Timeline of association football
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This page indexes the individual year in association football pages. Each year is annotated with one or more significant events as a reference point.
Pre-1860s
- 1820s in football
Order imposed on
Sheffield F.C., the oldest surviving independent football club in the world, is founded in 1857. In 1858 it created its first set of rules, which would become known as the Sheffield Rules.
British railway builders introduce football to Argentina. The Football Association is founded in 1863 (the first football association in the world), and it ratifies the original 14 rules of the game. In 1860, the first non-British team in Europe, Lausanne Football and Cricket Club of Switzerland, is formed. In 1862, Notts County F.C. is founded. In 1865 Buenos Aires FC was formed by British residents. In 1866, the Football Association introduces a 'cross tape' between goalposts as a precedent to the 'crossbar'. The first ever football tournament, the Youdan Cup, is played by twelve Sheffield clubs in 1867; the Cromwell Cup, the second oldest football tournament in the world, takes place in 1868 with Sheffield Rules. Goal kicks are introduced in 1869 and Scottish club Kilmarnock F.C founded.
1870s
First "goalkeepers", and the transition from "dribbling game" to "passing game" is seen in club matches in Sheffield and London. The
Scotland and England draw 0–0 in the first FIFA-recognized international football match, played at the West of Scotland Cricket Club. Wanderers beat Royal Engineers in the first FA Cup final. Kick corner and ball fixture is introduced by The Football Association. The first Welsh football club, Wrexham A.F.C., is founded. Football introduced in France by English sailors, and Le Havre is founded. Rangers F.C. is founded in Scotland.
The Scottish Football Association is founded. The offside law is changed so that an offside position is determined when the ball is played by a teammate, rather than when it is received. The corner kick is defined.
The FA authorizes referees to send players off for certain offences and makes a rule requiring teams to change ends at halftime. The first shin pads are introduced.
The crossbar is introduced, replacing tape as the means of marking the top of the
Carlton Cricket Club (Canada) form football section and subsequently tours Britain.
The length of a match is set at 90 minutes.
Referees begin to use whistles.
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub introduces itself as the first sports club in continental Europe. Sunderland A.F.C. and Doncaster Rovers F.C. are founded.
1880s
Irish Football Association founded. Clubs charge for admission. Players paid lost wages and expenses (players still part-time). Manchester City are founded as St. Marks.
Played for the first time the
The Football Association legalises professionalism. The first non-European international was contested on 28 November 1885, at
The FAs of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland form the International Football Association Board. The referee and the captain player for each team are introduced. Arsenal F.C. is founded.
The first football team in South America is founded,
The Royal Dutch Football Association and the Danish Football Association are founded. The Danish association is the first non-British European football association. The
1890s
The IFA Premiership (Irish League) is formed (NIFL Premiership). The Scottish Football League is formed. Goal nets used for the first time.
The
The Football League introduces a second division. Liverpool F.C. and Newcastle United F.C. are founded. The first Asian football association is formed: the Football Association of Singapore. Argentina is the first country outside of Britain to have a national championship.
Referee in complete control of game.
The
Italy's first national championship is organised by the Italian Federation of Gymnastics. Football played at the first Summer Olympics in Athens as demonstration sport. The match length is set to 90 minutes.
The Football League introduces automatic promotion and relegation between its two divisions. Juventus FC is founded as Sport Club Juventus.
The
1900s
The
England joins FIFA.
For the first time, officially, a football tournament is played at the
1910s
Goalkeepers banned from handling the ball outside their own penalty area. Santos FC and Karşıyaka S.K. are founded.
Opposing players forced to stand at least ten yards away from a free kick. Royal Spanish Football Federation and United States Soccer Federation are founded.
The oldest surviving club trophy soccer competition in the Americas,
CONMEBOL is founded. Uruguay wins the first Copa América, held in Argentina. Club América is founded.
LDU Quito are founded under the name Club Universitario.
1920s
For the first time an African national team plays an international match, which is also the first intercontinental national team match between Italy and Egypt, which ends 2–1, at the Summer Olympics in Belgium.
Egyptian Football Association is founded. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is founded. The IFA Premiership (Irish League) is now the national league of Northern Ireland, following partition.
Players allowed to
The offside rule is changed: a player is now onside if a minimum of two (instead of three) opposing players are between him and the goal line. Étoile Sportive du Sahel, Colo-Colo and Olympiacos F.C. are founded.
La Liga is formed. Uruguay wins the gold medal for the second time in a row.
Lega Calcio Serie A is formed. Goalkeepers have to stand still on their lines for penalty kicks.
1930s
Thirteen teams enter the
.Football is excluded from the
Hosts Italy become the second World Cup winners and the first European team to do so, beating Czechoslovakia 2–1 in the final. For the first time a qualification stage occurs and an Asian national team plays an international match: Egypt-Palestine 7–1. Egypt becomes the first African team to compete.
Deportivo Saprissa is founded.
Juventus becomes the first team in Italian football history to win 5 national titles in a row.
Italy wins gold at the Olympics in Berlin and joins Uruguay to become Olympic and World champion.
The largest football crowd was recorded, 149,415 people turned up at Hampden Park, Glasgow, to see Scotland play England[5]
In the
Shirt numbering is made compulsory.
1940s
CCCF Championship Is organized for the first time by CCCF, won and hosted by Costa Rica.
Red Star Belgrade is founded.
The
1950s
Use of white ball permitted.
Hungary's revolutionary tactics help the
UEFA is founded in Basel, Switzerland, Asian Football Confederation is formed. West Germany win the 1954 FIFA World Cup held in Switzerland (it was the first World Cup with a sponsor), coming back from 0–2 to win the final game 3–2 against Hungary, a match known as The Miracle of Bern. Club Universidad Nacional is founded.
First European Cup starts. The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, considered the precursor of the UEFA Cup, is played for the first time and won by Barcelona.
The first season of the Brazilian National Championship takes place and is won by Esporte Clube Bahia. Once Caldas is founded.
1960s
The first
The West German national league
Internazionale wins the European Cup for the first time joining city rivals AC Milan as European champions. Milano becomes the first city and only at present to have won the Champions League with two different clubs. CAF Champions League organized for the first time and won by Oryx Douala.
FC Twente is founded.
England win the 1966 World Cup as hosts, beating West Germany 4–2 in the final as Geoff Hurst becomes the first player to score a hat-trick in the final. The OFC is founded.
2000 people die when
1970s
Brazil becomes the first national side to win a third World Cup in Mexico, the first ever held outside Europe and South America, beating Italy 4–1 in the final as their captain Pelé becomes the first player to win three World Cup medals. Earlier in the tournament, The Game of the Century occurs, Italy beats Germany 4–3 in the semifinal after five goals scored in extra time. Yellow and red cards for sendings off and admonitions appear. Paris was founded.
66 die in the second Ibrox disaster. First UEFA Cup. The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup is abolished. The first FIFA-recognised women's international match is played: France 4 Netherlands 0.
Ajax win the European Cup for the third consecutive season. The first OFC Nations Cup is organized and won by New Zealand.
Hosts West Germany win the 1974 World Cup, beating the Netherlands 2–1 in the final.
The AFC Women's Asian Cup is organized for the first time in Hong Kong, won by New Zealand.
Juventus become the first Italian and South European club to win the
Hosts
1980s
The 1982 FIFA World Cup is played in Spain, the first with 24 teams, the tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final in the Spanish capital of Madrid. It was Italy's third World Cup win and first since 1938. The holders Argentina were eliminated in the second group round. Algeria, Cameroon, Honduras, Kuwait and New Zealand made their first appearances in the finals. for the first time all continents were represented in the competition.
On 29 May, the
The
The
The
1990s
For the first time three clubs from the same country, Italy's Juventus, Sampdoria and A.C. Milan wins all four UEFA club competitions in the same season, a feat no more possible since the Cup Winner's Cup no longer exists.
1–0 in the former's first ever international match.In the inaugural
The back-pass rule is applied, whereby a goalkeeper is no longer permitted to pick up or catch a ball played directly by a fellow team member's foot. In the final of
The
The second FIFA Confederations Cup is organized in Saudi Arabia, and won by Denmark. The Bosman ruling allows all footballers playing in the European Union and not under contract to freely change clubs, and also abolishes foreign player quotas with respect to EU nationals. Norway win the second FIFA Women's World Cup. Suwon Samsung Bluewings is founded.
In the
The
2000s
Brazil sets up a record fifth title in World Cup competition, the first ever to be played in Asia (also the first outside Europe and the Americas), defeating Germany 2–0 in the 2002 FIFA World Cup final. The first FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship is held in Canada, with the USA defeating the hosts in the final 1–0 on a golden goal in extra time.
Founded the
The
The
Brazil wins the 42nd edition of
Spain win their second
The FIFA Confederations Cup is won by Brazil and is held in South Africa (for the first time a FIFA tournament for senior national teams is held in Africa). Spain achieves two world records: most consecutive wins (15) and most matches without a loss (35, with Brazil). Barcelona achieves a sextuple: La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. RB was founded.
2010s
- 2010 in football
- The FIFA World Cup is held in South Africa, the first African nation to host the tournament. Spain win the World Cup for the first time, becoming the first nation outside of South America to win the tournament outside of Europe.
- The FIFA Ballon d'Or is awarded for the first time (to Lionel Messi) after France Football's Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award were merged.
- Egypt win the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time in a row.
- Inter Milan win the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time, beating TP Mazembe, the first African club to reach the final.
- 2011 in football
- Japan defeat the United States in the FIFA Women's World Cup final to win the tournament for the first time.
- Barcelona wins the FIFA Club World Cup for a then-record second time, beating Santos in the final.
- 2012 in football
- Zambia defeats third-time finalists Ivory Coast after a dramatic penalty shootout in the final, giving Zambia their first continental title, becoming the fourteenth nation to win the tournament.
- Tahiti wins the OFC Nations Cup for the first time, becoming the first nation other than Australia or New Zealand to win the tournament.
- The non-FIFAtournament in which they took part for the first time.
- Spain wins the 2012 European Championship: for the first time the trophy was won by the same team twice in a row.
- Lionel Messi scores 91 goals, establishing the new world record for most goals scored in a single calendar year, surpassing Gerd Müller's record of 85 set in 1972.
- Corinthians wins the FIFA Club World Cup for the second time, beating Chelsea in the final.
- 2013 in football
- Nigeria wins the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time, ending their 19-year wait after defeating surprise finalists Burkina Faso.
- Nigeria wins the FIFA U-17 World Cup for a record fourth time.
- Raja Casablancain the final.
- 2014 in football
- Japan wins the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup for the first time.
- The FIFA World Cup is held in Brazil for the second time, the first South American nation to host the tournament in 36 years.
- Julio Grondona, continuous president of AFA since 1979 dies in office.
- The FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup is held in Canada, the first nation to host the tournament twice.
- Germany wins both competitions above.
- German Miroslav Klose becomes the all time FIFA World Cup top scorer with 16 goals.
- Real Madrid becomes the first team in European history to win 10 European titles and wins the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time, beating San Lorenzoin the final.
- 2015 in football
- The FIFA Women's World Cup is held in Canada, United States defeat Japan in the final to win the tournament for the third time.
- Chile win the Copa Americafor the first time, in home soil after defeat Argentina in the final.
- The FIFA Ballon d'Or is awarded (to Lionel Messi) and he won the fifth FIFA Ballon d'Or in his career.
- Australia win the AFC Asian Cup for the first time.
- Sepp Blatter (1998–2015) ends his tenure as president of FIFA and is replaced by the acting president Issa Hayatou.
- Barcelona win the FIFA Club World Cup for the third time, beating River Plate, in the final.
- 2016 in football
- Lionel Messi (
Argentina, 
Barcelona wins the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or and Carli Lloyd (
United States, Houston Dash) wins 2015 FIFA Women's World Player of the Year. - Gianni Infantino is elected president of FIFA.
- in the final.
- Euro 2016 is held in France, the third time the nation hosts it. Portugaldefeats France 1–0 in the final to claim their first major championship in their history.
- Lionel Messi (
- 2017 in football
- in January, ) The Best FIFA Women's Player.
- in May, Lazioin the final.
- In October, FIFA Council officially recognized all European and South American teams that won the Intercontinental Cup as club world champions with the same status to the FIFA Club World Cup winners.[15]
- Manchester United become the UEFA Europa League champions and Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League.
- 2018 in football
- Liverpool's Mohamed Salah breaks record for the most goals scored in a 38-game season in the Premier League. Salah also won goal of the year and the PL golden boot.[16]
- Real Madrid win their third consecutive Champions League by beating Liverpool.[17] Atlético Madrid become Europa League Champions. Atlético Madrid beat derby rivals Real Madrid to become UEFA Super Cup champions.[18]
- The 21st edition FIFA World Cup is held in Russia and is won by France for the second time. The World Cup broke the record for most penalties.[19]
- UEFA launches the first edition of the UEFA Nations League
- Switzerland and Lithuania hosted respectively the U-19 and U-17 feminine competitions. The masculine versions of U-19 and U-17 are hosted by Finland and England. These 4 competitions are won by Spain (feminine: both U-19 and U-17), Portugal (masculine: U-19) and the Netherlands (masculine: U-17).
- 2019 in football
- The FIFA Women's World Cup is hosted by France and is won for the second time, and fourth overall, by the United States after defeating the Netherlands in the final.
- Algeria win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and Brazil win the 2019 Copa América.
- 2019 UEFA Europa League Finalin the latter.
- 2019 EFL Cup Final and 2019 FA Community Shield.
2020s
- 2020 in football
- As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, most leagues are either suspended or abandoned. Amongst the postponed tournaments are the 2020 CONCACAF Nations League Finals, 2020 Copa América, UEFA Euro 2020 and the Football at the 2020 Summer Olympics, all of which are scheduled to be held in 2021.
- During a match between Canada and Saint Kitts and Nevis, Christine Sinclair scores her 185th international goal, the most of any footballer in either gender.
- Europa League winners Sevillain the latter.
- Liverpool win their 19th English title, their first since 1989–90 and their first in the Premier League era.
- 2021 in football
- Villarreal.
- The UEFA Euro 2020, originally scheduled for 2020, took place in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy emerged as the champions after defeating England in a thrilling final that went into a penalty shootout.
- Argentina win the 2021 Copa America, a record-equaling title and their first since 1993.
- 2020-21 Premier League, extending their total to 5.
- titlesince 2014, breaking the Real Madrid and Barcelona stronghold.
- Ligue 1 titleand their first in ten years.
- 2022 in football
- Champions League title by beating Liverpool1-0.
- 2021-22 Premier League title on the last day, pipping Liverpoolto the title.
- The 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup is held in Qatar and won by Argentina (their third time).
- 2023 in football
- Champions League title. They also win the 2023 Club World Cup Finalin Saudi Arabia.
- Serie A titlein 33 years.
- Bundesliga title after a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Mainz.
See also
- List of association football competitions
- History of association football
- Timeline of English football
References
- ^ ^ "Everton F.C. website". Everton F.C.. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
- ^ British Council history of football Archived 2006-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Herbert, Ian (7 July 2000). "Blue plaque for man who invented football goal net". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 2022-05-07. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ See Malta Football Association
- ^ Hampden, Scotland's National Stadium, About Hampden Archived 2001-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Sambafoot.com: Maracanã, the largest stadium of the world". sambafoot.com. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
- ^ "FIFA awards special 'Club World Champion' badge to AC Milan". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 7 February 2008. Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- Europa Conference League final in 2022, cf. "Legend: UEFA club competitions". Union des Associations Européennes de Football. 21 August 2006. Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2013.on December 8, 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
"1985: Juventus end European drought". Union des Associations Européennes de Football. 8 December 1985. Archived from the original - ^ "FIFA Club World Championship TOYOTA Cup: Solidarity – the name of the game" (PDF). FIFA Activity Report 2005. Zürich: Fédération Internationale de Football Association: 62. April 2004 – May 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ^ "We are the champions". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 2005-12-01. Archived from the original on July 7, 2008. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
- ^ "FIFA Classic Clubs: Juventus FC". fifa.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2007. Retrieved 15 December 2006..
- ^ "African club competitions recognized by CAF". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 March 2008..
- ^ "Blatter presents Italy with historic World champions badge". fifa.com. Retrieved 11 February 2016..
- ^ "FIFA Awards special club World champion badge to AC Milan". fifa.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2016..
- ^ "FIFA Council approves key organisational elements of the FIFA World Cup" (Press release). FIFA. 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ "Mohamed Salah breaks goal record as Liverpool blow away Brighton". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-07. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
- ^ sport, Guardian (2018-08-15). "Diego Costa double helps Atlético beat Real Madrid 4-2 in Uefa Super Cup". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
- ^ "World Cup breaks record for most penalties awarded - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2018-11-18.