Russian Football Union

Russian Football Union
UEFA
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	Nikolai Tolstykh(since September 3, 2012)

The Russian Football Union (Russian: Российский Футбольный Союз) is the governing body of football in Russia. The Union is considered a direct successor of the Football Federation of USSR. It organizes the football league, Premier-Liga, and the Russian national football team. It is based in Moscow.

Fabio Capello, the former England manager has been roped in to be the Russia's new coach.^[1]

History [edit]

The All-Russian Football Union (VRS) 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. It was not until 1934 when 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.

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 FF USSR and reinstated in FIFA on July 3, 1992. In July 1992 was formed the Russian national football team.