The History of Football

The history of soccer

 The history of football, also known as soccer, is long and storied, with origins that date back thousands of years. According to the federation internationale de football association  (FIFA), football - succer as it is known in North America- is played by upwards of 240 million people worldwide.
  Records trace the origins of the sport back more than 2,000 years ago to ancient China, Greece and Rome, where the 'ball' was made of rock or animal hide stuffed with
hair. There have even been suggestions it dates even further back to old Mesoamerican cultures - but 'football' or 'soccer' as we know it today has its roots in 19th century England.

  From England, the idea of football spread to Europe and across the Atlantic. Two schoolteachers, August Hermann and Konrad Koch, introduced the game to Germany circa 1874. Immigrants, meanwhile, are thought to have brought soccer to the United States.

  Records trace the origins of the sport back more than 2,000 years ago to ancient China, Greece and Rome, where the 'ball' was made of rock or animal hide stuffed with hair. There have even been suggestions it dates even further back to old Mesoamerican cultures - but 'football' or 'soccer' as we know it today has its roots in 19th century England.

From England, the idea of football spread to Europe and across the Atlantic. Two schoolteachers, August Hermann and Konrad Koch, introduced the game to Germany circa 1874. Immigrants, meanwhile, are thought to have brought soccer to the United States.
  The first football association was formed in England in 1863. Rules were established - but continued to change - and the size and weight of the match-ball standardised. Crucially, carrying the ball with the hands was outlawed: association football (soccer) and rugby became two separate entities.
Football continued to undergo rapid development into the 1900s, accelerated by industrialisation. Public school teams soon became the minority following the emergence of factory and other work-based clubs. The best players received monetary incentives, and tickets were sold to the public - mainly members of the working-class - for matches.

19th century England
  The modern game of football originated in 19th century England, where it was played in the winter at public schools.
>Cambridge rules: In 1843, the University of Cambridge attempted to standardize the rules of play. These rules were adopted by most public schools in 1848.
>The Football Association: In 1863, the Football Association (FA) was founded, establishing the first official rules of football.
>The first official match: The first official football match was played in December 1863 between Barnes Football Club and Richmond Football Club.
>The FA Cup: In 1871, the FA Cup was established, becoming the world's oldest football tournament.
Spread of the game
The game spread from England to Europe and across the Atlantic.