The All India Football Federation (AIFF), the governing body of football in the country, was formed on this day 77 years ago.

It was on June 23, 1937 that Indian football’s apex body saw the light of the day and gaining FIFA affiliation in 1948.

AIFF has the distinction of being one of the founding members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the continent’s ruling body of football, when it was set up in 1954.

Also a member of the world’s governing body FIFA and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) apart from AFC, AIFF is registered with the Registrar of Societies, Mumbai, under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

There are as many as 33 State Associations affiliated to the national federation. Besides, the Services and Railways Sports Control Boards and the Women’s Committee are affiliated units.

For the record, on June 23, 1937 at the Army Headquarters, Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, AIFF was formed at a meeting of the representatives of football associations of six regions where the game was very popular in those days.

The six regions which attended that historic meeting were the Indian Football Association (West Bengal), Army Sports Control Board, United Provinces, Bihar, North West India Football Association and Delhi.

AIFF has its headquarters at the Football House in Dwarka, New Delhi.

(Report courtesy AIFF Media)