FIFA, a prominent governing body for football, has recognised IFAB's jurisdiction over its Laws since its establishment in 1904.

The founding football associations of IFAB, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales each have permanent seats on the organisation.

Amendments to the Laws mandate a three-quarter supermajority vote, meaning that FIFA's support is necessary but not sufficient for a motion to pass.

To remedy this, the FAs initialised a meeting on 6 December 1882 in Queen’s Hotel, Manchester in order to systematise a set of rules that could be applied uniformly to matches between the UK football associations' national teams.

[3] The Irish FA attempted to arbitrate by proposing that "an international conference should be held each year, say, in August, to be called in turn by each national association to deal with the laws of the game, and discuss other matters of interest to Association football, and at which international disputes could be adjusted".

[4] The initial meeting of IFAB took place at The FA's offices at Holborn Viaduct in London on 2 June 1886.

[6] The meeting was notable for Marindin’s proposal, which outlined "That no player shall wear any kind of projection on the soles of heels of his boots with the exception of flat leather bars of an approved pattern".

[7] The petition was analysed, and IFAB concluded that it wasn’t the right time to establish FIFA as a member, and McDowall proceeded to write a response to the organisation explaining the consensus.