Praça da Alegria, nº 25. In 1986, Silva Resende was elected president; during his term, the FPF was involved in controversies surrounding the Portugal national team at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. In 1996, Gilberto Madaíl was elected as the 30th president. On 12 October 1999, Portugal was announced as host for UEFA Euro 2004. On 5 July 2004, the FPF was made an Honorary Member of the Order of Infante D. Henrique. On 12 October 2004, FPF changed its headquarters for the eighth time to a building in Alexandre Herculano avenue. In 2011, Fernando Gomes was elected as the 31st president. On 3 December 2018, Portugal was announced the host country of the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals. On 8 October 2020, Fernando Gomes and his Spanish counterpart confirmed a joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. On 4 October 2023, the FIFA Executive Committee accepted the Portugal-Spain-Morocco bid as the sole candidate to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

In Their Own Story

The rain slicks the cobblestones outside the FPF headquarters in Lisbon, mirroring the stormy atmosphere inside. An old archivist pulls a dusty file from a shelf, revealing a faded photograph of Eusébio celebrating a goal in a distant stadium. He traces the image with a trembling hand, remembering how the federation once struggled to secure funding for such journeys.

Reader's Guide

The FPF oversees all aspects of football in Portugal, both professional and amateur, and administers the competition committee of the Campeonato de Portugal, the Taça de Portugal and the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. It appoints the management of the Portugal national football team (men's), women's, and youth national football teams, as well as the men's and women's Portugal national futsal team and Portugal national beach soccer team. The FPF is made up of 22 territorial federations. Its governing bodies include the General Assembly, the Board (consisting of the president, three vice-presidents, and five directors), the Council of Justice, the Disciplinary Board, the Arbitration Council, and the Fiscal Council.

Did You Know?

• The federation was originally called the Portuguese Football Union (UPF) and was formed on 31 March 1914.
• Portugal became a full member of FIFA in May 1923 at the XII FIFA Congress in Geneva.
• The FPF changed its headquarters eight times, settling at Alexandre Herculano avenue in 2004.
• Portugal was announced as host of the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals on 3 December 2018.
• The FPF is part of the joint bid with Spain and Morocco to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.