History of football

History of Football

The game of football has been with us for centuries and the concept of two teams kicking a spherical object between two points has existed for thousands of years. It may come as a surprise however to learn that fully organised games with defined sets of rules are thought to have taken place in China as long ago as 3 BC.

From those humble origins, the game has exploded to become the worldwide phenomenon that we know and love today and while there has been tremendous growth over the last twenty years or so with the advent of satellite TV, the game has experienced similar boom periods throughout the centuries.

By the 1840`s, the game had really taken off across the globe but the biggest growth area could be seen in English public schools. There was an issue however in that there was no clear set of rules and therefore individual clubs were playing to their own laws.

Therefore, a major landmark in football`s development came in 1848 when the Cambridge Rules were announced at Cambridge University in England and from this point, all schools and clubs abided by one single set of regulations.

Those fledgling clubs went on to form the Football Association in 1861 and many of the original members such as Aston Villa and Notts County are still in existence to this day. This was another major milestone for the game and from this point, an organised league took place in England while countries around the world started to organise their own clubs.

Ten years on from the formation of the FA, the greatest cup competition in the world was born. The 1871/72 season saw the start of the FA Cup which has since grown to become the most coveted domestic trophy in global football. From humble beginnings when a handful of spectators watched the first final at the Kennington Oval, millions of viewers now tune in as the last two teams battle for the trophy at the historic Wembley Stadium.

Wembley itself was opened in 1923 when Bolton Wanderers played West Ham United in that season`s cup final and by this point, football`s popularity had exploded. Evidence of a boom period around the globe came at the start of the next decade when the very first world cup took place in Uruguay.

For many reasons however, some of football`s major powers declined to take part in that first tournament. England were one of the notable absentees and it wasn`t until after the Second World War when more nations attended and the 1950 competition in Brazil could truly be called a global event.

The rise of the World Cup just underlines how much football has grown and from a slow, tentative start, this tournament is simply the pinnacle of the global game.

There are many ways in which you can learn more about the history of football and taking a stadium tour is just one. Alternatively, just go to a match and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the historic ground that you`re attending. Whatever you decide, taking advantage of nearby accommodation such as <a href="http://www.awaygrounds.com/millennium-stadium/#hotels" target="_blank">Millennium Stadium hotels</a>

 will undoubtedly enhance your experience.