Explainer-How world soccer is governed: FIFA, UEFA and the balance of power

July 29 : FIFA's plan to create a $20 billion subsidiary to run the World Cup and sell minority stakes to external investors has highlighted the balance of power within world soccer.

While FIFA is the sport's global governing body, much of football's commercial strength lies elsewhere — particularly in Europe, where UEFA controls many of the game's most valuable competitions. Here's how the sport is organised.

WHO RUNS WORLD SOCCER?

FIFA sits at the top of world soccer's governing structure. Founded in 1904 and based in Zurich, it has 211 member associations, each with one vote at the FIFA Congress, the body's supreme legislative authority.

The Congress elects the FIFA president and approves major statutory changes, while the 37-member FIFA Council is the main decision-making body between Congress meetings.

Every national football association also belongs to one of FIFA's six continental confederations: UEFA in Europe, CONMEBOL in South America, CONCACAF in North and Central America and the Caribbean, the AFC in Asia, CAF in Africa and OFC in Oceania.

National associations govern football within their own countries, while the confederations administer the game at regional level.

WHAT DOES FIFA DO?

FIFA organises global competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups, the Club World Cup and youth tournaments. It also oversees the international match calendar, which determines when clubs must release players for national-team duty.

The governing body sets the global regulatory framework for international football through rules covering areas such as player eligibility, transfers and disciplinary matters in FIFA competitions, while distributing development funding through programmes such as FIFA Forward.

Politically, FIFA's