International Football Conference


The International Football Conference was a meeting of the four football associations of the Home Nations.

History

England's Football Association, the Scottish Football Association, the Football Association of Wales and the Irish Football Association met at the Queen's Hotel, Manchester, on 6 December 1882. A precursor to the International Football Association Board, the meeting's major purpose was to address inconsistencies between the laws of the various associations, particularly between England and Scotland.

Resultant actions

Among the changes resulting from the conference were:
  • The throw-in had to be taken from over the head with two hands.
  • The use of a crossbar was made mandatory.
  • The kickoff had to be kicked forwards.
  • The award of an automatic goal for handball by an opponent that prevented a goal was eliminated.
  • It was no longer possible to be offside from a corner-kick.
  • The boundary of the field of play should be marked by a touch line as well as by flags.
The new laws were used in the international matches of the 1882–83 season. They took general effect in the Laws of the Game at the beginning of the 1883–84 season.

Delegates