Football is the most widely played team game in the world and the most popular spectator sport, followed avidly by millions of fans. It is often known as "soccer", especially by Americans.
Although there were versions of rudimentary football played on a huge field by scores of people on each side using both hands and feet (mob football), it wasn't until the mid-19th century that a code was established in Cambridge known as the Cambridge Rules.In 1855 Sheffield Football Club (FC), the world's oldest club, was founded, and in 1862 Notts County, the world's oldest league club, came into existence.
In October 1863 the Football Association (FA) was founded at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen Street, London. In the days of Empire, British soldiers, sailors, colonial servants, businessmen, engineers, and teachers took the 'beautiful game' oversees along with the many other sports that were born in Britain. The British would produce a ball and start a game and then encourage the locals to join in. The world governing body was established in Paris in 1904 and was known as the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Many countries and developing nations took up the sports during and after the world wars and by the second millennium FIFA had over 200 members.
In England today, the main competitions are the Football League, the FA Cup, the FA Premiership, and the Football League Cup; the cup competitions are knockout events. The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 and was for the Jules Rimet trophy (president of FIFA). The World Cup has been held every four years since (except for 1942) and is second only to the Olympic Games. There is also a European cup held every four years (two removed from the World Cup).
