In the early 20th century, all sports in Estonia were governed by the
Estonian Sports Association Kalev. Following success at the
1920 Summer Olympics, the Estonian Sports Association announced they were unable to continue to administer all sports in Estonia due to an increase in the number of sports being played. The Estonian Football Association was founded in 1921 as one of the first independent sports governing bodies in order to administer football in the country. The Estonian Football Association affiliated with FIFA in 1923. Following the occupation of Estonia by the
Soviet Union in the
Second World War in 1940, the Estonian Football Association was dissolved. During the
Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, football was administered by the Soviet Estonian SSR Football Federation as a regional football governing body under the
Football Federation of the Soviet Union. During this time, local Estonians were dissuaded from playing football so the majority of football under communist rule was played by Russians living in Estonia. The Estonian Football Association was reformed in 1988, following the
Estonian Declaration of Sovereignty, and rejoined FIFA in 1991. In 1992, they joined
UEFA and re-established the
Meistriliiga as the Estonian national football league. ==Controversy==