Coat of arms of the Football Association

The Football Association (FA) was founded in 1863. At first, its influence on the game of association football was limited but the first FA Cup competition in 1871 changed things and by the end of the century the organisation was generally recognised as the national body for the sport. The association now manages the men's, women's and youth national teams. In its early years the FA used various symbols on its products, for example medals, including the royal arms of England and the royal arms of the United Kingdom. By the late 19th century the FA was using a distinctive badge on the shirts of the England men's national team. This was three blue lions on a white field (properly described as Argent three lions passant guardant in pale azure) and was sometimes depicted with a crown above (royally crowned). This was similar to the royal arms of England which show three yellow lions on a red background. The FA petitioned the College of Arms for its own coat of arms, which were granted on 30 March 1949. These were based on the unofficial form used previously, though ten Tudor roses were added between the lions. The coat's formal description is Argent semy of Tudor roses three lions passant guardant in pale azure. == Second grant of arms ==

On 9 January 1979 the FA received a second grant of arms, expanding their original coat of arms into a full heraldic achievement by the addition of a crest, supporters and motto. The crest was a blue cap of maintenance, upon which was perched a peregrine falcon holding a Tudor rose stem in its mouth (On a cap of maintenance azure turned up argent a peregrine falcon rising belled and jessed holding in the beak an English wild rose slipped and leaved all proper.). The supporters were lions with their upper halves white and lower halves blue (replicating the England football kit colours). The lions were depicted standing, each with a foot rested on a football and a Tudor rose on their shoulder (On each side a lion party per fess argent and azure charged on the shoulder with a Tudor rose and with the interior hindfoot resting on a football proper.). The motto, below the coat of arms, is "Play the game". In addition to the achievement the grant awarded the FA a separate heraldic badge, depicting the FA Cup in a wreath of olive leaves (A representation of the Football Association Cup encircled by a chaplet of olive leaves proper). There is no evidence that the FA made use of the full heraldic achievement or badge and correspondence between The Heraldry Society and the FA indicates that the latter were unaware they were entitled to use them and could not locate copies of either of their grants of arms. == Modern use ==

Because of their use on national team football shirts and other FA products the coat of arms is familiar to many English people. The Heraldry Society have said that "it is probable that, after the Royal arms, it is the most widely recognised shield in England". ==References ==