FIFA, the world governing body of association football,[1] has 211 member countries and territories;[2] that number is higher than that of the 193 member states of the United Nations, because FIFA previously allowed non sovereign countries or territories to become members, though that is no longer the case (only sovereign countries are now allowed to become new members of FIFA).[3]
There are 26 countries and territories that are members of FIFA while not being members of the United Nations: American Samoa, Anguilla, Aruba, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chinese Taipei, Cook Islands, Curaçao, England, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Macau, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Northern Ireland, Palestine, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Tahiti, Turks and Caicos, US Virgin Islands, and Wales.[2][4]
Conversely, there are 8 (eight) United Nations member states which are not members of FIFA: Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom. (The four UK constituent countries – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – are members instead, as are several British Overseas Territories.).[2][4]
Finally, one of the two United Nations General Assembly observer states, the Holy See (sovereign over Vatican City) is also not a member of a FIFA.[5]
List of current FIFA members
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References
edit- ↑ "FIFA | 2026 World Cup, Football, Soccer, History, & Facts | Britannica". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- 1 2 3 "FIFA - Associations".
- ↑ McClean, Stefan Robert (2025-04-28). "Greenland's Application for Membership to the International Football Community". EJIL: Talk!. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- 1 2 Nations, United. "Member States". United Nations. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "The wonderful world of Catholic soccer". The B.C. Catholic. Retrieved 2026-06-27.