History Of Soccer

What is the history of soccer? What are its origins? Where did soccer come from? Who invented it? Listed below is the history of soccer, also known as football throughout the world.

Which Country Started Soccer?

The most basic forms of soccer in recorded history first appeared in the Far East around 200 B.C., during the Chinese Han Dynasty. This game, known as Tsu’ Chu, included the most basic elements of present-day soccer, such as kicking a ball into a goal. The ancient Japanese “Kemari” also resembles soccer, as players used their feet to play the ball, but this game was non-competitive and is more comparable to hacky sack than soccer. Kemari is still played in Japan ritualistically.

Organized soccer in the modern era was born in England. Many variations of soccer existed at English public schools, and in the mid-19th century, deliberations began about the rules and organization of “football.” This led to the formation of the Football Association, or “FA,” in 1863. The FA was the first governing body of soccer, and the FA Cup is the oldest competition, having existed since 1872. The first league of soccer teams was also born in England in 1888. 

Who Invented Soccer?

No single person can be credited with the invention of soccer, as it was invented at English schools in the early 19th century. The Football Association, founded in 1863, is often considered the official beginning of organized soccer as we know it today. The FA held meetings to standardize the rules of “football,” which at the time included a variety of gameplays from soccer to rugby. One of the FA’s accepted rules banned carrying the ball and tripping players, which led to the splintering of rugby and soccer.

Ebenezer Cobb Morley is often credited with the invention of soccer. He led the creation of the FA after writing a letter to a newspaper outlining the need for a governing body in the sport. Morley was the FA’s first secretary and led the establishment of the first rules but was not the sole inventor of the sport.

When was Soccer Established?

After being played in England’s public schools for the better part of the 19th century, soccer was first officially established in 1863 with the creation of the FA. The first official competition, the FA Cup, was first played in 1872, as was the first international match between Scotland and England. The first league was established in 1888. The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which is in charge of the laws of the game, was formed in 1886. The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) was created in 1904 and joined the IFAB in 1913. The first World Cup was held in 1930 in Uruguay.

Women were participants in soccer for as long as men. The first organized women’s match was held in 1892. The women’s game grew in popularity until 1921 when the FA effectively banned women from competing for almost 50 years. The FA later formally apologized for this ban in 2008. Women’s soccer has grown once again, with the FIFA Women’s World Cup beginning play in 1991. 

When did Soccer Become Popular?

Britain’s worldwide empire helped spread the game as early as the 1800s. European countries were the first to catch on, but the popularity of the game was so strong that a World Cup tournament of 13 nations was first held in 1930. However, Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia were the only European countries to initially participate. Soccer has steadily grown in popularity since its inception but is still rapidly growing in countries like the United States. 

Most Popular Countries That Play Soccer

Every country in the world plays some form of soccer. FIFA currently includes 211 member associations from different nations. According to FIFA, these are the top six nations with the most registered soccer players:

• Argentina
• Brazil
• England
• France
• Germany
• Italy

Other countries where soccer is extremely popular include:

• Belgium
• Chile
• Mexico
• Portugal
• South Africa
• Spain
• Thailand
• Turkey
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• Uruguay 

Key Facts and Timeline

Predecessors of soccer have existed for thousands of years, most notably in Ancient China, Greece, and Rome. Forms of the game also existed in Japan, Egypt, and the Americas.

In the 700s AD, British townspeople began kicking around the severed head of a defeated enemy in a violent game. This sport was banned by King Edward III of England in 1331, King James I of Scotland in 1424, and Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1572, but soccer was made legal again in 1605 once it was exclusively played with pig bladders or leather balls.

Soccer began to emerge in British schools in the 1800s and grew to need a written set of rules by 1815. The Football Association was created in 1863, and modern rules were established shortly after.

The game grew globally, and the first men’s World Cup was held in 1930, with the Women’s World Cup following in 1991.

• 200s B.C. – oldest records of soccer-like games in Ancient China
• 700s A.D. – British townspeople began kicking around the severed head of a defeated enemy in a violent game
• 1331 – “Football” is banned by various leaders in England
• 1605 – Football became legal in England once again
• 1800s – Children in English schools began playing an organized but unregulated version of the game
• 1863 – The first-ever Football Association is established in England
• 1904 – FIFA was founded in Paris
• 1930 – First FIFA World Cup is held in Uruguay
• 1991 – First FIFA Women’s World Cup is held

FAQ

Who invented soccer?

Even though soccer was not technically invented by one single person, Ebenezer Cobb Morley is typically credited as the sport’s inventor. Morley wrote an extensive letter to the newspaper explaining the sport’s need for a governing body. This led to the official founding of the Football Association (FA) in 1863.

When did soccer start?

While early versions of soccer existed in Ancient times, soccer truly started as its own sport with the creation of the Football Association (FA) in 1863. This English soccer organization standardized the Laws of the Game and started to build “football” into the sport we know today.

Where did soccer start?

England is typically considered the birthplace of organized soccer. The sport was played in a variety of British boarding schools throughout the 19th century, but soccer became more organized and tournaments were formed between opposing schools. In 1872, the first FA cup was formed and, a decade later, the Football Association became the first governing body of the sport.