American Football Association (1884–1924)

The American Football Association (AFA) was the first attempt in the United States to form an organizing soccer body.^[1] It was the second oldest sports league to form, behind the National League of baseball in 1876,^[2] as well as being the oldest soccer organization in the United States.

History

The Association was formed in 1884^[3] in an attempt to standardize rules and procedures. Which set of rules that were officially used by the AFA is unclear. At the time it was report that the new organization had adopted English rules.^[4] though they may have been the 1881 version.^[5] But in the 1885–86 SFA's Annual the AFA's secretary, P.J. O'Toole claimed the Scottish Rules were the basis for the American game.^[6] In addition, in 1887 a review of the AFA's Constitution, By-Laws and Laws of the Game showed how the AFA rules aligned more with the SFA's rules, rather then the English rules.^[7]

Association with the FA

It was allied with The Football Association, becoming a member on February 22, 1909, at an FA meeting chaired by Charles Clegg,^[8] and drew on that organization's approach to the game. As part of its efforts, the AFA directly organized cup competitions as well as overseeing the operations of member leagues. In 1884, the AFA established the American Cup,^[3] which for several decades was the highest competitive soccer competition in the United States.

The weakness of the AFA lay in its refusal to expand outside the southern

References