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5000 BCE
The earliest form of football
There is evidence in China that military forces around 2nd and 3rd century BC played a game, originally named "Tsu Chu", that involved kicking a leather ball stuffed with fur into a small hole. Like Soccer, no hands were permitted during the play of the game. -
600
The creation of the Rubber Football
In Mexico & Central America the rubber ball was created, and used in a game on a recessed court 40-50 feet long shaped like a capital "I". In the middle of each wall, was a mounted stone or wooden ring and the object was to project the hard rubber ball through the ring. -
700
The earliest for of football in Britain
The first Football games played in Britain was between the locals of east of England, starting after a 'legendary' game that involved kicking around the severed head of a Danish prince that they had defeated in a war. These games were violent, where injury and death were not uncommon -
1331
The banning of football in Britain
King Edward III of England passed laws in 1331 to stop the game, King James I of Scotland also passed a law banning the game. -
1572
Punishment For playing football
Queen Elizabeth I of England, enacted laws that could sentence a football player to jail for a week followed by penance in a church. -
Football is back!
Football became legal again in England to the joy of the working class people who played it. -
Earliest rules
Eton College of England established a set of rules for the games. -
The FA is formed
The Football Association was formed when eleven London schools and clubs came together at the Freemason's Tavern to establish a single set of rules to administer any football match that were to be played among them. -
The first official game is played
The first ever Football match was played on Barnes common at Mortlake,between Barnes Football Club and Richmond Football Club. The game ended in a 0-0 draw. -
Development in rules
The handball rule is put in place which prohibited any use of the hand during a match. -
First International game
The first official international football match was played, between the national teams of Scotland and England, played in Glasgow Scotland. The game was played on 30 November 1872, and finished with a 0-0 draw. -
The Penalty kick invented
The penalty kick was invented meaning any person fouled within the box would be given a free shot from the penalty spot. -
Olympic Games
Football played at the Olympic Games for the first time -
First World Cup
In 1930, The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) held soccer's first World Cup tournament in Montevideo, Uruguay, with 13 teams. The tournament was won by Uruguay who beat Argentina 4-2 in the final. -
First ever Womens World Cup
The inaugural Women's World Cup in 1991 in China was won by the United States