Tag: football history

The FA Cup is the oldest national football competition in the world, first played in the 1871-72 season and organised by the Football Association in England. It is a knockout tournament open to hundreds of clubs, from top professional sides to small amateur teams. Its long history, open entry and tradition of surprise results have […]

The laws of football began in the nineteenth century, when English schools, universities and clubs tried to agree on one shared set of rules for a game that every town played differently. Before that, a match could mean anything from a rough village contest with no fixed team size to a careful kicking game played […]

The Copa Libertadores is the top club competition in South American football, organised by CONMEBOL and contested each year by leading clubs from its member nations. Clubs qualify through their domestic leagues and cups, play through qualifying rounds and a group stage, and then compete in knockout rounds that end with a single final. The […]

The Africa Cup of Nations, often shortened to AFCON, is the main international football tournament for national teams in Africa. It is organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and has grown from a three-team event in the 1950s into one of the most colourful competitions in world football. Its history mirrors the story […]