The London Football Association (LFA) is unique for the reason that it is the only one founded by
The Football Association. While others were founded to organise football locally around the country, Charles Alcock and Lord Kinnaird, then Secretary and Chairman of The FA, created the London FA to deal with local clubs and competitions while the main body focused on the Laws of the Game and international football matters. According to the
Memorandum on Areas and Overlapping of Associations the London FA covers the area 12 miles from Charing Cross. The association is ‘overlapped’ by a number of its colleague County FA’s:
Essex FA,
Kent FA,
Middlesex FA,
Surrey FA and the
Amateur Football Alliance. The first Secretary was
N. L. 'Pa' Jackson who was also serving on the FA Council. He was famous for founding the
Corinthians Football Club and is said to be the inventor of the international cap. The London FA's other claim to fame is that
its representative team was the first ever English team to play in a European final, the
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final in 1958 where they lost over two legs to
Barcelona. The London Football Association is one of the biggest in the country with just under 1,000 clubs, nearly 1,500 referees and over 30 leagues. The association has a history of long-serving, dedicated officials. For example, Tommy Kirkup served as Secretary for 44 years between 1903 and 1947. Basil Stallard is by far the longest serving Treasurer having been in that position since 1973. There have been only nine Presidents since 1882, Lionel Seymour being the current incumbent. In 1922 the London Minor Football Association was founded for youth football. It became the London Youth Football Association and continues to administer youth football in the capital to this day. It did, however, come under the London FA Limited when it incorporated in 2001. Both the Inner London County Schools Football Association and London Football Coaches Association work in collaboration with the London FA for the mutual benefit of its members. This provides participants in the capital with a complete range of opportunities in football. In 2022, the London FA relocated its headquarters from Fulham to Wembley Stadium, the home of English football. The move formed part of a wider effort to strengthen its connection with the national game and improve accessibility for staff, partners, and stakeholders. In 2024, the London FA unveiled a new brand identity and strategic plan titled
London For All aimed at enhancing grassroots football across the capital for the 2024 to 2028 period. ==Affiliated leagues==