Football is one of the most popular sports in the world, with billions of people around the globe enjoying it. But when was football invented? The answer to this question is a fascinating story that dates back more than two thousand years. According to FIFA, modern football started in England in 1863. However, the earliest way to kick a ball seems to have originated in a Chinese military manual dating back to the second and third centuries BC called Tsu' Chu. In China, during the Han Dynasty, an ancient form of football called Tsu Chu was played.
This game involved teams of players competing to carry a pig's bladder from one landmark to another. In England, a 9th-century medieval game called “popular football” was also played. In December 1863, the first governing body of football, the Football Association, was formed in London, England. This created a standardized, universally accepted set of rules for all teams to follow.
The game quickly spread throughout Europe and beyond. In Scotland, King James I banned football in 1424 because he felt it was too disruptive. Multiple parliamentary laws were also passed to try to prohibit the sport from being played. Despite these efforts, football continued to grow in popularity and spread throughout the world.
In 1904, FIFA was formed and in the early 1930s, several successful football leagues began to form in different countries. FIFA organized the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. Football has a long and interesting history that goes back more than 2000 years to several matches played throughout the ancient world. Learning more about its invention and its origins will help us understand and appreciate how it became the game we see today.
From some schools and clubs in England in the 19th century to the billions of people around the world who enjoy it today, football has grown and grown and now has a global reach and influence. It is an international sport that is highly appreciated all over the world.
