Plural of federation; groups of states, organizations, or countries that join together while each keeps some control over its own affairs.
From Latin 'foedus' (covenant) through 'federation,' which entered English in the late 1600s. The plural form became common as multiple federal systems emerged worldwide.
The FIFA World Cup is only possible because of sports federations—thousands of independent soccer clubs in different countries all agreed to follow the same rules and compete together.
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