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 folk football. Public schools started devising versions of football. The Foot Ball Club of Edinburgh was founded as the first club to play any type of organized football. 1830s in football 1840s in football The Cambridge Rules were created in 1848. Official referees appeared for the first time in a football match at a match held in Cheltenham in 1849. 1850s in football Sheffield F.C., the oldest surviving independent football club in the world, was founded in 1857. In 1858 it created its first set of rules, which became known as the Sheffield Rules.
1860s 1862 in football Notts County F.C., the first professional football club, was founded. 1863 in football The Football Association and Stoke City F.C. were founded. 1864 in football Wrexham A.F.C, the first football club in Wales, were founded. 1865 in football Nottingham Forest F.C. were founded by group of Shinty players. 1867 in football Sheffield Wednesday F.C. were founded.
1870s 1870 in football First "goalkeepers", and the continued transition from "dribbling game" to "passing game" is seen in club matches in Sheffield and London. The first international match arranged by the Football Association between England and Scotland on 5 March 1870 finishes in a 0–0 draw at the Kennington Oval in London. Combination Game developed by Royal Engineers AFC. 1871 in football Charles William Alcock created the Football Association Challenge Cup, the oldest cup tournament still extant. 1872 in football 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. The corner kick and ball fixture is introduced by The London Football Association. Football introduced in France by English sailors. Rangers F.C. is founded in Scotland. 1873 in football 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.
1874 in football 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. Aston Villa F.C. and Bolton Wanderers F.C were founded.
1875 in football The hard crossbar is introduced into London FA rules, replacing tape as the means of marking the top of the goal. Oxford University tour Germany and a number of German universities take up the game (one of first countries to play under FA rules outside of Britain). Blackburn Rovers F.C. was founded. Birmingham City F.C. were also founded as Small Heath Alliance F.C. 1876 in football Carlton Cricket Club (Canada) form football section and subsequently tours Britain. Middlesbrough F.C. were founded. 1877 in football Sheffield & London association rules amalgamate to form one unified modern football code. The length of a match was set at 90 minutes. Wolverhampton Wanderers were founded. 1878 in football Referees began to use whistles. West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United (as Newton Heath L&YR F.C.), Everton (as St. Domingo's FC) and Ipswich Town were founded. The first football match to be staged under electric floodlighting took place at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, between two local representative teams. 1879 in football Kjøbenhavns Boldklub introduces itself as the first sports club in continental Europe. Sunderland A.F.C., Doncaster Rovers F.C. and Fulham F.C were founded.
1880s 1880 in football 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. Royal Antwerp F.C. is founded in Antwerp, Belgium by English workers. Preston North End F.C. were founded in this year by members of cricket club with the same name. 1881 in football Watford F.C, Leyton Orient F.C. and FC Girondins de Bordeaux, the first football club in France, were founded. First Manchester derby between Manchester United (then known as Newton Heath) and Manchester City (then known as St. Mark's West Gorton) occur this year, the match outcome was ended 3–0 victory for United (Newton Heath). 1882 in football Queens Park Rangers FC, Tottenham Hotspur F.C., and Burnley F.C. are founded. The first club in Uruguay formed by an English professor at Montevideo University; another club later formed by British railway engineers. Two-handed throw-in introduced. 1883 in football Coventry City F.C. was founded. 1884 in football Played for the first time the British Home Championship, the oldest tournament for national teams: the Scotland national team emerges as winner. Derby County are founded along with Leicester City, who are founded as Leicester Fosse. 1885 in football The Football Association legalises professionalism. The first non-European international was contested on 28 November 1885, at Newark, New Jersey, between the United States and Canada, the Canadians winning 1–0. Arbroath beat Bon Accord 36–0 in the Scottish Cup, a record which stands to this day. Southampton F.C. and Millwall F.C. were founded as St. Mary's Young Men Association F.C. and Millwall Rovers respectively. 1886 in football 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. were founded as Dial Square before change the name to Arsenal in 1913. 1887 in football The first football team in South America is founded, Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata, Argentina. British introduce football to Russia. Hamburger SV is founded. Hibernian F.C. wins the Football World Championship against Preston North End, 2–1 in Edinburgh. Wycombe Wanderers F.C. and Blackpool F.C. were founded. 1888 in football The Football League, the world's first national football league competition, is founded in England by Aston Villa director William McGregor. Celtic F.C. is founded. Renton F.C. wins the Football World Championship against West Bromwich Albion, 4–1 in Glasgow. 1889 in football The Royal Dutch Football Association and the Danish Football Association are founded. The Danish association is the first non-British European football association. The Football Alliance is formed as a rival to The Football League. The first football association not admitted to FIFA is formed: the Cornwall County Football Association. Rosario Central, and Mohun Bagan, the oldest football club in India, is founded. RC Recreativo de Huelva, the first club in Spain, is founded. Sheffield United F.C. were founded.
1890s 1890 in football The IFA Premiership (Irish League) is formed (NIFL Premiership). The Scottish Football League is formed. Goal nets used for the first time. 1891 in football The penalty kick is introduced. Liverpool engineer John Alexander Brodie invents the football net.British Council history of football Assistant referees are first introduced as linesmen. The first Oceanian football association is formed: the New Zealand Soccer Association. The first ever championship outside of Britain takes place in Argentina: AAF Championship. C.A. Peñarol is founded. 1892 in football 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. 1893 in football Argentine Football Association is founded, the first South American football association. Genoa Cricket and Football Club, the first Italian club football team, and F.C. Porto are founded. 1894 in football Referee in complete control of game. Floriana FC of Malta is founded. The first Merseyside derby match occurred in this year, the game ended 3-0 win for Everton. 1895 in football The Federación de Fútbol de Chile, the Belgian Football Association and the Gibraltar Football Association are founded. is founded. Sunderland A.F.C. wins the Football World Championship against Heart of Midlothian F.C., 5–3 in Edinburgh. West Ham United F.C. were founded as Thames Ironworks F.C. before changing the names due to reformation of the club in 1900. 1896 in football 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. 1897 in football The Football League introduces automatic promotion and relegation between its two divisions. Juventus FC is founded as Sport Club Juventus. 1898 in football The Italian Football Federation is formed. CR Vasco da Gama, Standard Liège are founded. CS Constantine of Algeria is founded. Portsmouth F.C. were founded in this year by dock workers. 1899 in football FC Barcelona, Club Nacional de Football, Ferencvárosi TC and A.C. Milan are founded. The number of a football team is defined to be 11 players. AFC Bournemouth were founded in this year as Boscombe F.C.
1900s 1900 in football Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol and German Football Association were founded. FC Bayern Munich, AFC Ajax, RCD Espanyol, Borussia Mönchengladbach and S.S. Lazio (as Società Podistica Lazio) are founded. The first clubs dedicated to football still active in Brazil, Sport Club Rio Grande and Associação Atlética Ponte Preta are founded. The Malta Football Association is founded.See Malta Football Association 1901 in football Czechoslovak Football Association and Hungarian Football Federation are founded. The match between Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and Heart of Midlothian F.C. for the Football World Championship finishes 0–0, in London. Hibernian win Scottish Cup on 23 April. Club Atlético River Plate is founded in Argentina, C.F. Pachuca is founded, Alianza Lima is founded in Peru. Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. were founded. 1902 in football The first international match between South American national teams is played between Uruguay 0–6 Argentina, and the first international match between non-British European national teams: Austria 5–0 Hungary. 26 people die and over 500 are injured when a section of the terracing collapses after a Scotland-England British Home Championship match at Ibrox Park. Five Spanish clubs compete for the 1902 Copa de la Coronación, which was unofficially the first Copa del Rey. The first Brazilian football league, Campeonato Paulista, is won by São Paulo Athletic Club. The first North American football association (geographically South American but affiliated to CONCACAF) is formed: the Guyana Football Federation. The penalty area is defined. Real Madrid, Olimpia Asunción and Fluminense Football Club are founded. Heart of Midlothian F.C. won the Football World Championship against Tottenham Hotspur F.C., 3–1 in Edinburgh. Norwich City F.C. was founded. 1903 in football Beşiktaş J.K., Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, Racing Club de Avellaneda and Atlético Madrid are founded. 1904 in football FIFA is founded in Paris on 21 May. The first football association geographically in North America is formed: the Fédération Haïtienne de Football. Swedish Football Association is founded. S.L. Benfica, Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas and Argentinos Juniors are founded. Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) formed. 1905 in football The Muratti Vase, the oldest tournament for FAs not admitted to FIFA, played for the first time, won by Guernsey. Galatasaray, Chelsea F.C., Club Atlético Boca Juniors, Estudiantes de La Plata, Club Atlético Independiente and Sport Club do Recife are founded. 1906 in football England joins FIFA. Club Deportivo Guadalajara and Sporting Clube de Portugal is founded.