The Birth of Football: How the Beautiful Game Came to Be

No single person can be credited with inventing football, but Ebenezer Morley is often referred to as the “father” of the Football Association.

It’s nearly impossible to envision a world without football, a sport that has become an integral part of global culture. Football, also known as soccer in some regions, holds the title of the world’s most popular sport, with major events like the FIFA World Cup attracting millions of viewers worldwide.

Football’s Evolution: From Chaos to Codification

Although football feels timeless, the sport in its current form is a relatively recent development in human history. The roots of modern football trace back to the 19th century, particularly in England, where the official rules of the game were established.

In 1863, the Football Association (FA) was founded, and the first standardized set of rules for football was created. This is when association football (or soccer) as we know it today began to take shape. While football’s rules have continued to evolve over time — including the introduction of technologies like VAR (Video Assistant Referee) — the game’s core objectives have remained consistent.

Before the FA set the rules, various versions of football were played at English public schools, but each had its own set of rules. These early versions were often chaotic and led to disagreements between teams. The Cambridge Rules and Sheffield Rules, for example, were just some of the many rule codes used at the time.

Who Can Be Called the Inventor of Football?

No single person can be credited with inventing football, but Ebenezer Morley is often referred to as the “father” of the Football Association. Morley, a founder of the Barnes Football Club, was responsible for writing a letter to the newspaper Bell’s Life, which ultimately led to the meeting on October 26, 1863, at the Freemasons’ Tavern in London. Representatives from 12 clubs gathered at this meeting, where the first official rules of football were established.

This meeting laid the foundation for the modern game, and 41 years later, in 1904, FIFA (the Fédération Internationale de Football Association) was founded to oversee football globally. Today, FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) — which includes the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland — maintain the Laws of the Game.

Early Forms of Football

While the English are proud to be credited with the creation of modern football, similar games were played in different parts of the world long before the 19th century.

One of the earliest recorded forms of football is cuju, which was played in ancient China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD). The name cuju means “kick ball,” and the game involved kicking a ball into a net. Like modern football, cuju banned the use of hands.

In ancient Greece, a game called episkyros was played. This game, which involved two teams and a ball, allowed players to use their hands, but it was much more violent than today’s football. Episkyros is believed to have influenced ‘harpastum’, a similar Roman game, which was fast-paced and focused on carrying the ball.

These early forms of football highlight the widespread appeal of ball games across different cultures. However, it was the establishment of standardized rules by the FA in 1863 that gave rise to the modern version of the game.

Today, football has transcended its origins and become a global phenomenon. With FIFA overseeing the game and the FA and other national associations upholding its rules, football is played and enjoyed by millions across continents. What started as a simple set of rules in 1863 has now grown into the world’s most popular and unifying sport.