Who is the Oldest Football Club in the World?
In 1863, Association Football was codified in England. A rudimentary form of football goes back centuries, but this is officially the oldest football club in the world.
SportsBoom researched the web to find the oldest association football club in the world. Many claims to fame and heritage are often disputed or found to be inaccurate. However, when it comes to the formation of the earliest clubs in England, historical records cannot be disputed or argued.
Records show that Sheffield Football Club is the oldest football club in the world. According to the club’s official website, Sheffield Football Club was founded on October 24, 1857, by Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest at Parkfield House in Highfield, Sheffield.
In 1855, members of Sheffield F.C. organised informal kick-abouts during the summer. Like most football clubs, they were only formed because members of cricket clubs needed to stay fit and active during the off-season, during the summer months in Great Britain. In 1888, clubs from England and Wales formed the Football League.
Clapton And Elder//Getty
It was the first-ever football league in the world, and it was also the first league to turn professional. The Football League was rebranded to the England Football League (EFL) in 2016. There are 144 members, but only 72 teams play in the EFL Championship, EFL League One, and EFL League Two, 68 from England and four from Wales.
These three divisions sit below the 20-team English Premier League, which was founded in 1992. The Football League was founded by Aston Villa’s chairman, William McGregor. Accrington, Burnley, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Everton, Preston North End, Notts County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers joined Aston Villa in the twelve-team league.
Villa, Everton, and Wolves are the only founding clubs competing in the 2024-25 Premier League season. However, Burnley, Blackburn, Bolton, Derby, Stoke, and West Brom have all played in the EPL since 1992. Blackburn are the only Premier League champions from the founding Football League clubs. Everton is the only Football League founding club in the EPL not to have ever been relegated.
Sheffield Football Club: The Oldest Association Football Club in the World
Sheffield F.C. is an English football club from Dronfield, North East Derbyshire. They compete in the Northern Premier League (NPL) Division One East. The club was founded in October 1857 and is recognised by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) as the oldest football club in the world.
They played games under the ‘Sheffield Rules’ and did not officially adopt the new Football Association (FA) rules until 1858. Sheffield competes in the 'Rules Derby' with neighbours Hallam Football Club. Hallam was formed in 1860 and is the second-oldest football club in the world. Furthermore, Sheffield F.C. versus Hallam F.C. is the oldest ‘derby’ in world football.
Sheffield F.C. Major Honours
| Competition | Titles | Years |
| FA Amateur Cup | 1 | 1903-04 |
| Northern Counties East League Division One | 1 | 1990-91 |
| Yorkshire League Division Two | 1 | 1976-77 |
| Yorkshire League Cup | 1 | 1977-78 |
| Northern Counties East League Cup | 2 | 2001-02, 2004-05 |
| Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup | 5 | 1993-94, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10 |
Sheffield Football Club Awards and Success
Sheffield Football Club and Hallam Football Club became members of the Football Association (FA) in 1863. However, they continued to play football using their own rules, not the FA’s. In 2004, Sheffield F.C. were given the FIFA ‘Order of Merit.’ The award is rare, given to one other club: Real Madrid, the most successful club in Spain and Europe.
Sheffield Football Club was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame, to commemorate the club's 150th anniversary, in 2007. The club’s finest hour came in 1904 when they won the FA Amateur Cup, a competition conceived after a suggestion by members of Sheffield F.C. They contested the FA Vase Cup in 1977 but lost the final.
Sheffield’s most famous victory might be the FA Amateur Cup triumph in 1903-04.
However, they did reach the fourth round of the 1877-78 and 1879-80 FA Cup, the world’s oldest and most prestigious domestic cup competition. In the modern era, Sheffield F.C. has qualified for the third round of the FA Trophy three times (2007-08, 2011-12, 2013-14).
Football Match in Manchester//Getty
FAQs
Notts County is the oldest active club in the English Football League, founded in 1862. County play in League Two.
Genoa C.F.C. is the oldest active football club in Italy. Genoa was founded on September 7, 1863. However, the first Italian club was Torino Football and Cricket Club, founded in 1887. But it only lasted four years.
Real Club Recreativo de Huelva is the oldest active football club in Spain. Huelva Recreation Club was founded on December 23, 1889.
St Helens, formally known as Liverpool Football Club (not to be mistaken with English Premier League Liverpool Football Club), were formed in 1857. However, the club adopted Rugby Union rules in 1872. The Premier League team, Liverpool F.C., was formed in 1892.
Kaylan Geekie is a sports fanatic. He attended Durban High School before moving to Scotland, where he lived for 15 years. During his time in the United Kingdom, Kaylan graduated with a first-class BA Honours Degree in Sports Journalism at the University of the West of Scotland. Kaylan worked for nine years as the Match-Day Editor of SuperXV.com, reporting on Super Rugby, The Rugby Championship, the 2015 Men's Rugby World Cup and the 2017 British & Irish Lions series for the website.