A Brief History of Football

A Brief History of Football
History of football
A painting depicting Emperor Taizu of Song playing cuju (i.e. Chinese football) with his prime minister Zhao Pu and other ministers, by the Yuan dynasty artist Qian Xuan (1235–1305)
A painting depicting Emperor Taizu of Song playing cuju (i.e. Chinese football) with his prime minister Zhao Pu and other ministers, by the Yuan dynasty artist Qian Xuan (1235–1305)

One of the greatest sports in the world, followed by bilions, and is now a leading industry worth trillions of dollars. The History of Football is rich.

It can be played by anyone, even toddlers practising their dribbling skills all the way to boyhood and adulthood.

Some people wonder how this game started and how it evolved over the course of the years.

Well, you will be guided by Live Koora article regarding the brief history of football.

Check out the timeline below which depicts all important moments in the history of football starting from its foundation up until modern day.

A Brief History of Football: Timeline

  • 2nd or 3rd Century BC – Chinese Military Invent Tsu’ Chu
  • 1409 – First Documented Use of Word ‘Football’ In England
  • 1581 – First Football game Played in English Schools in the History of Football
  • 1848 – Cambridge Rules of football were Established
  • 1857 – Sheffield Rules of football established
  • 1863 – Football Association Formed
  • 1870 – First International Match Played in the History of Football
  • 1871 – FA Cup was Invented
  • 1877 – Laws of The Game Ratified
  • 1888 – Football League Formed
  • 1904 – FIFA Formed
  • 1930 – First World Cup created
  • 1954 – UEFA Formed
  • 1960 – First European Championships (Called European Nations Cup back then)
  • 1985 – Heysel Stadium Disaster, English Clubs Banned from Europe
  • 1989 – A Tragedy in the History of Football, the Hillsborough Disaster, Taylor Report Recommends Stadia Become All-Seater
  • 1992 – Premier League Formed
  • 2012 – Goal line Technology Used for The First Time
  • 2016 – New era in the History of Football where VAR was used in an International Match for the first time

History of Football Explained

As can be seen throughout the History of Football, both the Chinese and the Japanese took a big role in the creation of this wonderful game, which has now attracted the participation of billions of people all over the world.

The game was not known by football then, it was known by the names “Tsu Chu” and “Kemari,” and the games they played all were subject to very particular guidelines.

History of Football Football in France, around 1750
History of Football Football in France, around 1750

Even the ancient Greeks and Romans were not far behind, as evidenced by the fact that games such as “Episkyros” and “Harpastum” were played in their societies and contributed to the development of the game in a certain way.

Even after all of this, football was first played on a professional level in England. In 1863, it was decided that the Rugby Association and the Association football will be managed independently.

As a result of the formation of a new organization, existing laws began to evolve, and every few years, whole new laws were enacted.

Now in the History of Football, we go to England where Cambridge regulations for football were created, and then the Sheffield rules, and the laws of the London Football Association. Then, in the end, all the rules were integrated to produce a set of regulations, which was then adhered to.

At the end, these rules gained a wide popularity and ultimately lead to creation of the Football League, which is known as the Premier League in our days.

When you are looking at football, or soccer as known by Americans, the biggest regulatory body FIFA wasn’t established until 1904, and only included a few European nations at the time. In the end, the vast majority of football nations that joined FIFA, and there are currently a total of 211 regional confederations that are part of FIFA.

With the advancement of technology, History of Football saw the advancement in the game and some revolutionizing technology like the Goal Line Technology or Var in Football, which allows us to have a clear look at the circumstances that lead to a goal or a no-goal, which would be difficult for the human eye to follow or notice in a split second.

This technology allows us to have a clearer look at the situations. Another option is the Video Assistant Referee, known by most people by its abbreviation VAR. A VAR’s job it is to review potential situations including a goal, a foul, or a change in the game’s momentum. Video Assistant Referees are responsible for checking on all of these potential outcomes.

Amy Altin
Amy Altin
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