The History of Soccer

Han Dynasty

5000 BCE

There is evidence in China that military forces around 2nd and 3rd century BC (Han Dynasty) 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.

Egypt

2500 BCE

There was possibly a version of a type of ball game played by young women in Egypt during the age of Baqet III, as images of this sport were depicted on his tomb, though there is not much known of this sport except that it was played with a ball.

Mexico and Central America

600 BCE

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.

First Game

Nov 7, 700

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

Ban of Soccer

Nov 7, 1331

Despite the violence of these celebratory games, they were still popular. This led King Edward III of England to pass laws in 1331 to stop the game

Native Americans

Nov 7, 1620

In North America, native American Indians in the original Jamestown settlement played a game called pasuckuakohowog, meaning "they gather to play ball with the foot." It was a rough game, played the beach, the field a half-mile wide with goals 1 mile apart, with as many as 1000 players at a time.

Football Association

Oct 26, 1863

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.
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Olympics

Nov 7, 1900

Soccer played at the Olympic Games for the first time

FiFa vs IOC

Nov 7, 1932

Soccer was taken off the program for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, due to a controversy between FIFA and the IOC over the definition of amateur and the reluctance of many strong soccer countries to travel the US because of the expense involved.

Womens Soccer

Nov 7, 1996

The American women's team won the first-ever women's soccer event at the Olympics.