Fifa World Cup 2010

1 FIFA WORLD CUP 2010
CONTENTS
Page No.
1.
Origins of football
1
2.
Foundation of Competition
8
3.
Spread of Football all around The World
12
4.
Association Football Culture
16
5.
Famous Sayings
27
6.
Laws
28
7.
Players, Equipments and Officials
29
8.
Club Names referring to a Profession and Education
36
9.
Football Competitions
82
10.
Football in India
92
11.
Fifa World Cup 2010
100
12.
Popular Players of Fifa World Cup 2010
106
13.
South Africa
109
2 Origins
s of Foottball
The Origins of fo
ootball can be found
d in every corner off the Glob
be. Civilizations
througho
out history
y all played ball gam
mes and many
m
of th
hese can be consid
dered
forerunn
ners to the
e modern game, wh
hich was established
e
d in England in the late
nineteen
nth century.
There are claims of
o playing ball
b games in China as
a early as from 2500 BCE. It is also
claimed that ball ga
ames were played in Egypt
E
from 1800 BCE
E onwards. The ball ga
ames
in Egyptt were linke
ed to fertilityy rites and religious
r
ce
eremonies.T
These ball games
g
invo
olved
large nu
umbers of people
p
and records indicate that these gam
mes were sometimes used
as an exxercise to till the soil.
T Chines
The
se and Tsu
u Chu
The earrliest record
ds of playin
ng football were
w
found
d in China.T
The game was called
d Tsu
Chu (so
ometimes spelt
s
as cu
uju) and re
ecords sho
ow mention
n of this ga
ame in military
manualss dating ba
ack to the Tsin
T
Dynassty (255 - 206
2
BCE). Tsu Chu was
w part of
o the
physicall education programm
me used to train
t
soldiers at the tim
me. The ga
ame was pla
ayed
extensivvely during the followin
ng period off the Han Dynasty
D
(20
06 BCE - 22
20 CE).
Tsu Chu
u literally means
m
footb
ball as tsu may be tra
anslated to 'kicking the ball with feet'
and chu
u meaning 'a ball mad
de of leathe
er and stuff
ffed'- Quite specific fo
or a term th
hat is
over 200
00 years old
d.
3 The game was incredibly hard to play and the goal
was a net with a hole (approximately 30-40 cm in
diameter) strung between two bamboo poles that
were 30 feet high.
To 'score' the ball had to go through the hole in the
net. This meant that players were actually very skilful
and were almost considered artists or performers in
their role - remember that they were not allowed to
use their hands. Tsu Chu was played as part of the
Emperor's birthday celebrations - perhaps this is the
first
example
of
an
exhibition
match!
A Han Dynasty military manual lists a 'zuqui' (football)
as equipment needed for Tsu Chu. The zuqui was
roughly the size of a volleyball, made of roughly
stitched leather panels and stuffed with animal fur.
Chinese legend tells of Liu Bang (the founder of the
Han Dynasty) being a big fan of the game. When his
father moved with him from the countryside to the
Imperial Palace he missed playing the game terribly.
So his son, the Emperor, built a special field near the
Palace and invited a number of skilful players from
his hometown to play there. It is really during the Han
Dynasty that the game of Tsu Chu came into
prominence.
The Han Dynasty Emperor Wudi (156-87 BCE) was also a great fan of the game. After
conquering Central Asia, he ordered that all good ball players move to the capital so
that he could watch them play. Emperor Wudi would spend many a day watching a
game of Tsu Chu and quite often he couldn't help but play a few games as well!
The Japanese and Kemari
Legend has it that slightly later than the Chinese, the
Japanese started playing a football game called Kemari.
Official records show the game of Kemari may have
started a few hundred years later but it is highly likely
that some type of game existed earlier.
In fact a recently discovered text states that there was a
game between Chinese Tsu Chu players and Japanese
Kemari players in approximately 50 CE. Obviously this
4 changes the date of origin dramatically and if true, it is
also the first recognised international match!!!!!
The game of Kemari was, and is, for all intense purposes a
game of keepy-uppy. It involved a ball, which was made of
deerskin and stuffed with sawdust. The ball was about 8
inches in diameter and was kicked between players.
There could be a varying number of players (anywhere
from 2 to 12 players) and the game was not competitive but
'..a more dignified and ceremonious experience..' requiring
great levels of skill.
There was no tackling or vying for the ball as in football
nowadays; the ball was simply passed from player to player
in the air. The ball was only touched with the feet and when
a player got the ball he was allowed to kick the ball in the
air as many times as he liked in order to control the ball.
Then he would pass the ball to another player.
When a player received the ball and was controlling it, he
would shout "ariyaaa" everytime he touched the ball. When
the ball was finally kicked to another player the last shout
would be "ari!". Hence, you would hear a player shout
"ariyaa, ariyaa, ariyaa, ari!" until he got the ball back.
Kemari was played on a pitch (called a kikutsubo)
marked out by trees. The aristocrats would grow
trees in specific areas in their gardens so as to
have a permanent pitch. Others grew trees in pots
so that they could mark out the pitch dependent
on the number of people playing. The four trees
used to mark out the pitch were normally a cherry
tree, a maple, a willow and a pine.
Many hundreds of years later Japanese players
styled an outfit to wear when playing Kemari and
the game was incredibly popular between the 10th
and 16th centuries.
Some researchers believe that Marco Polo (1254 1324) found Kemari and brought it back to Europe
as a forerunner to football. However football was
already in Europe at that time so I am afraid we
cannot give Marco Polo any credit for the
discovery of football.
5 The Greeks and their Games
Very little is known about Greek ball games
and their influence on modern-day football. It
is claimed that the game of Episkyro was
practised in Greece as long ago as 800
BCE.
One of the basic rules was that you were
allowed to use your hands, which really
suggests that it is a closer relation to rugby
than football. However many of the
characteristics of the game are similar to
football - particularly the dimensions of the
pitch and the fact that 12 players formed a
team.
Another Greek ball game that many have
claimed to be a forerunner of football is the
game of Harpastron. Something worth
considering is that Harpastron is the Greek
word for handball and not football.
Since the Greeks were the greatest intellects of their time, it is very hard to believe that
they made such a fundamental error in naming one of their games. Hence we will put
Harpastron in with Episkyro as a game more in keeping with rugby than football.
However the greatest contribution made to football by the Greeks was that the Romans
took the games of Episkyro and Harpastron and evolved them into a game called
Harpastum. They also added the vital ingredient of kicking. The Roman game of
Harpastum is considered by many to be a real forerunner to football.
6 The Romans and Harpastum To try and
put a date on the introduction of Harpastum is hard
but we can consider that the Romans conquered
Greece in 146 BCE so it is fair to estimate that the
Romans discovered the Greek versions of the
games shortly after that date.
Harpastum was still a rugby style game (you could
use your hands and feet) and was used by Julius
Caesar and his generals as a form of military
training to improve the physical fitness of the Roman
Army.
Harpastum was known as the Small Ball Game.
This is due to the fact that the other ball games
played by Romans had much larger balls. The
Harpastum ball was made from a stitched leather
skin and stuffed with chopped sponges or animal
fur. The ball was approximately 8 inches in
diameter.
Little is known of the exact rules of the game but we
do know that the pitch was rectangular and just a
little smaller than an average sized football pitch
today. The number of players varied from game to
game - some reports suggest games with hundreds
of players on each side.
The game bore striking similarities to rugby and the players had to get the ball over the
opposing line to 'score'. Harpastum was an incredibly fast and physical game - it was
also quite violent and tackling was allowed. Due to the nature of the game, Harpastum
was only played on grass or dirt since players were expected to end up on the floor!!!
Due to the might of the Roman Army and their huge expansion plans, Harpastum
travelled with their armies to most European countries where it proved quite popular
with the local populations in almost all cases. Hence it is the Romans who are
responsible for delivering football to other countries and territories around the world. In
particular to Britain where the game developed into the game it is now.
7 History of association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, can be traced to
traditional football games played formerly in Europe, particularly medieval England. The
modern game of association football originates from the formation of the The Football
Association in London, England in 1863 based on multiple efforts to standardise the
varying forms of the game. This allowed clubs to play each other without dispute and
which specifically banned handling of the ball during open field play (hence the division
between association football and rugby football). At the time, football clubs had played
by their own, individual codes and game-day rules had usually to be agreed upon
before a match could commence. For example, the Sheffield Rules that applied to most
matches played in the Sheffield area were a different code.
The Football Association
The Cambridge rules, first drawn up at Cambridge University in 1848, were particularly
influential in the development of subsequent codes, including Association football. The
Cambridge Rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge, at a meeting attended by
representatives from Eton, Harrow, Shrewsbury, Rugby, Winchester schools. They were
not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or
universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world, to play various forms
of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the
Sheffield Football Club, formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867.
During the early 1860s, there were increasing attempts in England to unify and
reconcile the various football games that were played in the public schools as well in the
industrial north under the Sheffield Rules. In 1862, J. C. Thring, who had been one of
the driving forces behind the original Cambridge Rules, was a master at Uppingham
School and he issued his own rules of what he called "The Simplest Game" (aka the
Uppingham Rules). In early October 1863, a revised version of the Cambridge Rules
was drawn up by a seven member committee representing former pupils of Eton,
Harrow, Shrewsbury, Rugby, Marlborough and Westminster.
8 Ebeneze
er Cobb Mo
orley, who is regarded as the "fatther of footb
ball".
Ebeneze
er Cobb Morley,
M
a so
olicitor from
m Hull, wrotte to Bell'ss Life newsspaper in 1863,
proposin
ng a govern
ning body for
f football.. Morley wa
as to becom
me the FA'ss first secre
etary
(1863-6)) and its se
econd pressident (1867
7-74), but is
i particularly rememb
bered as it was
he who drafted the
e first Law
ws of the Game
G
at hiss home in Barnes, Lo
ondon, thatt are
w
over. For
F this, he
e is conside
ered not jusst the fatherr of the Foo
otball
today played the world
Associattion, but of Association Football itself.
On the evening off 26 Octob
ber 1863, representat
r
ives of sevveral football clubs in
n the
t Freema
asons' Tave
ern on Long Acre in Covent
C
Garrden.
Greater London arrea met at the
This wa
as the first meeting of
o The Foo
otball Assocciation (FA
A). It was the
t
world's first
official football
f
bo
ody and fo
or this reason is nott preceded
d with the word Eng
glish.
Charterh
house was
s the only school wh
hich accep
pted invitattions to atttend. The first
meeting resulted in
n the issuin
ng of a requ
uest for rep
presentative
es of the pu
ublic schoo
ols to
join the association
n. With the exception of
o Thring att Uppingha
am, most scchools declined.
In total, six meetings of the
e FA were held betw
ween Octob
ber and De
ecember 1863.
Committtee membe
er J. F. Alccock, said: "The Cambridge Rule
es appear to be the most
desirable for the As
ssociation to
t adopt."
After the
e third mee
eting, a dra
aft set of rules were published byy the FA. However,
H
a the
at
beginnin
ng of the fourth me
eeting, atte
ention wass drawn to
t the reccently-publisshed
Cambrid
dge Rules of
o 1863. Th
he Cambrid
dge rules differed from
m the draft FA rules in
n two
significa
ant areas; namely
n
runn
ning with (ccarrying) th
he ball and hacking (kiicking oppo
osing
players in the shins
s). The two contentious FA rules were as folllows:
IX. A player shall be entitled
d to run wiith the ball towards his
h adversa
aries' goal if he
makes a fair catch,, or catchess the ball on
n the first bound; but in
n case of a fair catch, if he
makes his
h mark he
e shall not run.
X. If anyy player shall run with
h the ball to
owards his adversarie
es' goal, any player on
n the
opposite
e side shall be at libertty to charge
e, hold, trip or hack him
m, or to wre
est the ball from
him, butt no player shall
s
be held and hackked at the same
s
time.
At the fiffth meeting a motion was
w proposed that these two rule
es be removved from the FA
rules. Most
M
of the
e delegate
es supporte
ed this suggestion but
b F. W. Campbell, the
represen
ntative from
m Blackhea
ath and the
e first FA trreasurer, objected strrongly. He said,
"hacking
g is the true football".. The motio
on was carrried nonetheless and
d — at the final
meeting — Campbell withdrrew his clu
ub from the
e FA. Afte
er the final meeting on
o 8
Decemb
ber the FA published the
t "Laws of
o Football"", the first comprehens
c
sive set of rules
for the game
g
laterr known ass associatio
on football.. The game
e also cam
me to be called
"soccer"" as a sho
ortening of "Associatio
on" around
d the same
e time as Rugby football,
colloquia
ally referred to as "ru
ugger", was developing as the main carryying of the
e ball
version of English football, an
nd "soccer" remains a common descriptor
d
in
n countries with
other pro
ominent foo
otball codess today.
9 These first
f
FA rules still con
ntained ele
ements tha
at are no lo
onger part of associa
ation
football, but which are still reccognisable in other ga
ames (Rugby Union, Australian
A
rules
football): for instance, a playe
er could ma
ake a fair ca
atch and cla
aim a markk, which entitled
hed the balll behind the
e opponentts' goal line
e, his
him to a free kick, and; if a player touch
side wass entitled to
o a free kickk at goal, fro
om 15 yard
ds in front of
o the goal line.
The law
ws of the ga
ame agreed
d on by the FA membe
ers stipulate
ed a maxim
mum length
h and
breadth for the pittch, the pro
ocedure for kicking off,
o and deffinition of terms, inclu
uding
goal, thrrow in, offsiide. Passing the ball by
b hand was still permitted provid
ded the ball was
caught "fairly
"
or on
n the first bounce".
b
Despite the specificatio
ons of footw
wear having no
"tough nails,
n
iron plates
p
and gutta perccha" there were no specific rule
e on numbe
er of
players, penalties, foul play or
o the shape
e of the ball, captains of the partticipating te
eams
a
on the
ese things prior to the match.
were expected to agree
ations of a competitio
on
Founda
The law
ws laid down
n by the FA
A had an im
mmediate effect,
e
with Sheffield and
a Notting
gham
(now No
otts County
y) playing an
a annual fixture
f
on th
he FA code
e among others.
o
Over the
next two
o years Ch
hesterfield and
a
Stoke joined
j
the code, whicch meant th
hat the cod
dified
form wa
as no longer an exclussive sport of
o public sch
hools. By th
his time tea
ams had se
ettled
into 11 players
p
eac
ch, and the game was played with
h round ballls. It previo
ously stated
d that
all playe
ers in front of
o the ball were
w
offside
e, eliminatin
ng passing of the ball forwards, much
m
like in ru
ugby today.. The rule was
w relaxed
d. A Sheffie
eld against London gam
me in 1866
6 had
allowed the FA to
o observe how the rules were
e affecting the game
e; subsequently
handling
g of the ball was abolished excep
pt for one player
p
on ea
ach team, the
t goalkee
eper.
A red ta
ape was added betwee
en the two goalposts to indicate the top of the goal, and
a a
national competitio
on was pro
oposed. 186
67 saw the
e introductio
on of the first
f
competition
and olde
est existing trophy in soccer,
s
the Youdan Cu
up.
First FA
A Cup
ers team wh
ho reached the first FA
A Cup final
The Royyal Enginee
10 On 20 July 1871, C. W. Alcock, a gentleman from Sunderland and a former pupil of
Harrow School proposed that "a Challenge Cup should be established in connection
with the [Football] Association",[1] the idea that gave birth to the competition. At the first
FA Cup in 1872, Wanderers and Royal Engineers met in the final in front of 2,000
paying spectators. Despite the Royal Engineers being the heavy favourites, one of their
players sustained a broken collar bone early on and since substitutions had not yet
been introduced, the Engineers played a man down for the rest of the match which they
eventually lost 1-0.
The FA Cup was a success and within a few years all of the clubs in England wanted to
take part. To do so they had to accept the FA code, which led to the quick spread of a
universal set of rules. These rules are the basis of which all association football rules
today stem from.
Later competitions saw the 'Gentleman' or Southerners dominate with Old Etonians,
Wanderers, Royal Engineers and Oxford University who amongst them took 19 titles.
Queens Park withdrew in the semi-finals of the 1873 cup (which due to the format being
played that year meant that all the challengers to Wanderers' trophy played a
competition for the right to throw down the gauntlet and play the holders, hence the full
name FA Challenge Cup) because they had trouble raising travel expenses to pay for
the constant trips to England, this directly led to the formation of the Scottish FA.
However despite this, Queens Park continued to participate in the FA Cup, reaching the
final twice, before the Scottish FA banned Scottish clubs from entering in 1887.
In 1872, Alcock purchased the Football Association Cup for £20. That year, fifteen clubs
entered the competition. Queen's Park reached the semi finals without playing due to
withdrawals, but then after a goalless draw with Wanderers, were forced to withdraw as
before the advent of penalties and extra time, they could not afford to come back to
London for the replay. Wanderers won the cup outright in 1878 after what remains to
this day one of only two hat tricks of wins ever. However they returned the cup to the FA
in order for the competition to continue, on the condition that no other club could win the
cup outright ever again.
First league
In 1888, William McGregor a gentleman from Perthshire and a director of Aston Villa
F.C was the main force between meetings held in London and Manchester involving 12
football clubs, with an eye to a league competition. These 12 clubs would later become
the Football League's 12 founder members. The meetings were held in London on 22
March 1888, the main concern was that an early exit in the knockout format of the FA
cup could leave clubs with no matches for almost a year, not only could they suffer
heavy financial losses, but fans didn't often stick around for that long without a game,
when other teams were playing. Matters were finalised on the 17 April in Manchester.
McGregor had voted against the name The Football League, as he was concerned that
it would be associated with the Irish Land League. But this name still won by a majority
11 vote and was selected. The competition guaranteed fixtures and members for all of its
member clubs. The clubs were split equally among North and Midlands teams. It
excluded Southern teams, who were still strictly amateur.
A rival English league called the Football Alliance operated from 1889 to 1892. In 1892
it was decided to formally merge the two leagues, and so the Football League Second
Division was formed, consisting mostly of Football Alliance clubs. The existing League
clubs, plus three of the strongest Alliance clubs, comprised the Football League First
Division.
First International
The first international game was played in Scotland on 30 November 1872. Charles
Alcock, who was elected to secretary of the FA at the age of 28, devised the idea of an
international competition, inaugurating an annual Scotland-England fixture. In 1870 and
1871 he placed advertisements in Edinburgh and Glasgow newspapers, requesting
players for an international between the two countries. The only response that he
received stated: "devotees of the "association" rules will find no foemen worthy of their
steel in Scotland"[3] For this reason the 1870 and 1871 matches were composed entirely
of Scots living in England. Notably, however, Smith of the Queen's Park football club
took part in most of the 1870 and 1871 international matches. As early as 1870, Alcock
was adamant that these matches were open to every Scotsman [Alcock's italics]
whether his lines were cast North or South of the Tweed and that if in the face of the
invitations publicly given through the columns of leading journals of Scotland the
representative eleven consisted chiefly of Anglo-Scotians ... the fault lies on the heads
of the players of the north, not on the management who sought the services of all alike
impartially. To call the team London Scotchmen contributes nothing. The match was, as
announced, to all intents and purposes between England and Scotland".[4]
In 1872 the challenge was eventually taken up by Queens Park FC.[5] The first
international currently recognised as official by FIFA (which took place on the 30
November 1872, Glasgow, Scotland) ended in a goalless draw between the two sides
and thus, one of the most bitterly disputed fixtures in footballing history was born. The
2nd game between the two sides, on the 8 March1873, ended 4-2 in favour of England,
the Scots then went on to win the next game 2-1. The fourth game ended in a 2-2 draw
after which the Scots enjoyed a 3 game winning streak (every recorded result between
these two sides can be found using the official FIFA website). Current head to head
statistics between the two sides stand as...
The first non-European international was contested on the 28 November 1885, at
Newark, New Jersey, between the USA and Canada, the Canadians winning 1-0.
From amateurism to professionalism
When football was gaining popularity during the 1870s and 1880s professionals were
banned in England and Scotland. Then in the 1880s, soon after Wanderers disbanded,
12 in the north of England, teams started hiring players known as 'professors of football',
who were often professionals from Scotland. This was the first time professionalism got
into football. The clubs in working class areas, especially in Northern England and
Scotland wanted professional football in order to afford playing football besides working.
Several clubs were accused of employing professionals.
The northern clubs made of lower class paid players started to gain momentum over the
amateur 'Gentleman Southerners'. The first northern club to reach the FA Cup final was
Blackburn Rovers in 1882, where they lost to Old Etonians, who were the last amateur
team to win the trophy.
During the summer of 1885, there was pressure put on the Football Association to
accept professionalism in English football, culminating in a special meeting on 20 July,
after which it was announced that it was "in the interests of Association Football, to
legalise the employment of professional football players, but only under certain
restrictions". Clubs were allowed to pay players provided that they had either been born
or had lived for two years within a six-mile radius of the ground. There were also rules
preventing professional players playing for more than one club in a season, without
obtaining special permission, and all professional players had to be registered with the
F.A.
Early English women's teams, such as the Dick, Kerr's Ladies from Preston, were so
popular that their matches raised money for charities. The first recorded women's
football match, on 23 March 1895, was held in England between a northern and
southern team. The fundraising matches continued, in spite of objections. A maximum
wage was placed on players, players challenged this and came close to strike action in
1909, but it was not to be for another fifty years before the maximum wage was
abolished. In 1921, women were banned from playing on FA league grounds. FA history
states that this ban "effectively destroyed the game" in England for the next 40 years.[7]
Hakoah Vienna was probably the first non-British club to pay their players during the
1920s ].
In 1934 the Swedish club Malmö FF was relegated from the top division after it had
been discovered that they paid their players, something that was not allowed in Swedish
football at the time.
Wartime football
Between 1915 and 1919 competitive association football was suspended in England.
Many footballers signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were
depleted, and fielded guest players instead. The Football League and FA Cup were
suspended and in their place regional league competitions were set up; appearances in
these tournaments do not count in players' official records.
13 Football spreads around the world
Continental Europe
The oldest club in continental Europe could be the Swiss club Lausanne Football and
Cricket Club, founded 1860.
Association football was introduced in the Danish club, Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB) by
English residents,[8] and in the Swiss club FC St. Gallen in 1879. This makes KB and St.
Gallen the oldest still existing football clubs on Continental Europe. The Danish Football
Association was founded in 1889. Italian football was played in regional groups from its
foundation in 1898 until 1929 when the Serie A was organised into a national league by
the Italian Football Federation. La Liga, Spain's national league, had its first season in
1928, with its participants based on the previous winners of the Copa del Rey, which
began in 1902. The modern German national league, the Bundesliga was late in
foundation, especially for European countries, given it wasn't founded until 1963. The
German Football Association was founded as early as 1900 with the first German
football champions being Leipzig in 1903. However, prior to the formation of the
Bundesliga, German football was played at an amateur level in a large number of
regional leagues.
South America
The first recorded association football match in Argentina was played already in 1867 by
British railway workers. The first association football team in South America, Gimnasia y
Esgrima de La Plata (now in professionalism) was created in Argentina, in 1887. The
Argentine professional leagues (previously, association football was an amateur sport)
were founded in 1931 by the Argentine Football Association, which itself was founded
by a Scottish schoolteacher Alexander Watson Hutton in 1893. The first ever
championship to take place in Argentina was the AAF Championship of 1891 making
Argentina's the oldest association football league outside mainland Britain.
In the 1870s an expatriate named John Miller who worked on the railway construction
project in São Paulo together with some 3000 other immigrant families from the British
Isles in the last decades of the 19th century, decided to send his young boy Charles
William Miller to England for his education. In 1884 Charles aged 10 was sent to
Bannisters school in Southampton. Charles was a natural footballer who quickly picked
up the arts of the game. The football association was being formed at the time. Eton,
Rugby, Charterhouse and other colleges all had developed their own rules to the game.
As an accomplished winger and striker Charles held school honours that were to gain
him entry first into the Southampton Club team and then into the County team of
Hampshire.
14 In 1892 a couple of years before his return to Brazil, Miller was invited to play a game
for the Corinthians, a team formed of players invited from public schools and
universities.
On his return Miller brought some association football equipment and a rules book with
him. He then went on to develop the new rules of the game amongst the community in
São Paulo. In 1888, six years before his return, the first sports club was founded in the
city, São Paulo Athletic Club. São Paulo Athletic Club won the first three years
championships. Miller's skills were far and above his colleagues at this stage. He was
given the honour of contributing his name to a move involving a deft flick of the ball with
the heel "Chaleira".
Charles Miller kept a strong bond with English assocation football throughout his life.
Teams from Southampton and Corinthians Club came over to Brazil and played against
São Paulo Athletic Club and other teams in São Paulo. One on occasion in 1910 a new
local team was about to be formed after a tour of the Corinthians team to Brazil and
Charles was asked to suggest a name for the team. He suggested they should call
themselves after Corinthians.
In 1988 when São Paulo Athletic Club celebrated its centenary and the English
Corinthians Team came across again to play them at Morumbi Stadium. The end of the
tour was against the local professional Corinthians Paulista team with Sócrates and
Rivelino amongst its players. This game was played at Paecambu Stadium in São
Paulo and true to Corinthian principles of good clean association football the score was
1 to 0 in favour of the locals when as agreed Socrates changed shirts to play alongside
the English amateurs. This did not affect the score unfortunately although a largely
packed stadium was cheering on for a drawn result.
The Brazilian Football Confederation was founded in 1914, and the current format for
the Campeonato Brasileiro was established in 1971.
United States
The first association football club in the United States was the Oneida Football Club of
Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1862. It is often said that this was the first club to
play association football outside Britain. However, the Oneidas were formed before the
English Football Association (FA); it is not known what rules they used[12] and the club
wound up within the space of a few years. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, the
club is often credited with inventing the "Boston Game", which both allowed players to
kick a round ball along the ground, and to pick it up and run with it.
The first U.S. match known to have been inspired by FA rules was a game between
Princeton and Rutgers in 1869, although the game included features such as extremely
physical tackling and teams of 20 each. Other colleges emulated this development, but
all of these were converted to rugby-oriented rules from soccer-oriented rules by the
15 mid-1870s on, and they would soon become famous as early bastions of American
football.
Early football leagues in the U.S. mostly used the name football leagues: for example,
the American Football Association (founded in 1884), the American Amateur Football
Association (1893), the American League of Professional Football (1894), the National
Association Foot Ball League (1895), and the Southern New England Football League
(1914). However, the word "soccer" was beginning to catch on, and the St Louis Soccer
League was a significant regional competition between 1907 and 1939. What is now the
United States Soccer Federation was originally the U.S. Football Association, formed in
1913 by the merger of the American Football Association and the American Amateur
Football Association. The governing body of the sport in the U.S. did not have the word
soccer in its name until 1945, when it became the U.S. Soccer Football Association. It
did not drop the word football from its name until 1974, when it became the U.S. Soccer
Federation.
Two further football leagues were started in the 1967, the United Soccer Association
and the National Professional Soccer League. These merged to form the North
American Soccer League in 1968, which survived until 1984. The NASL also ran an
indoor league in the later years.
Indoor soccer was a great success in the 1980s to the 90's, in part due to the input of
the North American Soccer League. When the NASL folded, other leagues, including
the Major Indoor Soccer League filled in to meet the demand. A new MISL exists today
with eight teams slated for the 2007-2008 season.[13] However, it is unrelated to the
original MISL.
The highest level of football in the United States is Major League Soccer.
FIFA
The need for a single body to oversee the worldwide game became apparent at the
beginning of the 20th century with the increasing popularity of international fixtures. The
English Football Association had chaired many discussions on setting up an
international body, but was perceived as making no progress. It fell to seven other
European countries to band together to form this association. FIFA (Fédération
Internationale de Football Association) was founded in Paris on 21 May 1904 - the
French name and acronym persist to this day, even outside French-speaking countries.
Its first president was Robert Guérin.
FIFA presided over its first international competition in 1906, however it met with little
approval or success. This, in combination with economic factors, led to the swift
replacement of Guérin with Daniel Burley Woolfall from England, by now a member
association. The next tournament staged the football competition for the 1908 Olympics
in London was more successful, despite the presence of professional footballers,
contrary to the founding principles of FIFA.
16 Membership of FIFA expanded beyond Europe with the application of South Africa in
1909, Argentina in 1912 and the United States in 1913.
FIFA however floundered during World War I with many players sent off to war and the
possibility of travel for international fixtures severely limited. Post-war, following the
death of Woolfall, the organisation fell into the hands of Alexander Bartholomew. The
organisation had a new leader though after Bartholomew's death in 1919. It was saved
from extinction, but at the cost of the withdrawal of the Home Nations, who cited an
unwillingness to participate in international competitions with their recent World War
enemies.
In 1946 the four British nations returned. On 10 May 1947 a 'Match of the Century'
between Great Britain and 'Rest of Europe XI' was played at Hampden Park in Glasgow
before 135,000 spectators - Britain won 6-1. The proceeds from the match, coming to
£35,000, were given to FIFA, to help re-launch it after World War Two. This was
followed by FIFA's first post-war World Cup in 1950, held in Brazil. FIFA, meanwhile,
continued to expand so that by the time of its fiftieth anniversary it had 84 members.
FIFA Men's World Cup
The first football world cup was played in Uruguay in 1930. In the first championship
match between Argentina and Uruguay, both teams couldn't decide on a ball so they
used Argentina's ball the first half and Uruguay's in the second. Many countries did not
enter, with most of the ones that did coming from the Americas. By 1950 however,
European teams took interest, and the competition blossomed into the world's biggest
footballing event. From this, other championships emerged - the AFC Asian Cup (since
1956), the African Cup of Nations (since 1957), the European Championship (since
1960), North America's Gold Cup (since 1991) and Oceania's OFC Nations Cup (since
1996). These championships, along with the South American Copa América, which was
first contested in 1916 and precedes the World Cup, are the main competitions of each
continent. The Brazilian team, known as "Seleção", is the biggest title holder in the
World Cup, having won five times. The runner-up is Italy, with four titles, having won the
latest edition in 2006.
FIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated with the FIFA Women's World Cup
1991, hosted in China, with 12 teams sent to represent their countries.
Over 90,185 spectators attended the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and nearly 1
billion viewers from 70 countries tuned in. By the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003, 16
teams competed in the championship finals. Of the four tournaments held to date
(2006), the USA has won the championship twice, Norway once and Germany most
recently. Women's confederations are the same as men's: Oceania (OFC), European
(UEFA), North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF), South American
(CONMEBOL), Asian (AFC) and African (CAF).
17 Association football culture
Football culture refers to the cultural aspects surrounding the game of association
football. In many countries, football has ingrained itself into the national culture, and
parts of life may revolve around it. Many countries have daily football newspapers, as
well as football magazines. Football players, especially in the top levels of the game,
have become role models for people. The game has become glamourised, with many
children practising the game and aspiring to the wealth shown off by the top footballers.
Football's power runs deeper than the ninety minutes played on the pitch, it has held the
power to unify nations, it has played out wars and it has brought people together from
around the world. The FIFA World Cup held every four years is the quintessential
football event, combining the greatest players in the world and the passion of the fans.
Football has a long and glorious history, with which a vast and diverse culture has
emerged. The culture of football can be easily divided into how the players, fans and
clubs see the sport.
Chants
Football chants are generated by fans at matches to encourage their team, insult the
opposition, or just make a noise. Some clubs have their own anthems which the crowds
sing. Some songs are shared between clubs. While some chants are used to mock
opposition players, such as "Who Ate All the Pies?," others are more aggressive and of
a personal nature against a player on the pitch. Some chanting can be more than
insulting, and may even be racist or sectarian in nature. These type of chants tend to
have been banned from football stadiums. FIFA and UEFA have both sanctioned "Say
no to racism" campaigns to combat offensive chants and songs. Although FIFA and
UEFA do not directly punish fans who partake in such discrimination, they do expect the
domestic leagues and local stadiums to act upon the policies and control what fans say.
Disasters
There have been a number of accidents and disasters in the history of football. Some of
these, such as the Hillsborough and Ibrox disasters, were due to problems with crowd
control. The Heysel Stadium disaster was a combination of hooliganism and poor crowd
control. The Bradford City Disaster was due to poor fire safety in the stadium. Lessons
learned from these disasters have led to safer football stadia.
Fair Play campaign
Fair Play is the name of a FIFA programme which aims to increase sportsmanship as
well as prevent discrimination in the game of football. This also involves programmes to
reduce racism in the game. The programme extends to outside of football, in trying to
support charities and other organisations which improve conditions around the world.
The principles of the Fair Play programme can be summarised as follows:[1]
18 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Play fair
Play to win but accept defeat with dignity
Observe the laws of the game
Respect opponents, team-mates, referees, officials and spectators
Promote the interests of football
Honor those who defend football’s good reputation
Reject corruption, drugs, racism, violence, gambling and other dangers to our
sport
8. Help others to resist corrupting pressures
9. Denounce those who attempt to discredit the sport
10. Use football to make a better world
Both FIFA and UEFA have awards which they hand out to individuals or groups of
people who have promoted what they see as the spirit of Fair Play, both within and
outside of football. An example of this was the Italian player Paolo Di Canio who, while
not given an award, was congratulated by many sections of the football world for a
generous display of Fair Play. Despite having a goal scoring opportunity while playing
for West Ham United against Everton, when Di Canio saw the Everton goalkeeper had
picked up an injury, instead of scoring what could have been the easiest goal of his
career, he caught the ball, thus stopping play and allowing the goalkeeper to receive
treatment.
Food and beverage
In the United Kingdom, attendance at football matches is associated with the
consumption of traditional football foods such as meat pies and Bovril. Food and
beverage sales in stadiums can raise high incomes for clubs, and some clubs make
attempts to improve their service and diversify out of traditional foods. In Brazil,
sanduíche de calabresa (pepperoni sandwich) is a popular meal in the surrounding
areas of stadiums after matches. In Mineirão stadium, feijão tropeiro, a typical dish from
Minas Gerais, is very common. In Germany, many football fans eat bratwurst and drink
beers. In Argentina, choripán (a sandwich with grilled chorizo with crusty bread) and
grilled hamburgers are commonly served in stadiums.
Alcohol
In some countries football has been associated with alcohol consumption. This can be
before, during and after the game, with drinking occurring inside the stadium,
sometimes illicitly, as well as in pubs and bars outside. However, unwanted behaviour
caused by drinking has led to the banning of the sale of alcohol to general supporters in
stadiums across the United Kingdom, although most English and Welsh sides continue
to sell alcohol within general stadium areas, with only clubs in Scotland being subject to
a blanket ban. Sales of alcohol still occur in executive lounges. Some teams and
countries have Supporters Clubs which have friendly drinking reputations. However
some countries are more associated with drunken hooliganism as mentioned in the
violence section below.
19 Hooliganism and violence
The level of passion with which football teams are supported has from time to time
caused problems, and clashes between fans can result in violence. Some violence
occurs by people aiming to cause trouble, a phenomenon known as hooliganism. Other
fans group together in hooligan firms, which are organized gangs that seek fights with
other firms supporting rival clubs. Both are sometimes known as the "English
Disease,"[5] after the disorder caused by English fans travelling abroad to support either
their club or national team in the 1970s and 1980s.However organised violence
surrounding football has been prevalent throughout other countries, most notably by
ultras in Italy, torcida in Brazil and barra brava in Argentina and other Latin American
countries.
Violence by fans has ranged from small fights between fans to tragedies such as the
Heysel Stadium disaster and also the Football War. There have been incidents of fans
being murdered, such as the killings of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, two
Leeds United supporters, in Istanbul in 2000 on the eve of the UEFA Cup Semi-Final
first leg.[6] In recent years this aspect of the game seems to have passed its peak in
England though it has by no means disappeared completely. Specialist police units and
information-sharing between regional and international police forces has made it much
harder for the hooligans to organize and participate in disorder. CCTV inside and
outside stadiums and also at other anticipated "flash points" such as city centres and
railway stations now makes it more likely that people involved in disorder can be
identified later even if they are not arrested at the scene. However there are still
disruptions surrounding football matches. One example being the UEFA Champions
League matches which were played on 12 March and 13 March 2005.
Violence by fans has also affected players, but this is rare. For example, a message to
Christian Vieri, apparently by a Inter Milan fan, threatened to burn down his restaurant,
criticising his attitude towards the team.[9] There is also the notorious incident where the
Colombian international player Andrés Escobar was murdered shortly after returning
home from the 1994 World Cup. This was reputedly for scoring the own goal which
eliminated Colombia from the competition.[10]
Match programmes
York City match programme.
Match programmes are sold inside and outside stadiums before, and sometimes during,
matches. In their most simple form, they provide basic information on the teams,
players, and match officials. Larger clubs usually produce multiple-page programmes
with features such as comments from the manager and club captain, interviews with
players, ex-players and backroom staff, information about ticketing arrangements for
forthcoming matches, a detailed fixture list and review of the team's season so far,
20 competitions, pages for junior fans, and a detailed feature on the opposition.
Programmes from some matches are collectible items, and can fetch money at an
auction.
Pitch invasions
Supporters of West Bromwich Albion invade the pitch after the final whistle to celebrate
the "Great Escape" of avoiding relegation on the last day of the 2004-05 season
Pitch invasions happen when supporters move from the stands onto the football pitch,
some times to deliberately disrupt a match. This is distinguished from times when, due
to safety reasons, fans are let onto the pitch. Pitch invasions in football tend to be rare
as clubs are punished heavily for letting any unauthorised persons on the pitch.
Mass pitch invasions tend to be rare, but examples can be found, such as the 1923
"White Horse" FA Cup final between Bolton and West Ham United at Wembley.[11] Due
to the overwhelming numbers in the stadium the police had to bring order back to the
stadium. Another example is the 1977 British Home Championship match between
England and Scotland, again at Wembley. After Scotland won 2-1, the "Tartan Army"
invaded the pitch and managed to break down the goalposts, as well as cutting up the
turf to take.[12][13]
Solo invasions are more common although few in number. In some cases these are
streakers who try to invade the pitch while nude. Supporters tend to view this as
harmless fun. One such pitch invasion was at Euro 2004, in the final game between
Portugal and Greece, when Jimmy Jump ran onto the pitch to disrupt the game.[14]
Another well known invasion was carried out by Karl Power, who sneaked into
Manchester Uniteds team photograph before their Champions League game with
Bayern Munich;[15] his other stunts have involved the England national rugby union team
and the British Grand Prix.
Rivalries
Derby matches, which are between two neighbouring rival clubs, are often fiercely
competitive. Sometimes there are underlying political or sectarian tensions, such as the
Old Firm between Celtic Football Club and Rangers Football Club in Glasgow. The term
often applies to matches between two teams from the same city or region, but it is
sometimes used to refer to matches between big clubs from the same country. Derbies
are usually treated as the most important matches by the fans, players and clubs,
regardless of position in the league table, et cetera. The film Green Street embodies the
spirit of derbies when one of the characters refers to the West Ham United versus
Millwall Football Club rivalry as that of Israel against Palestine. Of course this film does
focus on the mostly past era of hooliganism, however its depiction of matchday passion
shows just how important derby day is to fans. When it comes to derbies, the culture of
21 football thrives and shines in all its colours. How Soccer Explains the World is a perfect
source into how derbies emerged and what they mean to the community.
Seating
After the Hillsborough Disaster, the British government commissioned the Taylor Report
which resulted in standing being banned from many stadiums, include every top league
stadium. Groups such Stand Up Sit Down are campaigning for its return. This is very
different to the situation in British non-league football and other leagues around the
world where it is common to see terracing (standing areas) making up some, or even all
of the room for fans.
Sticker albums
Usually collected by children, a sticker album is a book where a collector sticks in
pictures of players from different teams in a certain league. The most widespread are
those that have been produced by Panini worldwide. A sticker album can be compared
to baseball cards in United States.
Celebrities
Such is the popularity of football that some players become better known for their 'offthe-pitch' activities. The celebrity status is such that advertisers and sports goods
manufacturers hire them to sponsor their products. The Brazilian footballer Pelé is such
a player. He was so admired as a player during his time that he went on to become a
UNICEF ambassador, as well as being a spokesman in advertisements for many
different companies. He also spent some time in politics in Brazil.
Former FIFA World Player of the Year, European Footballer of the Year, and African
Footballer of the Year George Weah secured most votes in the first round of the 2005
Liberian presidential election, but was defeated in the run-off ballot.
Another football celebrity is the English footballer David Beckham. He is a trend-setter
in England, with his frequent hairstyle changes triggering copycat looks in the country.
He is also married to the former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, and his relationship
difficulties were widely reported in the UK press in 2004 and 2005. Statues have been
made of him, notably at a Buddhist temple as well as made out of chocolate.[18] Becks,
or golden balls as he is also known, was a longtime Armani model, famous for his
underwear advertisements.
In late 2009 Beckham was replaced by Cristiano Ronaldo as Armani's primary
footballer/model. Ronaldo, former Manchester United player and currently a player for
Real Madrid, has amassed a massive fan base thanks to his blistering speed and
mesmerising skills.
22 Many other players have also become celebrities and are treated as heroes by the fans.
Retired players, such as Gary Lineker, have become celebrities in their own right by
working on television or radio. Even non-footballers who are connected to football have
become famous through their association alone. After the 2002 World Cup the head of
the South Korean Football Association decided to run for president of the country.[19]
Deaths
There have been deaths of players on the pitch and dugouts. On 5 September 1931,
Celtic F.C. goalkeeper John Thomson suffered a skull fracture when he collided with
Rangers F.C. player Sam English during an Old Firm match. He was fatally injured and
died later that day. On 10 September 1985, Scotland manager Jock Stein died of a
heart attack as his team scored the equaliser against Wales which virtually secured
qualification for the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals. He was aged 62.
In 2003, Cameroon international player Marc-Vivien Foé collapsed during a
Confederations Cup match against Colombia and was pronounced dead later that day.
His death was attributed to previously undiagnosed heart problems. On 8 September
1990, York City F.C.'s David Longhurst collapsed and died on the pitch during his
team's match with Lincoln City F.C.. The game was abandoned and York City paid
tribute to the player later by naming a stand in his honour at their Bootham Crescent
ground. In 2004, the Hungarian international Miklós Fehér died from a heart attack,
while playing for Benfica against Vitoria Guimarães. On 9 September 2006 Hinckley
United F.C. player, Matt Gadsby, collapsed on the pitch and died during a Conference
North game against Harrogate Town F.C.. Medical tests revealed he died from a heart
condition known as Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy. On 25 August
2007 Sevilla FC player, Antonio Puerta suffered a heart attack during Sevilla's first
game of the season against Getafe whilst running back towards his own goal. Sevilla
teammate Ivica Dragutinović as well as medical staff rushed to his aid. He was admitted
to hospital and he died on 28 August aged 22. Several players have also been struck by
lightning while playing during sudden storms.
Other disasters have occurred away from stadia. Most notably, the Superga air disaster
of 1949 in which the entire Torino F.C. squad perished. The Munich air disaster,
involving the 1958 Manchester United F.C. team and the loss of the entire Zambia
national football team in an air crash in 1993.
Ethnicity
People of different races have sometimes not been accepted as players in European
football. This is changing at the start of the 21st century due to society change as well
as campaigning on the part of the football authorities in different countries. UEFA and
the European Union support the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) project[21]
which aims to stop racism. Many black players were not accepted initially into European
football, even though the earliest black player was in 1881. However in the 1970s
onwards players were increasingly accepted leading to a situation where many club and
23 national teams have players of varying ethnicities. However, full acceptance in the
bigger footballing nations did not occur until the 1990s, and racism still exists at some
levels. Samuel Eto'o, for example, was once racially insulted by some Real Zaragoza
fans at a match against FC Barcelona, and threatened to quit the game if they kept
insulting him. The same happened to Messina defender Marc Zoro in a match against
Internazionale.
In some countries, such as England and Germany, there have been strong campaigns
to remove racism and intolerance from football on the pitch and on the terraces. In other
countries despite visible problems, little action has been taken such as Spain and Italy.
Female players
Women have been playing football as long as the game has existed. Their numbers, as
both football players and fans, increased with the lifting of bans on women playing
football and attending matches. In Iran however, women are still forbidden from
attending matches. The first FIFA Women's World Cup was held in 1991, and has
drawn worldwide television interest. Football matches now tend to have increased
numbers of women supporters at the match, as well as watching matches at home or in
pubs and bars. In the United States, the Women's United Soccer Association League
was formed in 2001 in response to growing interest in women's football around that
country. The league collapsed in 2003, but grassroots football was not affected, and the
league relaunched in 2009 as Women's Professional Soccer. The semi-professional WLeague continues to operate with 38 teams, as of 2006. Japan's women's league, the L.
League is well supported.
Globalisation
For the best players it means their services can be offered to clubs in various different
countries, and for whatever the price they want. The top players can make salaries of
millions in a year, plus whatever additional endorsements they receive.
Teams have also benefited from this by being able to find a wider support base outside
their traditional local areas. They can also scout for talent from a wider area. However
some European clubs have been accused of exploitation for doing this, as some African
youngsters they have recruited for football teams have eventually been left with nothing
after the team no longer requires their services. In the modern game most clubs have
multiple foreign players, this is especially evident in the English Premier League where
English players are outnumbered by their foreign counterparts. Many teams attempt to
build a complete team with players with ball control, others with strength, others with
speed and others with vision. Traditionally these skill sets are associated with different
regions; ball control is regarded as a South American trait, speed is typically associated
with African players and strength is typically seen as the European way. Therefore,
prominent clubs scout these regions heavily for rising talent and advise them to have a
trial with the club. Football has become a global sport where spectators from around the
24 world can enjoy many different leagues. It has created international rivalries as well as
community rivalries; yet at the same time it has the power to bring communities
together. The FIFA World Cup brings the world of football together for an entire month.
Through triumph and defeat it is a modern example of nationalism fused with
globalisation [22]. In Franklin Foer's How Soccer Explains the World, he explains that
national teams create a tribal sense of nationalism amongst fans. This nationalism is
shown in wearing football shirts, scarves and flying flags to express pride. When
tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, the African Cup of Nations and the UEFA
European Championship bring in supporters from nations around the world, this national
pride is a part of globalism. This complex system is all a part of the global community of
football. Football brings players, fans, coaches and clubs together from every part of the
world. A prime example of the unifying power of football is the African nation of Ghana.
It gained independence from British imperial rule in 1957 and used football to unite the
nation. The Black Stars as the national team became known as, hosted the first African
Cup of Nations. Ghana has become one of the most passionate footballing nations in
both Africa and the world, thanks the unifying power of the sport.
Coaches are also becoming sought after internationally. This extends to national team
coaches, once being native to their country, being brought in from other countries.
Examples include Brazilian legend Zico coaching Japan, Sven-Göran Eriksson, a
Swede who coached England, as well as Berti Vogts, a German who coached Scotland
and Nigeria. Another German, Otto Rehhagel, is practically a national icon in Greece,
after leading the national team to a shock victory in Euro 2004, and shortly afterwards
turning down an offer to coach the German national team and stay with Greece. Dutch
coach Guus Hiddink has a similar iconic status in South Korea after coaching its
national team to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup. So much so that one of South
Korea's World Cup stadiums was renamed in his honour shortly after the competition.
Role models
Football players, especially at the top levels of the game, have become role models for
people. The game itself has now become glamourised, with many children practising
the game and aspiring to the wealth shown off by the top footballers. The top footballers
also have "hangers-on", best compared to the groupies of rock stars. Such
extravagance has recently been satirised in the British TV show Footballers' Wives. For
another example of notable "hangers-on", see WAGs (wives and girlfriends, more
specifically those of the England national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup).
Bad behaviour
While many football players can be argued to be good role models, there have been
headlines in the news regarding bad behaviour by footballers. Such is the influence of
footballers, their activities tend to be reported widely in the media and also bring
condemnation from the government of the countries in which they play.
25 One such player was Diego Maradona. While he had exceptional skill and was voted
FIFA's Player of the Century, he also suffered problems with drug abuse. He was also
sent home from the 1994 FIFA World Cup for doping offences and Argentina meekly
bowed out of the tournament following a shock defeat by newcomers Romania. His
cocaine abuse has led to his medical problems in recent times.
Shortly before Euro 96, the English national team gained notoriety for the "Dentist's
Chair" incident. Several English players including Paul Gascoigne and Teddy
Sheringham were photographed in Hong Kong after being seen in a bar pouring beer
down each other's throats while the person sat on a dentist's chair. Later in his life,
Gascoigne struggled with alcohol and drug addiction and had to be hospitalized for
overdose on several occasions.
There have been incidents in England of players being accused of violence and
misconduct off the pitch. Although on many occasions, players have been found not
guilty, such cases are highly controversial. In 2001, two Leeds United players, Jonathan
Woodgate and Lee Bowyer, appeared in court over the assault of a student outside a
nightclub. Woodgate was found guilty of affray.[24] In 2002 three players, two from
Chelsea (John Terry and Jody Morris) and one from Wimbledon (Des Byrne), appeared
in court on charges of affray. All were acquitted.[25] On May 20, 2008, Joey Barton was
sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty for his part in an assault in
December 2007. Barton was captured on CCTV punching a man 20 times.[26]
In 2004, the Leicester City trio of Paul Dickov, Frank Sinclair and Keith Gillespie spent a
week in prison after being accused of sexual assault while on a training break at the La
Manga resort in Spain with their team. However, the case was dropped after forensic
evidence showed the accusations to be baseless. Although the players accused were
ultimately innocent, the scandal led to a media outcry about footballers and their
behaviour, especially with regard to children who look up to them.
Wayne Rooney was also attacked in the media for alleged visits to prostitutes in 2004, a
claim he later admitted was true.[29] Adrian Mutu admitted cocaine use after failing a
drugs test,[30] and Graham Stack was charged with rape but cleared in 2005.[31] Lee
Bowyer again made headlines in 2005 when he and Newcastle United teammate Kieron
Dyer fought each other near the end of a Premiership match.
Clubs
Clubs have moved from amateur status to, in some cases, big commercial concerns.
Players have also managed to increase their earnings massively during this change.
26 Corruption
Allegations of corruption, for example match fixing, in football have always been
present. This level of corruption can vary from country to country, and can involve
players, agents, and teams. The 2005-06 football season saw many corruption
scandals. This included the 2005 Bundesliga scandal in Germany with the refereeing
scandals of Robert Hoyzer, and the Brazilian football match-fixing scandal involving
Edilson Pereira de Carvalho.[33] This was followed by the 2006 Serie A scandal
("Calciopoli") in Italy where five clubs were found guilty of match fixing and resulted in
several top clubs being penalized (most notably, Juventus was relegated to Serie B for
the 2007–08 season and lost many top players) and getting their own title stripped off
from them and being rewarded to Internazionale who were runners up.
Money
While most grassroot clubs and lower division league teams struggle to make ends
meet, the big clubs can make a lot of money. Teams such as Manchester United,
Manchester City and Real Madrid are considered amongst the richest in the world with
a global support base. Chelsea has also undergone a transformation, buying a number
of expensive football players, due to being bought by the billionaire Roman Abramovich.
In 2008 Manchester City became the richest club in the world after being bought out by
an Arabian billionaire.
The catalyst for this change was the arrival of satellite television. Satellite TV companies
paid massive sums for the rights to cover football matches, and in turn have recouped
this investment from the many fans who are unable to catch the game in person. This
benefits the "hardcore" and "casual" fan as they have more choice of which game they
want to watch.
While some clubs do well out of the increased money in football, other clubs can get
into trouble trying to keep up. Leeds United attempted to do this by spending a lot of
money, and were successful for a few seasons. However the debts became
unmanageable, the successful players were sold off, and the team were eventually
relegated twice, first from the Premier League to The Championship, and then to
League One.
Not all clubs do well out of television money. Clubs in lower leagues receive less money
for matches and, if promoted to higher leagues, can have trouble matching the spending
power of bigger clubs. This leaves them more likely to be relegated again.
Clubs from smaller countries also have problems with this issue. Due to their smaller
population base they receive less money from television rights. This means they are
comparative paupers compared to clubs from the bigger countries, and can lead to debt
problems if they try to match spending in trans-national competitions. Some clubs have
managed to buck the trend by training players through their youth academies, as well as
27 making wise investments. Examples of these clubs are FC Porto and Ajax Amsterdam,
although when these teams become successful, as in Porto's case winning the 2003-04
Champions League, the players tend to get sold off due to financial pressures.
Society
In many countries, football has ingrained itself into the national culture, and many parts
of life revolve around it. Many countries have daily football newspapers, as well as
football magazines. The mood of regions and countries has been seen to be connected
to football. Victory in a major tournament can bring happiness to the local community or
country. Conversely defeat can lower spirits, and has been seen to be connected to
mortality in the population. Withdrawal symptoms when the football season finished
have also been reported. The economy can also be seen to be connected to major
football tournaments, although the precise association is disputed.
The terms soccer mom and soccer dad, popularized in the United States, refer broadly
to a demographic group of parents with school-age children playing football.
Arts, literature and film
The popularity of football has been reflected in the arts, books and films. Books have
been written dealing with the culture, such as violence, surrounding football, as well as
detailed histories of events or rivalries. Many clubs have one or more fanzines, one
example being TOOFIF.
Some consider that British football's image of a nasty working-class pursuit was
changed into something far more respectable after Fever Pitch, a memoir by Nick
Hornby about his life as an Arsenal fan, was published. The book also provided
Hornby's big break. It was later adapted very loosely into a film. Numerous films have
been made including Bend It Like Beckham, and The Football Factory, based on the
book by John King, dealing with hooliganism and its relationship to socio-economic
realities in England. In Germany, The Miracle of Bern (2003) revived the euphoria of the
national team's victory in the 1954 FIFA World Cup and was a huge hit.
One film that has a historical basis is Escape to Victory. The film was based on the true
World War II story where a Dynamo Kiev team, which defeated a German Luftwaffe
team, was subsequently persecuted, and some team members executed. The story has
also been recounted in the book Dynamo by Andy Dougan.
Religion
It has been said that in some countries football has become the new religion (although
this is a contentious issue). "Religious" aspects of sporting events include:
•
ritual pre-match, match and post-match traditions, ritualised group responses to
cues such as on-pitch events, etc.
28 •
•
•
•
•
group chanting, singing, dancing.
the widespread use of symbols: team colours and logos take on a special
importance and insulting these symbols is a grevious insult to the whole side.
Wearing them marks the wearer as an adherent of a certain group and divides
the world, almost cult-like, into "us" and "them".
idol-worship of heroes which is associated with relics: balls, shirts, numbers, etc.
associated with players and events are highly valued.
pilgrimages: some fans will fly to another country to see a match live or travel in
large groups to far-away places, caravaning, to see events.
deep emotional involvement, ecstatic participation which can go in various
directions: cathartic, fun, violent, etc.
Football and other such sports lack some aspects usually associated with religion,
however:
•
•
•
•
There is, in football, only a hint of transcendence. The memory of some players
might be "immortal" and some teams "legendary," but there is little in the way of
an idea or ideology that is found in religion.
There are no holy texts. There are famous sayings, but they do not carry
authority for regulating belief or behaviour.
Prayers are common, but they are usually directed outside the system. Fans and
players do not pray "to" football or "to" football heroes, but to the supernatural
entities of other religions "about" football.
There are god-like figures, but this is usually with a subtle sense of self-irony and
fun. Owen Coyle is referred to as "God" by Burnley F.C. for example, because of
his legendary role as a manager for the club, taking them from relegation
favourites to the Premier League within 18 months of being appointed. Other
such divine players are inlcude Eric Cantona who was worshiped at Old Trafford
Religious beliefs are also in common use throughout football. Some players are
religious and can be seen to cross themselves before a game. In Africa, traditional
belief rituals are used to help teams win important games. In Argentina an official
religion around the football player Diego Maradona has been formed called "Iglesia
Maradoniana".
The German club Schalke 04 has brought out their own Bible titled Mit Gott auf Schalke
(With God in Schalke). This is an edition of the common Christian Bible along with
spiritual texts by Christian Schalke players and officials.
Famous sayings
•
"Someone said 'football is a matter of life and death to you' and I said 'Listen, it's
more important than that'." — Bill Shankly, 1981, on 'Live from Two', a Granada
Television talk show hosted by Shelley Rohde.
29 •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
"In Latin America the border between football and politics is vague. There is a
long list of governments that have fallen or been overthrown after the defeat of
the national team." — Luis Suarez.
"To say that these men paid their shillings to watch twenty-two hirelings kick a
ball is merely to say that a violin is wood and catgut, that Hamlet is so much
paper and ink." — J. B. Priestley, The Good Companions, 1928.
"Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end,
the Germans win." — Gary Lineker, July 4, 1990 (after playing for England in a
World Cup semi-final against Germany that was lost after a penalty shootout)
"If God had meant us to play football in the sky, he'd have put grass up there." —
Brian Clough, 1991, when manager of Nottingham Forest, bemoaning the style of
football known as the 'long ball game'.
"The ball is round and there are two goals." (Piłka jest okrągła, a bramki są dwie.)
— Kazimierz Górski.
"All I know most surely about morality and obligations, I owe to football." — Albert
Camus, French philosopher, novelist and goalkeeper
"Football is a game of four halves." — Gary Lineker, referring to the home and
away legs of cup competitions.
"The ball is round, the game lasts ninety minutes, and everything else is just
theory." — Sepp Herberger, German coach.
"After the game is before the game", — Sepp Herberger, German coach.
"The first 90 minutes are the most important." — Bobby Robson.
"It's a funny old game." — Jimmy Greaves.
"Ein, zu zwei, zu drei - drun! (One, two, three - bang!)" — Hristo Stoichkov,
Bulgarian footballer before the 1994 World Cup game between Bulgaria and
Germany which Bulgaria surprisingly won.
"Football. Bloody hell." — Alex Ferguson, just after Manchester United won the
1999 UEFA Champions League final by scoring two goals in the 91st and 93rd
minute of the game against FC Bayern Munich to win the match 2-1.
"Every disadvantage has its advantage", Johan Cruijff
"There's no such thing as an ugly goal. Ugly is to not score one." — Dadá
Maravilha
"I do not play football, I score goals." — Dadá Maravilha
"In football, the worst blind is that one who only sees the ball" — Nelson
Rodrigues
"We did it by playing football. Pure, beautiful, inventive football" — Jock Stein
after Celtic won the 1967 Europen Cup
Laws
There are seventeen laws in the official Laws of the Game. The same laws are
designed to apply to all levels of football, although certain modifications for groups such
as juniors, seniors, women and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws
are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
30 the nature of the game. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions
and other directives contribute to the regulation of football. The Laws of the Game are
published by FIFA, but are maintained by the International Football Association Board,
not FIFA itself. The most complex of the laws is offside. The offside law limits the ability
of attacking players to remain forward (i.e. closer to the opponent's goal line) of the ball,
the second-to-last defending player (which can include the goalkeeper), and the halfway line.
Players, equipment and officials
Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes), one of
whom must be the goalkeeper. Competition rules may state a minimum number of
players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only
players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the
penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are a variety of positions in which
the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these
positions are not defined or required by the Laws.
The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks,
footwear and adequate shin guards. Headgear is not a required piece of basic
equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head
injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or
another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is
easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials.[27]
A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during the course of the game. The
maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and
domestic league games is three, though the permitted number may vary in other
competitions or in friendly matches. Common reasons for a substitution include injury,
tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at the end of a finely poised
game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take
further part in a match.[28] If any team is unable to field at least seven players due to
players being injured or sent-off, the referee will stop the game. The game will be
declared as a loss against the team who were unable to field the required number of
players.
A game is officiated by a referee, who has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the
Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and
whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees. In many
high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace
another official should the need arise.[29]
Pitch
31 asurementss
Standard pitch mea
As the Laws
L
were formulated
d in Englan
nd, and werre initially administere
a
ed solely byy the
four British football associations within IF
FAB, the standard dim
mensions off a football pitch
pressed in imperial units.
u
The Laws now express dimensions
d
were orriginally exp
with
approxim
mate metriic equivale
ents (follow
wed by tra
aditional un
nits in bra
ackets), tho
ough
popular use tends to continue
e to use tra
aditional uniits in Englissh-speaking
g countries with
a relatively recent history
h
of metrication,
m
such as Brritain.[30]
The length of the pitch for in
nternationa
al adult matches is in the range
e of 100–11
10 m
(110–12
20 yd) and the width is in the range
r
of 64–75
6
m (7
70–80 yd). Fields for noninternational match
hes may be
e 91–120 m (100–130 yd) length and 45–91 m (50–101
1 yd)
in width,, provided that
t
the pitcch does no
ot become square.
s
In 2008,
2
the IFAB set a fixed
size of 105 m long
g and 68 m wide as a standard
d pitch dimension for A international
matchess.[31]
The long
ger bounda
ary lines arre touchline
es, while th
he shorter boundariess (on which
h the
goals arre placed) are
a goal lin
nes. A recta
angular goa
al is positio
oned at the middle of each
e
goal line
e.[32] The inner edges of the vertical goal po
osts must be 7.32 m (8
8 yd) apart,, and
the lowe
er edge of the horizon
ntal crossba
ar supporte
ed by the goal
g
posts must
m
be 2.4
44 m
(8 ft) abo
ove the gro
ound. Nets are usuallyy placed behind the go
oal, but are not require
ed by
the Laws.[33]
In front of each goal is an are
ea known as
a the pena
alty area. This
T
area iss marked byy the
e, two lines starting on the goa
al line 16.5
5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and
goal line
lar to the goal
extendin
ng 16.5 m (18
( yd) into
o the pitch perpendicu
p
g
line, an
nd a line joining
them. Th
his area ha
as a number of function
ns, the mosst prominen
nt being to mark where
e the
goalkeeper may ha
andle the ba
all and whe
ere a penalty foul by a member of
o the defen
nding
32 team becomes punishable by a penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the
ball or players at kick-offs, goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks.[34]
Duration and tie-breaking methods
A standard adult football match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as
halves. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball
is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of
the match is known as full-time.
The referee is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for
time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages.
This added time is commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time, and is at the
sole discretion of the referee. The referee alone signals the end of the match. In
matches where a fourth official is appointed, toward the end of the half the referee
signals how many minutes of stoppage time he intends to add. The fourth official then
informs the players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The
signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee.[35] Added time was
introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between
Stoke and Aston Villa. Trailing 1–0 and with just two minutes remaining, Stoke were
awarded a penalty. Villa's goalkeeper kicked the ball out of the ground, and by the time
the ball had been recovered, the 90 minutes had elapsed and the game was over.[36]
The same law also stands that the duration of either half is extended until the penalty
kick to be taken or retaken is completed,[37] thus no game shall end with a penalty to be
taken.
In league competitions, games may end in a draw, but in some knockout competitions if
a game is tied at the end of regulation time it may go into extra time, which consists of
two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions
allow the use of penalty shootouts (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks
from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of the
tournament. Goals scored during extra time periods count toward the final score of the
game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses
to the next part of the tournament (with goals scored in a penalty shootout not making
up part of the final score).
In competitions using two-legged matches, each team competes at home once, with an
aggregate score from the two matches deciding which team progresses. Where
aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in
which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg played away
from home. If the result is still equal, kicks from the penalty mark are usually required,
though some competitions may require a tied game to be replayed.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the IFAB experimented with ways of creating a
winner without requiring a penalty shootout, which was often seen as an undesirable
way to end a match. These involved rules ending a game in extra time early, either
33 when the first goal in extra time was scored (golden goal), or if one team held a lead at
the end of the first period of extra time (silver goal). Golden goal was used at the World
Cup in 1998 and 2002. The first World Cup game decided by a golden goal was
France's victory over Paraguay in 1998. Germany was the first nation to score a golden
goal in a major competition, beating Czech Republic in the final of Euro 1996. Silver
goal was used in Euro 2004. Both these experiments have been discontinued by
IFAB.[38]
Ball in and out of play
Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out
of play. From the beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the
playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field
of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is
restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play:
A player takes a free kick, while the opposition form a "wall" in order to try to deflect the
ball
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Kick-off: following a goal by the opposing team, or to begin each period of play.[6]
Throw-in: when the ball has wholly crossed the touchline; awarded to opposing
team to that which last touched the ball.[39]
Goal kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having
been scored and having last been touched by a player of the attacking team;
awarded to defending team.[40]
Corner kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having
been scored and having last been touched by a player of the defending team;
awarded to attacking team.[41]
Indirect free kick: awarded to the opposing team following "non-penal" fouls,
certain technical infringements, or when play is stopped to caution or send-off an
opponent without a specific foul having occurred. A goal may not be scored
directly from an indirect free kick.[42]
Direct free kick: awarded to fouled team following certain listed "penal" fouls.[42] A
goal may be scored directly from a direct free kick.
Penalty kick: awarded to the fouled team following a foul usually punishable by a
direct free kick but that has occurred within their opponent's penalty area.[43]
Dropped-ball: occurs when the referee has stopped play for any other reason,
such as a serious injury to a player, interference by an external party, or a ball
becoming defective. This restart is uncommon in adult games.
34 Misconduct
Players are cautioned with a yellow card, and sent off with a red card. These colours were
first introduced at the 1970 FIFA World Cup and used consistently since.
A player scores a penalty kick given after an offence is committed inside the penalty
area
A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of the Game while
the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the
ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal
fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence
occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick.[5] The referee may punish
a player or substitute's misconduct by a caution (yellow card) or sending-off (red card).
A second yellow card at the same game leads to a red card, and therefore to a sendingoff. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the
player's name in his official notebook. If a player has been sent off, no substitute can be
brought on in their place. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while the offences that
constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of
"unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of
the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow
or red card to a player, substitute or substituted player. Non-players such as managers
and support staff cannot be shown the yellow or red card, but may be expelled from the
technical area if they fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner.[5]
Rather than stopping play, the referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit
the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an
advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the
anticipated advantage does not ensue within a short period, typically taken to be four to
five seconds. Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the
offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at the next stoppage of play.
Governing bodies
The recognised international governing body of football (and associated games, such as
futsal and beach soccer) is the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
The FIFA headquarters are located in Zürich.
Six regional confederations are associated with FIFA; these are:
•
•
•
•
•
Asia: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
Africa: Confederation of African Football (CAF)
Europe: Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)
North/Central America & Caribbean: Confederation of North, Central American
and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF)
Oceania: Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)
35 •
South America: Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol/Confederação Sulamericana de Futebol (South American Football Confederation; CONMEBOL)
National associations oversee football within individual countries. These are generally
synonymous with sovereign states, (for example: the Fédération Camerounaise de
Football in Cameroon) but also include a smaller number of associations responsible for
sub-national entities or autonomous regions (for example the Scottish Football
Association in Scotland). 208 national associations are affiliated both with FIFA and with
their respective continental confederations; an additional 13 are affiliated to continental
confederations but not to FIFA.
Some of the football associations not recognised by FIFA are affiliated to the Nouvelle
Fédération-Board (NF-Board).
International competitions
A minute's silence before an international match
The major international competition in football is the World Cup, organised by FIFA.
This competition takes place over a four-year period. More than 190 national teams
compete in qualifying tournaments within the scope of continental confederations for a
place in the finals. The finals tournament, which is held every four years, involves 32
national teams competing over a four-week period.[44] The 2010 FIFA World Cup is
underway in South Africa from 11 June – 11 July.
There has been a football tournament at every Summer Olympic Games since 1900,
except at the 1932 games in Los Angeles. Before the inception of the World Cup, the
Olympics (especially during the 1920s) had the same status as the World Cup.
Originally, the event was for amateurs only,[16] however, since the 1984 Summer
Olympics professional players have been permitted, albeit with certain restrictions which
prevent countries from fielding their strongest sides. Currently, the Olympic men's
tournament is played at Under-23 level. In the past the Olympics have allowed a
restricted number of over-age players per team;[46] but that practice ceased in the 2008
Olympics. The Olympic competition is not generally considered to carry the same
international significance and prestige as the World Cup. A women's tournament was
added in 1996; in contrast to the men's event, full international sides without age
restrictions play the women’s Olympic tournament. It thus carries international prestige
considered comparable to that of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
After the World Cup, the most important international football competitions are the
continental championships, which are organised by each continental confederation and
contested between national teams. These are the European Championship (UEFA), the
Copa América (CONMEBOL), African Cup of Nations (CAF), the Asian Cup (AFC), the
CONCACAF Gold Cup (CONCACAF) and the OFC Nations Cup (OFC). The FIFA
Confederations Cup is contested by the winners of all 6 continental championships, the
current FIFA World Cup champions and the country which is hosting the Confederations
36 Cup. This is generally regarded as a warm up tournament for the upcoming FIFA World
Cup and does not carry the same prestige as the World Cup itself. The most prestigious
competitions in club football are the respective continental championships, which are
generally contested between national champions, for example the UEFA Champions
League in Europe and the Copa Libertadores de América in South America. The
winners of each continental competition contest the FIFA Club World Cup.[47]
Domestic competitions
The governing bodies in each country operate league systems in a domestic season,
normally comprising several divisions, in which the teams gain points throughout the
season depending on results. Teams are placed into tables, placing them in order
according to points accrued. Most commonly, each team plays every other team in its
league at home and away in each season, in a round-robin tournament. At the end of a
season, the top team is declared the champion. The top few teams may be promoted to
a higher division, and one or more of the teams finishing at the bottom are relegated to
a lower division. The teams finishing at the top of a country's league may be eligible
also to play in international club competitions in the following season. The main
exceptions to this system occur in some Latin American leagues, which divide football
championships into two sections named Apertura and Clausura, awarding a champion
for each.
The majority of countries supplement the league system with one or more "cup"
competitions. These are organised on a knock-out basis, the winner of each match
proceeding to the next round; the loser takes no further part in the competition.
Some countries' top divisions feature highly paid star players; in smaller countries and
lower divisions, players may be part-timers with a second job, or amateurs. The five top
European leagues – the Premier League (England), La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy),[48]
the Bundesliga (Germany) and Ligue 1 (France) – attract most of the world's best
players and each of the leagues has a total wage cost in excess of £600 million/€763
million/$1.185 billion.[49]
Etymology
The rules of football were codified in England by the Football Association in 1863, and
the name association football was coined to distinguish the game from the other forms
of football played at the time, specifically rugby football. The term soccer originated in
England, first appearing in the 1880s as an Oxford "-er" abbreviation of the word
"association",[50] often credited to former England captain Charles Wreford-Brown.[51]
Today the sport is generally known simply as football in the United Kingdom, and as
soccer in most other English-speaking countries. However, the official name often
differs from the name that is most commonly used. The national governing bodies of
Canada and the United States officially use soccer in their names. In 2005, Australia's
association football governing body changed its name from soccer to football to align
37 with the general international usage of the
t term (although the
e national te
eam is officcially
nicknam
med the soc
cceroos). In
n 2007, New
w Zealand followed suit citing "the international
game is called foottball". Howe
ever, the ga
ame is almost universsally refered
d to as "socccer"
e two countries. FIFA
A, the sportt's world go
overning body, define
es the sport as
in those
associattion football in its statu
utes,[54] but the term most
m
commo
only used by
b FIFA and
d the
Internatiional Olymp
pic Committtee is footb
ball.
Club names
n
refferring to
o a profes
ssion or education
e
n
Club na
ames referrring to a profession
Topic
Me
eaning
Coun
ntry
Clubs
Azerb
baijan
M
MOIK
Baku
Belize
Bhutan
Botswana
Cambodia
Ecuador
Fo
or sport clubs
c
afffiliated with
h the
med forcess of a
Armed fforces arm
country. See also
CS
SKA.
England
Hungary
M
Malaysia
Myanmar
M
North
Korea
a
Pakistan
Singa
apore
Trinidad
and Tobago
T
38 Be
elize
D
Defence
Fo
orce
Royal Bhuta
an Army
FC
C
otswana Defence
D
Bo
Fo
orce XI
Arrmy Divission of
Lo
ogistics,
Royal
Cambodian
Air
Fo
orce, Royal Navy
Ell Nacional
Royal
En
ngineers
A.F.C.
udapest Honvéd
Bu
FC
C
An
ngkatan Tentera
T
M
Malaysia
FA
Arrmy
4..25 Sports Group,
Haeju Army
akistan
Army,
Pa
Pa
akistan Navvy
Siingapore Armed
Fo
orces
F
Football
Club,
Sin
ngapore
Arrmed
Forces
Sp
ports Assocciation
Defence Forrce
Arsenall
Beer
Argentina
England
Honduras
Fa
actories
cre
eating weap
pons
R
Russia
Ukraine
Liibya
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Northern
Ireland
Peru
Serbia
Ukraine
aly
Ita
Carpenttry
Cobre-
Sp
panish
for
after
copper,
association with
g
copper mining
ny
Compan
name
Clu
ub
na
ames
containing
the
ame
of
na
a
company. Th
hese
clu
ubs were either
e
fou
unded as works
w
tea
ams
by
a
company forr its
mployees (e.g.
em
PS
SV), bough
ht by
a company (e.g.
the
e three Red
Bu
ull teams),, or
inc
corporate
a
corporate
sponsor's name
n
(e..g.
Te
echnogroup
p).
Lisburn Distillery
Sp
porting Crisstal
FK
K ČSK Piva
ara
FC
C Obolon Kyiv
K
M
Mobilieri
Pon
nsacco
TV
VMK
(T
Tallinna
Estonia Viineeri-ja
M
Mööblikombi
inaat)
Club de Deportes
D
C
Chile
Cobreloa,
Club
obresal
Deportes Co
Peru
B.C.
Cobresol F.B
Austria
Red Bull Salzburg
Brazil
Red Bull Bra
asil
Colombia La
C
a Equidad
auxhall
Motors,
Va
Rolls
Royce
Le
eisure, Billlingham
England Syynthonia (An
(
ICI
fe
ertiliser
brand),
Su
underland Nissan,
Cammell Laird
ayer
Ba
04
Le
everkusen,
G
Germany
W
Wacker
Bu
urghausen,, Carl
Ze
eiss Jena
G
Greece
Skkoda Xanth
hi
Aiir India, Amity
United FC, Chirag
In
ndia
United SC, Dempo
SC
C,
Hin
ndustan
39 Arrsenal de Sarandí
S
Arrsenal
Arrsenal Roatán
FC
C Arsenal Tula
T
FC
C Arsenal Kyiv
K
Te
ersanah S.C
C.
Assmara Brew
wery
Harrar Beer Botling
Ae
eronautics Limited
SC
C, Indian Bank
Recreationall Club,
CT FC, Kin
ngfisher
JC
Ea
ast Benga
al FC,
Hindustan Football
F
Club,
Mahindra
United, Oil India
Lttd. FC, ONGC FC,
VIVA KERAL
LA
In
ndonesia Se
emen Pada
ang
Ita
aly
Cisco Roma
Motor,
Honda
Locks,
Honda
Ja
apan
M
Mitsubishi
Sony
M
Mizushima,
Se
endai, TDK
K
In
nti Gas De
eportes,
Peru
To
otal Clean
uwon
Sa
amsung
Su
Blluewings, Jeonbuk
J
South
Hyyundai
Motors,
Korea
a
Bu
usan
I'Park,
Ilhwa
Se
eongnam
Chunma
M
Mexico
Cruz Azul
M
Moldova
Sh
(
heriff Tirasp
pol
snistria)
Trans
Ph
hilips
Sport
Nethe
erlands Ve
ereniging
ada Toglia
atti, FC
La
FC
To
orpedo-RG,
FC
To
orpedo-ZIL,
Vo
olgar-Gazp
prom
Asstrakhan,
FC
KA
AMAZ
R
Russia
Naberezhnye
e
Chelny, FC Avtodor
A
Vlladikavkaz,,
FC
Ka
avkaztransgaz20
005
Ryzd
dvyany,
FC
C
MITOS
Novocherkasssk, FC
40 Ba
ashinformssvyazDyynamo Uffa, FC
Nosta Novo
otroitsk,
C
S
SOYUZFC
Gazprom Izhevsk,
FC
C Serp i Molot
M
Moscow,
R
ROC
(
Chine
ese
Ta
atung
Taipe
ei)
Turkey
Tü
ürk Telekom
mspor
Turks and
os
ed
KPMG Unite
Caico
Island
ds
Red Bull New
USA
w York
Aiirbus
UK,
W
Wales
Te
echnogroup
p
W
Welshpool
T
Town
Construction
argh Shira
az F.C.,
Ba
Ba
argh Tehra
an F.C.
Em
melec (Th
he club
was founded
d by the
Ecuador
E.M.E.L.E.C.
Company.)
R
ROC
(
Ta
Chine
ese
aipower
Taipe
ei)
Ba
argh:
Perrsian
Houston
D
Dynamo
forr Electricity
Refers
(R
to
United
Houston's energyStatess
ba
ased
in
ndustrial
ecconomy)
1.. FFC Turbine
Po
otsdam (The club
was
initially
G
Germany
su
upported by the
local
energy
su
upplier.)
AS
S
D
Douanes
ench term
m for
Fre
Niger
(N
Niamey)
and
Cu
ustoms
Ta
axation
Senegal AS
S
D
Douanes
Ira
an
Electric
cal
Douane
es
41 mbus
United Colum
ates Crew
Sta
en
nforcement,
clu
ubs sponssored
by
y these entitties
Industriial
Revoluttion
Industriial
Metallurrgy
forrmed during
g the
latte
Victo
orian
Ind
dustrial boo
om
(D
Dakar)
AS
S
D
Douanes
To
ogo
(L
Lomé)
Racing
de
Casablanca
was
re
enamed
Morocco Asssociation
M
des
Douanes Ma
arocains
(A
ADM) from
m 196919
980s
England
Spain
UD Gijón Ind
dustrial
Fo
oolad F.C
C., F.C.
Ira
an
Zo
ob Ahan, Mes
Ke
erman F.C..
Bu
udapesti
Vasas
Hungary
Sp
port Club
K
L
Liepājas
FK
La
atvia
M
Metalurgs
M
Metallurg
Krrasnoyarskk,
M
Metallurg
Lipetsk,
Zob
Fo
oolad,
M
Metallurg-Ku
uzbass
R
Russia
Ah
han, and Mes:
M
Novokuznetssk, FC
Pe
ersian for Steel,
S
M
Metallurg-Os
skol
Ste
eelworks, and
Sttary Osko
ol, FC
Co
opper. Va
asas:
M
Metallurg
Vyyksa
"Vasés
R
Romania
Oţelul Galaţi
Fé
émmunkáso
ok"
M
Metalurh
D
Donetsk,
for
Hu
ungarian
M
Metalurh
N
Nikopol,
"Iro
on and Steel
S
M
Metalurh
Ukraine
Wo
orkers"
Stal
Za
aporizhia,
Allchevsk, Metalist
Kh
harkiv
Poland
Sttal Mielec
Sttahl
G
Germany
Eiisenhüttensstadt
ene
Norway Sttålkamerate
ethlehem
Steel
United
Be
Statess
F..C.
FK
K
M
Metallurg
42 Middlesbroug
M
gh
Iro
onopolis F.C.
Uzbe
ekistan
Mining
Gó
órnik: Polish for
miner
agłębie: Polish
Za
forr
coalfield
Miinero: Spa
anish
forr
m
miner
Co
olliery:
Coal
mine
Sh
hakhtar:
Uk
krainian
for
miner
England
Peru
Poland
Vene
ezuela
Municip
pal
Navy
Patriots
s
Ukraine
Ind
El
dicates a club
by Salva
forrmed
ador
wo
orkers of, or
associated with, Guatemala
a city hall or
Peru
herwise rellated
oth
loc
cal governm
ment
Uganda
un
nit.
Ma
alavan: Perrsian
an
Ira
forr Sailor
amed for Pa
atriot
Na
missile system in
United
Un
nited
Sttates Statess
Army at Ft. Bliss
43 Be
ekobod
Attherton Co
ollieries,
Be
entley
C
Colliery,
Harworth
Colliery
In
nstitute, Po
ontefract
Collieries, Th
horesby
Colliery
W
Welfare,
horne
C
Colliery,
Th
Colliery
W
Welbeck
W
Welfare
Miners
Bllackwell
W
Welfare,
Ca
alverton
M
Miners
W
Welfare,
Miners
Gedling
W
Welfare,
H
Holbrook
M
Miners
W
Welfare,
Rainworth Miners
W
Welfare,
S
Staveley
M
Miners
Welfa
are
Attlético Mine
ero
Górnik
Ł
Łęczna,
Górnik Pollkowice,
Górnik
W
Wieliczka
Górnik
Zabrze,
Za
agłębie
Lubin,
Za
agłębie Sossnowiec
Attlético
Club
M
Mineros
de
Guayana
hakhtar Do
onetsk
Sh
Once Municipal
pal
CSD Municip
Deportivo Mu
unicipal
ampala
Ka
Council
M
Malavan
F.C
C.
Ell Paso Patrriots
City
Angola
Petroleu
um
u
Azerb
baijan Neftchi Baku
Bolivia
Oriente Petro
olero
Na
aft: Persian
n for
C
Colombia
Allianza Petro
olera
Pe
etrol
Essmeraldas
Ecuador
Pe
etrolero
Ira
an
Sa
anat Naft F.C.
F
Neftekhimik
Nizhnekamsk, FC
himik Dzerzhinsk,
Kh
R
Russia
Neftyanik
Bu
uguruslan,
FC
Kh
himik Korya
azhma
Botswana Po
olice XI
Cambodia
44 M
Military
Policce
Va
anguard
Hubei
Po
olice Acade
emy
Esscuela
S
Superior
Ecuador
de
e Policía (E
ESPOLI)
M
Metropolitan
Police,
England West
W
M
Midlands
Po
olice
Fo
or football clubs
c
ndia
Pu
unjab Policce
In
afffiliated witth a
Ira
aq
All-Shorta
po
olice force
ostinės
Policija
So
Liithuania
Viilnius
M
Malaysia
PDRM FA
Issle
of
olice
Po
Man
olícia
de
Po
M
Macau
Se
egurança Pública
P
Police
M
Mahendra
Ne
epal
Club
Uganda Po
olice FC
C
China
Police
Accadémica Petróleo
P
Kw
wanda
Soyo,
Attlético Pe
etróleos
do
o
H
Huambo,
Attlético Pe
etróleos
do
o Namibe, Atlético
Pe
etróleos Lu
uanda
Poland
apore
Singa
Argentina
Railroad
d
workers
s
Brazil
ah
A
Ahan
Ra
(Persian), Ferro
F
arril (Span
nish),
Ca
forr
Railroad
(no
oun).
Fe
erroviário
England
(Po
ortuguese) for
Ra
ailroad
(ad
djective). The
G
Germany
"CFR" in CFR
Clu
uj
is
C
Căile
Hungary
Fe
erate Rom
mâne,
the
e
Roma
anian
Scotland
sta
ate
railway
sys
stem. Vassutas
an
Ira
me
eans "railroad
wo
orker"
in
Hu
ungarian, Demir
D
me
eans "iron
n" in Moza
ambique
Tu
urkish.
R
Romania
R
Russia
Turkey
Australia
Sailors
Ma
arinos: Spa
anish
Ja
apan
Shipbuiilding
Aftter
Ca
ammell
the
L
Laird
England
45 Gwardia Warszawa
Home
United,
Po
olice SA
erro Carril Oeste,
Fe
Rosario
Central
(frrom
Central
Arrgentine Ra
ailway)
erroviário Atlético
Fe
Clube, Associação
Fe
erroviária
de
Essportes, Esporte
Clube
No
oroeste,
uano
Itu
Futebol
Clube,
P
Paulista
Fu
utebol Club
be
Darlington Railway
Atthletic, Ha
arrogate
Railway Athletic
1.. FC Lokomotive
Le
eipzig
V
Debreceni Vasutas
Sp
port Klub
In
nverurie
Loco
W
Works
F.C.
Rah Ahan F..C.
Clube
Ferrroviário
da
a Beira, Clube
Fe
erroviário
de
M
Maputo,
Clube
de
Fe
erroviário
Nampula
CFR Cluj
FC
C
Lokomotiv
M
Moscow,
FC
Lo
okomotiv Liiski
Ad
dana Dem
mirspor,
An
nkara Demirspor...
Central
Coast
M
Mariners
F.
Yo
okohama
M
Marinos
Cammell Laird F.C.
ship yard
New
Waterside Ka
W
arori
Zeala
and
Argentina Te
extil Mandiyyú
NK
Varteks
C
Croatia
Va
araždin
JC
CT FC (Jagatjit
In
ndia
Cotton and Textile
Fo
ootball Club
b)
Na
assaji: Perrsian
Nassaji
forr
Te
extile
Ira
an
Textile
M
Mazandaran
F.C.
Ind
dustry
Grupo Dessportivo
a
Com
mpanhia
Moza
ambique da
Tê
êxtil do Pun
nguè
Spain
SD Textil Escudo
ekstilshchikk
Te
R
Russia
Ivvanovo,
Ira
an
Te
eraktor Sazzi F.C.
R
Russia
Rotor Volgog
grad
Tractor
manufacturing
FK
K
Traktor
Uzbe
ekistan Ta
ashkent
SPAL
1907
(S
Società
Ita
aly
Generic
c
Po
olisportiva Ars et
La
abor)
Stevedo
ores or
longsho
oremen
Club na
ames referrring to edu
ucation
in the United Statess and
NB: Socccer teams
s associated with colle
eges and universities
u
Canada are not lis
sted here. These club
bs are not independe
ent of the school,
s
and
d are
divisionss within a much
m
large
er school sp
ports progrram. The one
o
main exxception to
o this
rule is the men's team
t
owned by Brigham Young University,, which parrticipates in
n the
semi-pro
ofessional USL
U Premie
er Development Leagu
ue instead of the NCA
AA.
Topic
Academ
mic
Mean
ning
Coun
ntry
Clu
ubs
B
Bulgaria
Aka
ademik Soffia, Akadem
mik Svishtovv
Affilia
ation
with
Denm
mark
See
academics.
Estudiantes, Germ
also
many
Unive
ersity,
Polyttechnic.
Portu
ugal
R
Russia
46 Aka
ademisk Bo
oldklub
Aka
ademischerr BC 1897 Charlottenb
C
burg
Aca
adémica de
e Coimbra
Spo
ortakademkklub Mosco
ow, Akademiya
Tog
gliatti
Scotland
milton Acad
demical, Wick Academ
my
Ham
well's Old Boys
B
Named by and as a Arge
entina New
refere
ence to exOld Boy
ys
BSC
C Old Boyss
pupils of a scho
ool
Switzzerland
Named in con
ntrast
to ne
earby club Old
BSC
C Young Boys
Young B
Boys
Boys
s Basel (see
e Old Switzzerland
Boys
s above)
Affilia
ation with
h a
FC Politehnica
a Chişinău
dova
Mold
polytechnical
ution. See also
institu
demical,
Polytechnic Acad
FC Politehnicca Iaşi, Pollitehnica Ştiinţa
Estud
diantes,
Rom
mania Tim
mişoara
Unive
ersity,
Tech
hnical Colleg
ge.
Esttudiantes de
e La Plata, Estudiante
es de
Arge
entina Río
o Cuarto, Esstudiantes
Affilia
ation
with
B
Brazil
Esttudantes Sp
port Club
stude
ents. See also
P
Peru
Esttudiantes de
e Medicina
Acad
demical,
Studentts
Polyttechnic,
ortul Studen
nţesc
Rom
mania Spo
Unive
ersity.
e Mérida
Vene
ezuela Esttudiantes de
Technic
cal
College
e
Univers
sity
Ecua
ador
N
New
Zeala
and
Chrristchurch
Tecchnical
Techniccal,
Dun
nedin
da Universittario
Arge
entina Juvventud Unid
B
Bolivia
Uniiversitario de
d Sucre
Spo
ort Club Ulbra, Univerrsidade Estácio
B
Brazil
de Sá Futeboll Clube
Affilia
ation
with
Uniiversidad Católica,
C
U
Universidad
d de
unive
ersities.
See
C
Chile
Chiile, Universsidad de Co
oncepción
also
Academ
mical,
Estud
diantes,
C
Costa
Uniiversidad de Costa Ricca
Polyttechnic.
Rica
LDU
U Cuencca, LDU Loja, LDU
Porrtoviejo, LDU
L
Quito
o, Universsidad
Ecua
ador
Cattólica
E
England
Cam
mbridge University,
U
Universityy of
47 Téccnico Unive
ersitario
Exe
eter,
Lou
ughborough
h
University,
Oxfford Univerrsity
Uniiversidad Nacional Autónoma de
Hond
duras Hon
nduras
Irreland Uniiversity College Dublin
n A.F.C.
Esttudiantes
Tecos,
Universsidad
Naccional, Univversitario de
d Nuevo León,
L
Uniiversidad Autónoma
A
d Tamaulipas,
de
Autónoma
Ben
nemerita Universidad
U
a de
M
Mexico
Pue
ebla, Oce
elotes de la UNA
ACH,
Uniiversidad del Futbo
ol, Universsidad
Auttónoma de Hidalgo
o, Universsidad
Auttónoma del Estado
o de Mé
éxico,
Uniiversidad Autónoma
A
de Chihuahu
ua
N
New
gton
Uniiversity-Mount Welling
Zeala
and
Uniiversitario de
d Deporte
es, Universsidad
San
n Martín de Porress, Universsidad
P
Peru
Céssar Vallejo, Universid
dad Técnica
a de
Cajjamarca, ID
DUNSA
FC Universitatea Craiova
a, Universittatea
Rom
mania Clu
uj
Universityy,
Edinb
burgh
Herriot-Watt
Scotland
Uniiversity
S
South
Pre
etoria Unive
ersity FC
Africa
a
AD Universida
ad de Ovied
do, Universsidad
S
Spain
de Las Palmas CF
Thailand
Venezu
uela
gkok Unive
ersity
Bang
FC
ersidad de Los
Unive
Ande
es Fútbol Club
[edit] Cllub names
s referring to days an
nd dates
Topic
Me
eaning
Country
Clubs
d after a
W
y
Clubs named
England Sheffield Wednesday
Days of the
pecific dayy of the
sp
week
Wales Abergaven
nny Thursd
days
we
eek
Nueve de
e Julio, Nue
eve de Julio de
ed after
Clubs name
Morteros, Nueve de
e Julio de Río
e
dayy
of Argentina
Indepen
ndence the
A
Tercero (JJuly 9)
ind
dependencce of the
Day
co
ountry or citty
Ecuador Club 9 de Octubre (O
October 9)
48 Portugal
Labour Day
Angola
Portugal
Albania
Brazil
Politica
al
change
China
North
Ko
orea
Yemen
Belgium
Canada
names
Club
ontaining
a
co
refference to the year
Finland
c
was
Year
of in which the club
stablished
establis
shment es
(cllubs are listed
l
in
ch
hronological order
by
y country)
Germany
G
49 Sociedade
e União 1ºº de Dezem
mbro
(Decembe
er 1)
Estrela Clube Primeiro de Maio
Associaçã
ão Naval 1º de Maio
17 Nënto
ori (former name off KF
Tirana fro
om the dayy of Novem
mber
17, 1944
4 in which
h Tirana was
liberated after a fierce battle
b
between the
t
Comm
munists and
d the
people of
o Tirana against the
German fo
orces)
Clube 15
5 de Nove
embro, Esp
porte
Clube
XV
de
e
Novem
mbro
(Piracicab
ba), Esporte
e Clube XV
V de
Novembro
o (Jaú) (November 15,
1889—the
e date of the coup that
overthrew
w Emperor Pedro II and
establishe
ed Brazil ass a republic))
Bayi Footb
ball Team, Nanchang Bayi
(1 August 1927—th
he date off the
Nanchang
g Uprising, the first major
m
battle be
etween Co
ommunist and
Kuomintan
ng forces in the Chinese
Civil War)
April 25, 1932—
4.25 Sports Group (A
b North Korea as the
claimed by
founding date of its armed forces,
the Korean People's Army)
S
(Mayy 22, 1990—
—the
May 22 San'a'
date when
n the forme
er North Ye
emen
and South
h Yemen merged
m
into
o the
modern Republic
R
of Yemen)
Y
Eendrachtt Aalst 2002
2
Vancouve
er 86ers (fo
ounded in 1986
1
in the centenary
c
of Vanco
ouver
founding in 1886)
Pallokerho
o-35, Torn
nion Pallo -47,
Tamperee
en Peli-Poja
at-70, Klubi-04
1860 Mün
nchen, Han
nnover 96,, SV
Darmstadtt 98, 189
99 Hoffenh
heim,
Bayer 04 Leverkuse
en, Schalke
e 04,
Borussia Dortmund
d, Mainz 05,
Paderborn
n 07, SG Wattensccheid
09, FC Gütersloh,
G
1 FFC Turrbine
1.
Other
Potsdam 71
7
Be Quick 1887, UDI '19, ADO
O '20,
Quick '20, HSC '21,, Be Quickk '28,
N
Netherlands
s CSV '28, Achilles '29, Zwalu
uwen
'30, Excelssior '31, [[P
PKC '83]
Russia FC Krasno
odar-2000
Scotland
d Gretna F.C
C. 2008
Clube Desportivo
D
Primeiro de
Angola
Agosto (August 1)
Club 27 de
d Mayo (M
May 27), 31 de
Bolivia
Octubre (O
October 31)
Fo
or unidentiffied and
un
nclassified
days
Pskov-747
7 Pskov, FC Bata
ayskRussia
an
nd dates in club
2007
na
ames
Club 12 de
d Octubre
e (October 12),
Club Attlético 3 de Feb
brero
P
Paraguay
(Februaryy 3), Club 2 de Mayo (May
(
2)
Club na
ames referrring to the club's spe
ecific origins
Topic
Angels
Argyle
Arsenall
Great
o
Chicago
Fire
Eagles
East
Meaniing
Counttry
Clubs
After their orriginal ho
ome
ground
d, the Angel Grou
und,
En
ngland Ton
nbridge Ang
gels
itself named affter a nea
arby
hotel.
Named
d after The Argyle Tavvern
or Arrgyle Terrace, both in
ngland Plym
mouth Argyyle
En
Plymouth.
Named
d after their orig
ginal
founda
ation by workers
w
of the
ngland Arse
enal
En
Royal Arsenal facctory.
Officia
ally founded
d on Octobe
er 8,
1997, the 126th anniversarry of
SA
Chiccago Fire
US
this pivotal eventt in the hisstory
of Chic
cago.
When the club split into an
amateur and a professio
onal
branch
h in 1971, the la
atter
gles
Nethe
erlands Go Ahead Eag
added Eagles to its name after
a
stadium,
their
De
Adelaa
arshorst.
Orient = from the
e East, Leyyton
En
ngland Leyyton Orient
is in ea
ast London
50 Named
d after the
e nickname
e of
MK
Dons'
predecesssors,
Wimbledon F.C.
c
origina
ally played
d at
The club
Forest
the Fo
orest Recrea
ation Groun
nd
Named
d for a dance hall, ittself
named
d for a no
ovel by Wa
alter
Heart
of
Scott and a refference to the
Midlothian
city of Edinburgh, located in
n the
centre of Midlothiian county
En
ngland Milto
on Keynes Dons
Dons
En
ngland Notttingham Fo
orest
art of Midlotthian
Sccotland Hea
Argen
ntina
Ch
hile
Exccursionistass
San
ntiago Wand
derers
Blacckburn Rovers,
R
Bo
olton
Wan
nderers, Bristol
B
Rovvers,
Rovers
s,
Wanderrers.
Tran
nmere
Rovvers,
En
ngland
Excurs
sionistas
transla
ates
Wan
nderers, Wolverham
W
mpton
he Voyage
ers".
Homele
ess roughly as "Th
Wan
nderers,
Wyco
ombe
Origina
ally a tea
am withou
ut a
Wan
nderers
home ground
Ma
alta
Slie
ema Wande
erers
Re
epublic Brayy
Wand
derers,
S
Sligo
of Irela
and
Rovvers
Sccotland Albion Rovers,, Raith Rovvers
Urruguay Mon
ntevideo Wanderers
W
Ittihad Bnei Sa
akhnin
Isrrael
Arabic
c for "the un
nion", mean
ning
Lib
bya
Al-Itttihad (Tripo
oli)
the merger
m
of clubs
c
or cllubs
Ittihad
Sa
audi
founde
ers
Al-Itttihad (Jedd
dah)
Arabia
a
The cllub was na
amed after the
palace
e, Mohun Bagan Villa,
V
Mohun
Ind
dia
Moh
hun Bagan
that was
w
the site
e of the club's
Bagan
first grround
Taken from the nickname for
Moor
Green
a
En
ngland Solihull Moors
following
Moors
merge
er.
Au
ustralia Norrth Queenslland
Ru
ussia FC Sever Murm
mansk
Clubs that origin
nated 'north
h' of
North
Farn
nborough
North
End,
cific place
a spec
En
ngland Glosssop North
h End, Pre
eston
Norrth End
The club
c
origina
ally played
d at
Park
ngland Brad
dford Park Avenue
En
the Pa
ark Avenue ground
Avenue
e
51 he club's ho
ome
Queen of A nickname for th
Sccotland Que
een of the South
S
mfries
the Sou
uth of Dum
The club founderr saw the na
ame
Rangers
s
Sccotland Ran
ngers
ers in a Rug
gby annual
(Glasgo
ow) Range
Speciffically referrs to the four
red sta
ars in the center
c
band
d of
Un
nited
Chiccago Red Stars
S
Red Sta
ars
the mu
unicipal flag of the club's Statess
home city of Chiccago.
From Puget Sou
Sea
und, on wh
hose
attle Soun
nders (NA
ASL),
Un
nited
Sea
attle Sounders (U
USL),
Sounde
ers easterrn shore the city of
Statess
Seattle
e lies.
Sea
attle Sounde
ers FC
Named
d after the Stanley Arms
A
En
ngland Acccrington Sta
anley
Stanley
y
on Sta
anley Road,, Accrington
n.
The club was fo
ormed in 1873
En
ngland Gainsborough Trinity
by the
e vicar of th
he Holy Trinity
Trinity
ortivo Trinid
dense
Parag
guay Spo
Church
h
United
ón de Santa Fe
Argen
ntina Unió
Arrmenia Yere
evan United
Gold
d Coast United, Adelaide
Au
ustralia Unitted, New
wcastle United
Jetss
Be
elgium KVS
SK United
Brrazil
Uniã
ão São Joã
ão
Carrlisle Unite
ed, Colche
ester
Unitted, F.C.. United of
Man
nchester, Leeds Un
nited,
En
ngland Man
nchester
Un
nited,
Often (but not alw
ways) referrs to
New
wcastle
Un
nited,
the result of a merger.
m
"Pe
ers-"
Rotherham Un
nited, Sheffield
is short for "Persatuan,"
Unitted, West Ham
H
United
d
Indone
esian for "U
United".
Fin
nland Tam
mpere Unite
ed
ebaya, Perrsiwa
Perssib, Perse
Wam
mena, Perssela Lamon
ngan,
PSM
M Makasssar, Perrsijap
Jepara, Persib
ba Balikpa
apan,
Indonesia Perssitara Ja
akarta, PS
SMS
Med
dan, PSPS Pekanb
baru,
Perssita Tang
gerang, Persik
Ked
diri, Persipu
ura Jayapurra
Po
ortugal Uniã
ão de Leiria
a
Re
epublic
Limavady United
of Irela
and
52 Sccotland Ayr United, Du
undee Unite
ed
Uniã
ão de Leirria, União São
So
outh
João, JEF United
U
Ichiihara
Korea
ba, Incheon
n United, Seoul
S
Chib
Unitted
Carrlstad Uniited BK, FC
Sw
weden
Vässby United
Un
nited
D.C
C. United
Statess
Vélez
Sársfielld
Villa
Found
ded in the Floresta
F
disstrict
of Bue
enos Aires near the Vé
élez
Sársfie
eld railwayy station, ittself
named
d
after
Argen
ntine
statesm
man Dalmacio Vé
élez Argen
b Atlético Vélez
V
Sársfiield
ntina Club
Sársfie
eld. (The station
s
is now
n
known
n as Flore
esta, and the
club is
s now loca
ated in another
Bueno
os Aires district, Linierss.)
Named
d after Villa Crross
Wesleyan Chap
pel in Asston,
En
ngland Asto
on Villa
Birmin
ngham.
[edit] Cllub names
s referring to an ethnic, social, national or religious background
Topic
Alania
Me
eaning
Country
Russsia
Egyp
pt
Qatar
Bahrain
a
Libya
Ahly
Albion
Ara
abic for "na
ational"
Saud
di
Arabia
UAE
Suda
an
Yeme
en
Al--Ahly
Al-Ahlii (Jeddah)
Al-Ahlii Football Club
C
- Dubai
Al-Ahlii (Wad Med
dani)
Al-Ahlii (San'a')
on & Hove Albion, Bu
urton
Brighto
Engla
and
Albion, Witton Alb
bion.
Scotlland Stirling
g Albion
Uruguay Albion F.C.
Russsia Karelia
a-Discoveryy Petrozavo
odsk
Turke
ey Altay S.K.
S
Arc
chaic name for Grea
at
Briitain
Karelia
Altay
53 Clubs
FC Ala
ania Vladika
avkaz
Al-Ahlyy
Al-Ahlii (Doha)
Al-Ahlii (Manama))
Al-Ahlyy
(Tripo
oli),
(Bengh
hazi)
America
ans
Arabi
Armenia
a
Assyria
a
Bayern
Us
sually, but not alwayss,
clu
ubs made up
u of nativve
Unite
ed
citiizens of the United States
Sta
ates of Ame
erica.
Kuwa
ait
Al--Arabi is the Arabic fo
or
Qatar
"Arrab".
Pana
ama
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or
me
embers
of
the Argentin
na
Arm
menian diaspora.
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or
me
embers of the
t Assyrian
Swed
den
dia
aspora.
Ge
erman
n
name
fo
or
Germanyy
Ba
avaria
Russsia
Mordov
via
Beitar
efers to Betar, for "Brrit
Re
Yo
osef Trum
mpeldor", a
Zio
onist youth
h movemen
nt
fou
unded in 19
923.
Bohemiians
Aftter Bohemia
anism
Bohemiians
Borussiia
Celtic
Chief
Croatia
Israe
el
Club Deportivo
D
A
Armenio
Assyrisska Förenin
ngen
FC Bayern
B
Munich, Sp
pVgg
Bayern
n Hof, FC Bayern
B
Alze
enau
FC Mo
ordovia Sarransk
Jerusa
alem,
Beitar
Shimshon Tel Avviv
B
Beitar
Repu
ublic
Bohem
mians
of Ireland
d
Czecch
Aftter Bohemia
a
FC Bo
ohemians Praha
Republic
ussia
Borusssia Dortmund, Boru
Mönch
hengladbacch,
Boru
ussia
Latin name fo
or Prussia. Germanyy
Fulda, Borussia
a Neunkircchen,
Wuppe
ertaler SV Borussia
B
Engla
and Farsley Celtic, Sttalybridge Celtic
C
Irelan
nd Cork Celtic,
C
Waysside Celtic
ubs founded by and fo
or
North
hern
Clu
Doneg
gal Celtic, Lurgan
L
Celtiic
me
embers off the Irish Ireland
dia
aspora.
Scotlland Celtic
Unite
ed
Kearnyy Celtic, Brooklyn Celttic
States
South
h
Kaizerr Chiefs
Re
eflecting trribal origin
ns Africa
of home town
n
Unite
ed
Atlanta
a Chiefs
States
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or
Adelaide Croatia
a Soccer Club,
C
me
embers of the
t Croatian
Austrralia SC Croatia,
C
Syydney Cro
oatia,
dia
aspora.
North Perth Croa
atia, Newcastle
54 Baltimore
Americcans,
Philadelphia Am
mericans, New
York Americanss, New York
ees
Yanke
Al Arabi Kuwait
Al-Arabi Sports Club
C
CD Ára
abe Unido
Croatia
a,
Whya
alla
Frema
antle
Cro
oatia,
Croatia
a
Cana
ada Torontto Croatia
Germanyy
a Berlin
Croatia
Argentin
na
Español
Braziil
Cro
oatia,
Gw
welup
Jabaquara
Attlético
C
Clube
(founded as Hesp
panha Foott Ball
Club)
Unión Española
RCD Espanyol
E
Españo
ol
Re
efers to th
he Spanish
people.
German
nia,
Aleman
nnia
Altternative
Ge
ermany.
Hessen
Ge
erman name for Hessia Germanyy
Hesse
en Kassel
Na
ame of a group of
o
na Guaraní Antonio Franco
culturally
related Argentin
Guarani
Fute
ebol
Clube,
ind
digenous peoples of
o
Braziil
Guarany Futebol Clube
So
outh Americca.
Clu
ub Guaraníí
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or
Malta
a
Hibern
nians
me
embers off the Irish
Scotlland Hibern
nian
dia
aspora.
Altternative
name
o
of
New
Hunga
aria
Hu
ungary.
Zealand
Mexicco Indios de Ciudad Juarez
Ando
orra Inter Club
C
d'Esca
aldes
Austrralia Inter Monaro
M
Guaraní
Para
aguay
Hibernia
a
Hungaria
Indians
Inter-
Intternational.
names
Chile
e
Spain
n
Unite
ed
Brooklyn Hispano
o
States
Uruguay Centra
al Español
BFC
Germania
a,
o
of
Aache
en,
TSV
V
Germanyy
Winde
eck
er Baku
Azerbaijan FC Inte
Braziil
Sport Club
C
Internacional
Finland FC Inte
er Turku
F.C.
Internazio
onale
Milano,
Italy
azionale To
orino
Interna
São
B
Tomé and Inter Bom-Bom
Príncipe
55 Alema
annia
Germ
mania
Slova
akia FK Inte
er Bratislavva
Unite
ed
Inter-B
Brooklyn Ita
alians
States
es UWIC Inter Cardiiff F.C.
Wale
Italy
Argentin
na Italian
Austrralia Marconi Stallionss
Socied
dade Esporrtiva Palme
eiras,
Cruzeiiro Esporte
e Clube (these
two clu
ubs were originally
o
na
amed
Braziil
Società Sportiva Palestra Italia
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or
and we
ere obligate
ed to renam
me in
me
embers of the Italian
1942 due
d
to Brazzilian WW2
2-era
dia
aspora.
law).
Cana
ada Italia Shooters
S
Chile
e
Audaxx Club Sporrtivo Italiano
o
Unite
ed
Inter-B
Brooklyn Ita
alians
States
Venezue
ela Deporttivo Italia
New
Welling
gton Maristt
Zealand
Fo
ounded by members of
o
Marist
a Marist
M
Broth
hers schooll Solomon
n
Marist FC
Islands
Mo
ohammedan is a term
m
Moham
mmedan SC,
S
Chittag
gong
Banglad
esh
used as both a noun and
Moham
mmedan SC
C
e meaning
an adjective
t
belonging orr relating to
Mohammedan
either the religion of
o
India
Moham
mmedan SC
C
Isla
am or to that of the
Isla
amic
Prophe
et
Mu
uhammad
e
Brugge
e
Koninkklijke
Cercle
Re
eal is Spanish fo
or
Sportvvereniging, Club Bru
ugge
Ro
oyal. Reia
al is the
Belgi
ium
Konink
klijke
Voe
etbalverenig
ging,
Ca
atalan equiivalent, and
Royal Sporting Club
C
Anderle
echt,
Ko
oninklijke is a Dutcch
Royal
Antwerp
FC
C
equivalent.
Bolivvia Real Potosí
P
Monarc
chy
panish club
bs with the
Sp
Real
Cartag
gena,
Real
"Real" or "R
Reial" name
e, Colombia Santan
nder
as well as the Hondura
as
E
ub Real Esspaña, enjo
oy Hondura
clu
as Real España
the
e patronag
ge of the
Koninkklijke HFC
C, Koninkklijke
56 Netherla
ands HC&V
VV, Koninklijjke UD
Real Madrid, Real
R
Mallo
orca,
In Belgium, once
o
a club
Z
Real Spo
orting
Real Zaragoza,
Spain
n
has been in o
operation fo
or
de Gijó
ón, Reial CD
C Espanyo
ol de
50 years, it is eligible to
t
Barcelona
add "Royal" to
t its name
e,
in any of th
he country''s
Unite
ed
es
thrree official language
Real Salt
S Lake
States
(Dutch, Frencch, German
n)
or in English.
Braziil
Nacion
nal FC
Sp
panish monarchy.
o Nacional
Colombia Atlético
Ecua
ador El Naccional
N
Paragua
ay Club Nacional
Portu
ugal C.D. N
Nacional
Nationa
al
Palestin
ne
Pogoń
Polonia
a,
Lechia
Portuga
al
Naţion
nal Bucureşşti
Romania
a
Uruguay Nacion
nal de Monttevideo
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or
Chile
e
Club Deportivo
D
Palestino
me
embers
of
the
Hondura
as Palestino FC
Pa
alestinian diiaspora.
Po
olish for "knight-in
npursuit", depiicted on the
Po
ogoń Litewska, the
Po
olish Coat of
o Arms.
Altternative names of
o
Po
oland.
Polan
nd
Pogoń
ń Lwów, Pogoń Szczeccin
Polonia
Warszzawa,
Le
echia
Gdańssk
Ando
orra Lusitan
nos
Associação
Po
ortuguesa
de
Despo
ortos, Asso
ociação Atlética
Portug
guesa (RJJ), Associa
ação
Braziil
Portug
guesa
Londrine
ense,
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or
Associação Atléttica Portuguesa
me
embers
of
the
Santista
Po
ortuguese diaspora.
d
Cana
ada Torontto Supra Po
ortuguese
Unite
ed Ludlow
w
Lusita
ano,
Newark
States
Portug
guese
Polan
nd
guesa Fútbo
ol Club
Venezue
ela Portug
Revoluttion
amed for th
he American
Na
Unite
ed
Re
evolution, which
w
began
States
in the New
w England
57 New England
E
Revvolution
colonies.
Russian
n
Saint
Schwab
ben
Scotlan
nd
Serbia
Slavia
Syriac
Turkey
etia
Ingushe
Ukrania
ans
Union
Russsia Rusich
hi Oryol
Ango
ola Santoss de Angola
a
Braziil
Santoss FC
Costa
a
Santoss de Guápilles
Sa
antos is Portuguese Rica
and Spanish for
f saints.
Mexicco Santoss Laguna
Scotlland St Joh
hnstone, St Mirren
The New
N
Saintss of Oswe
estry
Wale
es
Town & Llansantfffraid
Ge
erman
n
name
fo
or
S
A
Augsburg
TSV Schwaben
Germanyy
Sw
wabia.
ubs founded by and fo
or
Clu
Braziil
me
embers of the Scottish
Scottissh Wandere
ers
dia
aspora.
Fitzroyy City Serb
bia, Wollong
gong
Srbija,
Berwick
Kings
Kra
ajina,
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or
Austrralia
Noble Park United, Westtgate
me
embers of the Serbian
Sindjelic,
dia
aspora.
Cana
ada Serbia
an White Ea
agles
Belarrus Slavia Mozyr
Bosn
niaa Istočno Sa
arajevo
Slavija
Herzegovvina
Bulga
aria Slavia Sofia
Re
efers to the Slaviic
Czecch
peoples
Slavia Praha
Republic
Polan
nd Sława Lwów
Slavija
a Kragujeva
ac, Slavija Novi
Serbia
Sad
Syrianska
FC,
Arame
eiska/Syrian
nska
KIF,
Swed
Re
efers to Syriacs.
den
Syrianska IF Ke
erburan, Valsta
Syrianska IK
Türkiye
emspor Berlin
Clu
ubs founded by and fo
or Germanyy
me
embers of the Turkish
dia
aspora.
Netherla
ands FC Türkiyemsporr
Russsia FC Angusht Nazrran
Unite
ed
Philadelphia Ukra
ainians
States
amed for th
he Union of
o
ed
Na
Unite
Philadelphia Unio
on
the
e Thirteen Colonies, of
o States
58 wh
hich
the
Ph
hiladelphia
capital.
city
was
o
of
the
Club na
ames referrring to geo
ographical features
Topic
Meaning
Borough
Neighbo
orhood or
district
C
Country
Clubs
Hotspur, Aston
Chelsea, Fulham, Tottenham
T
A
Villa, Stevenage
S
Borough
h, Eastbo
ourne
England
d
Borough,, Radcliffe
e Borough
h, Hampton &
Richmond Borough
Chievo, Sampdorria (from merger of
Sampierd
darenese, team
t
of Sa
an Pier d'Arrena,
Italy
borough of Genoa, and Società Ginna
astica
Andrea Doria, tea
am so named from the
Genoese
e admiral An
ndrea Doria
a)
Netherland
ds Feyenoord
osenborg, Strømsgods
S
set, Våleren
nga
Norwayy Follo, Ro
South
Orlando Pirates
P
A
Africa
Cerro
City
orá, Cerro Porteño
P
Meaning
g hill in Paraguay Cerro Co
Spanish
h
Uruguayy C.A. Cerrro
Australia Adelaide City, Brisbane City SC
C
Canada
a London City
C
Ecuado
or Cuenca (ECU)
(
City,
Norwich City, Leicesster City, Manchester
M
ncoln
Birmingham City, Gloucesterr City, Lin
S
City, Chester City,
City, Brisstol City, Stoke
England
d Coventryy City, Bradford City, Hull
H City, Exxeter
City, Batth City, Ch
helmsford City,
C
St Albans
City, Wo
orcester City, Salisbury City, York
City,
Ireland Cork Cityy
Italy
Città di Palermo
P
Northerrn
Armagh City,
C
Derry City
Ireland
Norwayy Oslo Cityy
FC Rosstov, FC Krasnodarr, FC Nizhny
Novgorod
d, FC Khim
mki, FC Istra, FC Gubkin,
Russia
FC Kalug
ga, FC Astrakhan, FC
C Taganrog
g, FC
Tyumen, FC Chelyabinsk, FC Chita, FC
59 County
Forest
Indicate
es
proximitty
forest
Hamlet
Ocean
es
Indicate
proximitty
ocean
Magnitog
gorsk, FC Yelets, FC
C Moscow,, FC
Lukhovitssy, FC Kolo
omna, FC Dmitrov,
D
[[
Scotland Brechin City,
C
Elgin City,
C
Edinbu
urgh City
Ciudad de
d Murcia
Spain
Thailand Loei City, Mahasara
akham City
Wales Cardiff City, Swanse
ea City
Derby County,
C
N
Notts
County, Stockkport
England
d
County, Newport
N
Co
ounty
Scotland Ross Cou
unty, Nairn County
Forest F.C.,
F
Foresst Green Rovers,
R
Fo
orest
d
England
a close
Town, Waltham
W
Forrest, Notting
gham Foresst
to a
United
Portland Timbers
S
States
England
d Dulwich Hamlet
H
Nigeria Ocean Bo
oys F.C.
a close
to an
Russia FC Okea
an Nakhodkka
Canada
a Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Brazil
River Atlé
ético Clube
e
A
Argentina
River Pla
ate
Honduras
Motagua
Wisła Kra
aków, Wisła Płock, Odra Wodzissław,
Odra Opo
ole, Warta Poznań
Volga Nizhny Novg
gorod, Irtysh Omsk, Volga
V
Tver,
Dnepr
Smolensk,
Sheksna
Russia Cherepovvets, Volga Ulyanovsk, Tobol
T
Tobolsk, Tobol Kurrgan, Terekk Grozny, Tom
Tomsk
al Rio Ave FC
F
Portuga
United Colorado
o Rapids (named for th
he rapids of
o the
S
States
Colorado
o River)
Ecuado
or Macará
Yeovil Town,
T
Hud
ddersfield Town, Ha
alifax
Town, Grimsby
G
Tow
wn, Ipswicch Town, Luton
L
Town, Swindon
S
To
own, North
hampton Town,
Macclesffield Tow
wn, Chelte
enham Town,
England
d Bognor Regis Town,
T
Bra
aintree Town,
Basingsto
oke Town, Crawley Town,
T
Kette
ering
Town,
d
Town,
Shrewssbury
Mansfield
Town,Re
eading To
own, Aldershot Town,
Alfreton Town, Fle
eetwood Town,
T
Huccknall
Poland
River
Town
Portugu
uese: rio
60 Wales
Vale
for
Named
teams located in
a town in a vale
d
England
Town, Ha
arrogate To
own, Dorche
ester Town
n
Aberystw
wyth Town, Caernarfon
n Town
Port Valle, Aylesbu
ury Vale, Pewsey Vale,
V
Raynes Park
P
Vale
Club na
ames referrring to spe
ecific geog
graphical fe
eatures
Topic
Africa
Mean
ning
Coun
ntry
Name
ed after the
Ivvory
Africa
an continen
nt.
Coastt
Argentina
Brazil
America
as
Name
ed after the
Amerrican contin
nent.
nth
Corin
(often
n refers to
o the
"Corin
nthian idea
al" of
amate
eurism in sport)
Ancientt
cities
Spartta
Baltic Sea
S
Ural
Mountains
Siberia
Afrrica Sports
Sol de Américca de Formosa
Am
mérica Foo
otball Club
b, América
a de
Natal, América Mine
eiro, Amé
érica
Paulista, Amé
érica do Se
ergipe, Amé
érica
de Manaus, América de Três Rios,
R
Am
mericano
mérica de Cali
C
Colom
mbia Am
M
Mexico
Am
mérica
Nicarragua
Am
mérica Mana
agua
Paraguay
Sol de Américca
Corinthians
Paulista,
Corinth
hians
Ala
agoano, Atlé
ético Clube
e Coríntianss
Corin
nthian-Casuals,
Corinthian,
England
ent)
Corinthian (Ke
C
Czech
Sparta Prague
e
Republic
S
England Blyyth Spartans, Brache Sparta
M
Malta
Hamrun Sparttans
Sparta Rotterrdam, Nivo Sparta, Sp
parta
Netherlands Nijkkerk
Sparta Sarpsb
borg
N
Norway
Scotland Spartans
Poland Bałłtyk Gdynia
a
R
Russia
FC
C Baltika Ka
aliningrad
Brazil
R
Russia
FC
C Ural Sverd
dlovsk Obla
ast
R
Russia
FC
C Sibir
61 Clu
ubs
Novosibirsk, FC Sibiryak
Black Sea
S
Chern
no More in
severral
S
Slavic
langu
uages
Sakhalin
island
Bra
atsk
Chernomoretss
919
9
Burrgas,
Bulgaria Chernomoretss Burgas Sofia, Ch
herno
ore Varna
Mo
R
Russia
Chernomoretss Novorosssiysk
U
Ukraine
Chornomoretss Odessa
R
Russia
FC
C Sakhalin Yuzhno-Sak
Y
khalinsk
Armenia FC
A
C Ararat Yerrevan
Iran
F.C
C. Ararat Te
ehran
U
United
ders FC
Seattle Sound
Statess
Mount
Ararat
Puget
Sound
Mashuk
k
mounta
ain
R
Russia
FC
C Mashuk-K
KMV Pyatigo
orsk
ub Atlético River
R
Plate
Argentina Clu
U
Uruguay
Clu
ub Atlético River
R
Plate (Uruguay)
River Pllate
Club na
ames referrring to plants
Topic
eae
Arecace
Meaning
Palm
meiras:
Portu
uguese
palm
m trees.
Country
y Clubs
f
for
Brazzil Palmeira
as
Bluebelll
ald Bluebelll F.C.
Scotlan
nd Dundona
Cherry tree
t
Japan
Hawtho
orn
eath Hawth
horn F.C.
Scotlan
nd Hill of Be
Hollyho
ock
Japan
Laburnu
um
n Laburnum
m Rovers
England Atherton
Lily
uses Lily
Scotlan
nd Easthou
Cerezo Osaka
Mito HolllyHock
Maple
Javo
or: Serbian for
f
Serbia
maplle.
Oak
Hearts of
o Oak
Eik: Norwegian Ghana
for oak.
Norwayy Eik-Tønssberg
Pepper
FK Javo
or
n Parish Ho
ot Peppers
Bermud
da Hamilton
62 Pine
on Pines
Australia Franksto
Rose
own Roseb
buds
Australia Adamsto
ow Rose F.C., Mon
ntrose Rosselea
Linlithgo
Scotlan
nd F.C.
Shamro
ock
Symbol
Ireland.
of
Thistle
Ardeer Thistle,
T
Bucckie Thistle
e, Dalry Thistle,
Natio
onal symb
bol
East Kilbride Thisttle, Inverne
ess Caledo
onian
Scotlan
nd Thistle, Lothian Thistle, Lugar
of Sc
cotland
L
Bosswell
Thistle, Partick Thisstle
Ireland
Shamrocck Rovers
Jamaicca Violet Kiickers F.C.
Violet
ouse Violet F.C.
Scotlan
nd Stoneho
Club na
ames referrring to real or mythic
cal creaturres
Topic
Bear
Bee
Buffalo
Cattle
Cheetah
h
Cougar
Dingo
Deer
Dolphin
n
Dragon
Me
eaning
Country
Clubs
Au
ustralia Wesston Worke
ers Bears FC
F
Nig
geria Ran
nchers Bees
So
outh
Jeo
onbuk Buffa
alo
Korea
Za
ambia Gre
een Buffaloe
es FC
Me
exico Toro
os Neza
Sp
panish: toro
o.
Pa
anama Tau
uro F.C.
So
outh
Anyyang Cheettahs FC
Korea
Pu
Be
uma is Spanish for
ermuda Devvonshire Co
ougars
"co
ougar", an
nd is one of
ma
any name
es used in
Un
nited BYU
U
Couga
ars,[1]
Kitsap
En
nglish to describe the States
Pum
mas
pre
edatory cat.
Au
ustralia UQFC Dingoess
Japan
Kasshima Antle
ers
Ire
eland Dolphin F.C. (D
Dublin)[2]
Nig
geria Dolphins F.C. (Port Harco
ourt)
Be
enin
AS Dragons FC de l'Ouém
mé
Demo
ocratic
AS Dragons
Repub
blic of
the Co
ongo
63 Eagle
Fox
Frog
Goat
Gorilla
No
orwegian:
Po
ortuguese:
Sp
panish: águila.
ørn,
ø
ág
guia,
Nethe
erlands
No
orway
Sie
erra
Leone
Sp
pain
Switze
erland
Na
ame usually used
ath
hletics team
ms.
for
Trondheims-Ø
Ørn, Ørn-Horten
Kam
mboi Eagless
Águ
uilas CF
Gra
asshopper-C
Club Zürich
h
En
ngland Kidd
derminster Harriers F..C.
Be
ermuda Dan
ndy Town Hornets
H
Au
ustralia Marrconi Stallio
ons
Be
ermuda St George's
G
Co
olts
Ca
anada Brampton Stallions
Broncos
Hornet
Horse
64 gles
Go Ahead Eag
per Red Eag
gles
Sup
Surina
ame
Ug
ganda Exp
press Red Eagles
E
Un
nited
Cha
arlotte Eagles
States
Reinickendorfe
er Füchse
e (a
Germa
any
pun
n on Reinickke Fuchs)
US
SA
San
n Jose Frog
gs
Me
exico Chivvas de Gua
adalajara
hivas: Span
nish for goats.
Ch
Un
nited
Club Deportivo
o Chivas US
SA
States
Un
nited
Atla
anta Silverb
backs
States
Grassho
opper
Harrier hawk
Sie
erra
Golden Dragon
n F.C.
Leone
So
outh
Chu
unnam Drag
gons
Korea
Au
ustralia Parrramatta Ea
agles
Águ
uia de Marabá Futtebol
Bra
azil
Clube, Esportte Clube Águia
Á
Neg
gra
Ca
anada Serrbian White Eagles
El
D. Águila
C.D
Salvad
dor
Fiji
Nokkia Eagles
exico Soccio Águila
Me
Hondu
uras
Me
exico
Me
exico
Un
nited
States
Ke
enya
Sie
erra
Leone
So
outh
Africa
panish: colib
bri.
Hummin
ngbird Sp
Jaguar
Leopard
d
Linnet
Lion
"Grampus" is a histtoric
name for the whale now
n
known as the killer wh
hale
or orca.
Pantherr
Pheasant
Ko
orean: Chun
nma.
Japan
Golf Leopards
Blacck Leopard
ds
Sim
mba SC
Nag
goya Gramp
pus
Au
ustralia Sou
uth Adelaide
e Panthers
So
outh
Seo
ongnam Ilhw
wa Chunma
a
Korea
Japan
Fag
giano Okaya
ama
65 AFC
C Leopardss
Sim
mba FC
FC Gold Priide, St. Louis
L
Lion
ns
Toro
onto Lynx,, Toronto Lady
anada
Ca
Lynx
Lynx
Pegasus
California Jagu
uars
ds
Swaziland Royyal Leopard
ngland Run
ncorn Linne
ets
En
Ban
nkstown
City
Lions,
King
gborough Lions, Pre
eston
Au
ustralia
Lion
ns FC, Qu
ueensland Roar
FC, Stirling Lio
ons,
Ca
anada Can
nadian Lion
ns
Gh
hana Hea
art of Lions
Ma
alta
San
nnat Lions F.C.
F
Se
enegal Easst End Lionss
wahili:
mba.
Sw
sim
Sie
erra
Th
he logo of
o the USA
U
Easst End Lionss
Leone
wo
omen's clu
ub FC Gold
G
Priide includess a lioness..
ung Lions
Singapore You
So
outh
Nathi Lions
Africa
ania
Tanza
Ug
ganda
Un
nited
States
Orca
Colibríes de Morelos
M
Jaguares de Chiapas
C
Phoenix
x
Fén
nix
Argen
ntina
Ne
ew
Wellington Pho
oenix FC
Zealan
nd
Uruguay Cen
ntro Atlético
o Fénix
So
outh
Gwa
angju Sang
gmu Phoenix
Korea
Be
ermuda Berrmuda Hogg
ges
Un
nited
Lan
ncaster Ratttlers
States
Un
nited
Rocchester Rhinos
States
Sp
panish: fénixx.
Pig
Rattlesn
nake
Rhinoce
eros
abwe
Zimba
Roosterr
Po
ortuguese: galo.
g
Seahors
se
Shark
Fre
ench: requiin
Snake
Sphinx
Squirrel
Sp
panish: ardiilla.
Swallow
w
Po
ortuguese:
Du
utch: zwaluw
w
Ada
ap Galo Maringá Foo
otball
Club
Sou
uthern
Califo
ornia
US
SA
Sea
ahorses
Me
exico Tibu
urones Rojo
os de Veracruz
Au
ustralia Sutherland Sharks
Be
enin
Req
quins de l'A
Atlantique
Nig
geria Sha
arks F.C.
Un
nited
Wilm
mington Ha
ammerhead
ds
States
Au
ustralia Ade
elaide Cobrras
En
ngland Covventry Sphinx
Japan
Omiya Ardija
Bra
azil
aluwen'30
Nethe
erlands Zwa
Sã
ão
Tomé
and And
dorinha Spo
ort Club
nha, Príncip
andorin
pe
So
outh
Morroka Swallo
ows FC
Africa
Swaziland
En
ngland
Swift
Mba
abane Swa
allows
Heyybridge
Swifts
Stourport Swiftts F.C.
nge
Luxem
mbourg Swift Hesperan
No
orthern
ngannon Sw
wifts
Dun
Ireland
d
66 Blacck Rhinos F.C.
F
F.C.,
Sccotland Jea
anfield Swiftts
En
ngland Bed
dlington Terrriers
Terrier
Club Atlético Tigre
T
Argen
ntina
Au
ustralia A.P
P.I.A. Leichh
hardt Tigerss
Baham
mas
Tiger
Po
ortuguese and Span
nish:
tigre; Korean:: Horangi.
Wasp
Wolf
Zebra
Playytime Tigerrs
Esp
porte Club
be Tigres do
Brasil
En
ngland King
gsbury Lon
ndon Tigerss
Me
exico UAN
NL Tigres
Th
hailand Ubo
on Tiger
So
outh
Ulsa
an Hyundai Horangi
Korea
En
ngland Cha
alfont Wasp
ps F.C.
Au
ustralia Wollongong Wolves
W
Ca
anada St. Catharines Wolves
Au
ustralia Whittlesea Zeb
bras
Be
ermuda PHC
C Zebras
Bra
azil
Club na
ames referrring to real or mythic
cal people
Topic
Ajax
dra
Alexand
Aris
Armand
do Picchi
Arminia
a
Meaning
g
Coun
ntry
Clubs
E
Estonia
FC
C Ajax Lasn
namäe
Club nam
mes conta
aining
M
Malta
Ra
abat Ajax F.C.
F
a referen
nce to Ajaxx the
M
Morocco
Aja
ax Kenitra
Great or
o
Ajax the
Lesser.
S
South
The
AF
FC Ajax, Ajax
A
Sporttman
African and Ame
erican Neth
herlands Co
ombinatie
clubs are
e so named
d due
S
South
Aja
ax Cape To
own
to their affiliation with Africa
a
the
AFC
A
Ajax
of
U
United
Netherlan
nds.
Aja
ax Orlando
o Prospects
State
es
Club nam
mes conta
aining
a referen
nce to Prin
ncess
E
England
Crrewe Alexandra
Alexandrra.
G
Greece
Arris Thessalo
oniki
After the
e Greek Go
od of
C
Cyprus
Arris Limassol
War.
oie
Luxe
embourg Arris Bonnevo
Ittaly
Arrmando Picchi Calcio
From
Arminius
a
Arrminia Bielefeld, Arm
minia
67 chieftain who defeatted a Germ
many
Roman Army in the
Battle off the Teuto
oburg
Forest.
Arturo Fernánde
ez
Vial
Atlas
C
Chile
Club nam
mes conta
aining
a reference to Atlas.
Guillerm
mo Brown
M
Mexico
Arge
entina
Arge
entina
B
Brazil
Colocollo
C
Chile
Ittaly
Andrea Doria
Club named afterr the
Buenos Aires railway
station closest to
o its
cio
Véle
ez
Dalmac
original site,
s
said sttation Arge
entina
Sársfielld
having been
b
named for
the
entine
Arge
an.
statesma
G
Greece
After the
e Greek demid
Hercule
es/Heracles
s
Neth
herlands
god.
S
Spain
Herman
nn
B
Brazil
Aiching
ger
Supposedly a Germ
manic
Hertha
Germ
many
deity.
Named
after
H
Henry
Percy,
aka
H
Henry
E
England
Hotspurr
Hotspur
68 Ha
annover
Club Deporttivo Ferrovviario
Almirante Artturo Fernández
Via
al
Club Atlas
Club Atlético Atlas
Club Almiran
nte Brown, Club
Atlético Alm
mirante Brrown,
Club Atlético
o Brown, Club
ocial y Atlé
ético Guille
ermo
So
Brrown
Co
olo-Colo de
d
Futebo
ol e
Re
egatas
Co
olo-Colo
Sa
ampdoria (ffrom merge
er of
Sa
ampierdarenese, team
m of
Sa
an Pier d'A
Arena, boro
ough
of Genoa, and Società
Ginnastica Andrea
A
D
Doria,
tea
am so na
amed from the
Ge
enoese ad
dmiral An
ndrea
Do
oria)
Vé
élez Sársfie
eld
Ira
aklis F.C.
He
eracles Alm
melo
Hé
ércules CF
mann
Clube Atléttico Herm
Aicchinger
ertha BSC Berlin, He
ertha
He
Ze
ehlendorf
To
ottenham Hotspur
Named after Frie
edrich
SS
SV Jahn Re
egensburg
many
Germ
Ludwig Jahn.
R
Réunion
SS
S Jeanne d'Arc
S
Senegal
AS
SC Jeanne d'Arc
Jahn
Joan off Arc
Jorge
Wilsterm
mann
José
Joaquín
o
Olmedo
José Gá
álvez
B
Bolivia
E
Ecuador
Ce
entro Deportivo Olmed
do
Luis Án
ngel Firpo
Martín Ledesma
L
Odysse
eus
Renato Curi
Rio Branco
Rob Roy
H
Robin Hood
Shimsh
hon Douri
B.
B
The club was forme
ed in
mshon
memory of Shim
Douri, a former Macccabi
Tel Aviv player who
o died
in
the
e
War
of
Independ
dence.
Silvio Pettirossi
P
Vasco da
d Gama
a
the Illlyrian
Named after
queen Te
euta.
Named after
a
Portug
guese
69 Club José Gá
álvez
Para
aguay
L
Club Martín Ledesma
gel Firpo
C.D. Luis Ang
Surin
name
V Robinhoo
od
SV
Para
aguay
Club Presidente Hayes
Issrael
Para
aguay
B
Bolivia
Simón Bolívar
B
Teuta
Peru
P
E
El
Salva
ador
b ex-pupiils of
Named by
the English High Scchool
of Rosariio in homag
ge to
Ne
ewell's Old Boys
entina
its directtor and foo
otball Arge
coach,
En
nglish
immigran
nt Isaac New
well
Named after
a
legen
ndary
Greek kin
ng and Hom
mer's
A
Armenia
Ulisses FC
epic poem
m
Ittaly
Re
enato Curi Angolana
A
Rio Branco Atlético Clube,
Named after
a
the Baron
B
B
Brazil
Rio Branco Esporte Clube,
of Rio Bra
anco.
Clube Esporttivo Rio Bra
anco
S
Scotland
Kirkintilloch Rob
R Roy F.C
C.
Newell
Rutherfford
Hayes
Club Jorge Wilstermann
W
n
himshon Te
el Aviv F.C.
Sh
Club Silvio Pe
ettirossi
Club Bolívar
euta Durrëss
Te
A
Albania
B
Brazil
Club de Reg
gatas Vasco da
explorer
Gama.[3]
Victoria
a
Vasco
Named after
Victoria.
da
Queen
Ga
ama,
Associa
ação
De
esportiva Vasco
V
da Ga
ama
ndia
Va
asco SC
In
orthwich Vicctoria, Bidd
dulph
No
England
E
Vicctoria
Neth
herlands Willem II
Ce
entro de Futebol
B
Brazil
So
ociedade Essportiva
Willem II
Zico
Zico
Club na
ames referrring to spo
ort
Topic
ur
Amateu
Athletic
cs
Casuals
s
Cricket
Fencing
g
Footballl
Mean
ning
Country
C
Austria
Referring to the
e amateur
origin
ns of the clu
ub.
d
England
Angola
Clubs
Amateure
e SV
Fulwood Amateurs F.C.
Petro Atlético
Atlético
Mineirro,
Atlético
Brazil
Paranaen
nse, Atléticco Goianie
ense,
Atlético Acreano
A
Atlético
Nacion
nal,
Atlético
Club names con
ntaining a
Colombia
Bucaram
manga,
Atlét
tico
Huila
refere
ence to atthletes or
Charlton Athletic, Grays Athletic,
athle
etics. In th
he United
England
d
Oldham Athletic,
A
Wiigan Athletiic
State
es,
the
term
"athle
etics" referss to sport
Club Atlé
ético 3 de Febrero, Club
in general,
g
and not Paraguay Atlético Colegiales
C
specifically to track
t
and
Dunfermline
Ath
hletic,
F
Forfar
field athletics.
Scotlan
nd Athletic, Alloa Athletic,
A
An
nnan
n Athletic
Athletic, Haddington
Spain
Athletic Bilbao,
B
Atlético Madrid
d
United Athletic Club of St.
S Louis, Saint
S
S
States
Louis Ath
hletica
Clubs
s
origina
ating
in
Corinthia
an-Casuals F.C., Wa
alton
England
d
amatteur status teams.
Casuals F.C.
Club names con
ntaining a
Brazil
Rio Crickket
term for crickett. Usually,
the club also
o had a
Italy
Genoa C.F.C.
C
cricke
et team in the
t past.
Gimnasia
a y Esgrima de Jujuy,
Argentina Gimnasia
a y Esgrima
a La Plata
RS
Guaratinguetá
F
Futebol,
Club names con
ntaining a
Brazil
utebol Club
be
Futebol, Paulínia Fu
term
for
football.
Exam
mples:
futebol
Greve Fo
odbold
70 (Porttuguese)
(Spanish),
(Italia
an).
balompié Denmark
calcio
Italy
Ascoli Ca
alcio 1898, Cagliari Ca
alcio,
Udinese Calcio
Albacete Balompié
é, Real Betis
B
Spain
Balompié
é, Écija Balompié
Gimnasia
a y Esgrima de Jujuy,
a y Esgriima La Plata,
P
Argentina Gimnasia
Gimnasia
a y Tiro de Salta
Olympiqu
ue Gymna
aste Club de
France
Nice-Côtte d'Azur
se clubs usually
Thes
Turn- und
d Sportgem
meinschaft 1899
1
have
e
a
historical
Gymnas
stics
Hoffenhe
eim,
T
Turn
und
affilia
ation
with Germany
Spielvere
einigung Ko
oblenz
gymn
nastics.
urn & I.F.
Norwayy Larvik Tu
Tarrag
Gimnàstiic
de
gona,
Spain
Gimnástiica de Torre
elavega
Turkey Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü
K
pik Baku
Azerbaijan FK Olimp
Belgium
m Olympia Bruxelles
Olympic
c
Games
Cameroon Olympic Mvolyé
a
Cyprus Olympiakkos Nicosia
Blackburrn
Olym
mpic,
Rushall
England
d
Olympic
Nîmes Olympique
e, Olymp
pique
France
Lyonnaiss, Olympiqu
ue Marseille
e
Club names con
ntaining a
Olympiaccos F.C., ASK
A
Olympiakos
ence to either
e
the
refere
Greece Volos F..C., Ethnikkos Olympiakos
Olym
mpic Game
es or the
Volos F.C
C.
ancie
ent city of Olympia,
pia
Gree
ece.
Honduras CD Olimp
Cercle Olympique
O
d Bamako
de
Mali
Olympic FC de Niam
mey
Niger
Northerrn
Derry Olyympic
Ireland
Paraguay
Ramblin
ng
Hillwalking
Olimpia Satu
S
Mare
Romania
Slovenia Olimpija Ljubljana
Republiic Cobh Ra
amblers F.C
C.
71 Olimpia Asunción
A
Racing
g
Rowing
Sport
m
Stadium
o Ireland
of
England
d
Uruguay
Spain
France
Burnham
m Ramblers F.C.
Racing Montevideo
M
Racing Santander
S
Racing Strasbourg
S
Argentina
Racing Avellaneda
A
Clube de
e Regatas do Flame
engo,
Club de Regatas Va
asco da Ga
ama,
Clube de
e Regatas Brasil,
B
Bota
afogo
Thes
se clubs usually
de Futeb
bol e Rega
atas, Colo--Colo
have
e
a
historical
Brazil
de Futebol e Regatas, Palmas
affilia
ation with ro
owing.
Futebol e Regata
as, Clube do
S Cristóvã
ão de Futeb
bol e
Remo, São
Regatas
Capixaba,
C
Clube
Desportivva
Brazil
Esportivo
o de Ben
nto Gonça
alves,
Sport Clu
ub do Reciffe
Cape
Desportivvo
Ribeira
Brrava,
V
Verde
Desportivvo de Santa
a Cruz
Club De
eportivo Hu
uachipato, Club
Deportivo
o O'Higgiins, Depo
ortivo
Chile
Temuco
Deportivo
o Cali, Dep
portivo Perreira,
Deportess
Quindíío,
Depo
ortes
Colombia Tolima, Deportivo Pasto, Depor
D
Club names containing
c
FC
the
word
"sport."
Woodleyy
Sports,
Mickle
eover
Exam
mples:
deportivo
England
d Sports, Hullbridge
H
Sports, Co
owes
(Spanish),
d
desportivo
Sports
and
esportivo
(Porttuguese),
sport
Republiic
Sporting Fingal
(Dutc
ch), spor (T
Turkish). of
o Ireland
Helmond
d
Sportt,
Sporrtclub
Netherland
ds Heerenve
een
Paraguay Sportivo Luqueño
Peru
Deportivo
o Wanka, Sport
S
Boys
al Desportivvo das Aves
Portuga
Deportivo
o de La Coruña, other
o
Spain
clubs with
w
RCD (Real Club
Deportivo
o)
Turkey Bursaspo
or, Trabzon
nspor...
Club names containing
c
Belgium
m Stade Le
euven
72 the
word
"
"stadium."
Côte
Exam
mples:
stade d'Ivoire
d
(Fren
nch), stadio
on (Dutch
and German).
G
France
Stade d'A
Abidjan
Stade Rennes,
R
Stade Re
eims,
Stade Brest
B
29, Stade SaintS
Brieuc, Stade Bo
ordelais, Stade
S
Français Paris, Stad
de Laval, Stade
S
Plabenne
ecois
Akébé, AS Stade Man
ndji
Gabon Stade d'A
Mali
Stade Ma
alien
Senega
al Stade Mb
bour
Tennis
Footb
ball departm
ment was
Germany
adde
ed to tennis club.
Tennis Borussia
B
Berlin
Sports societies
s
Co
ountry
C
Clubs
Armenia CSKA
C
Yere
evan
Bulgaria CSKA
C
Sofia
a
Topic
Meaniing
CSKA
CSCA-Rapid Chişinău
C
u
oldova
CSKA
A means Ce
entral Armyy Sports Mo
Club in
n Slavic lan
nguages, in
ndicates
C
Bucu
ureşti
omania CSCA
that th
he team wa
as originallyy part of Ro
the arm
my.
Russia PFC
P
CSKA
A Moscow
Dynamo
o
Easterrn Europea
an teams, in
ndicates
that th
he team wa
as originallyy part of
the So
oviet Dynam
mo sport so
ociety or
an
equivalen
nt
such
as
Sportv
vereinigung
g Dynamo.
CSKA Dush
hanbe
Ta
ajikistan C
Ukraine CSKA
C
Kyiv
K Dinamo
o Tirana
Albania KS
F
FC
Dinam
mo Minsk, FC
Belarus
D
Dinamo
Bre
est
Croatia Dinamo
D
Zag
greb
Estonia Dünamo
D
Ta
allinn
F Dinamo Batumi, FC
FC
FC
Georgia Dinamo
D
S
Sokhumi,
D
Dinamo
Tbilisi
B
Berliner
FC
C Dynamo,, SG
Ge
ermany Dynamo
D
Drresden
Latvia FK
F Dinamo
o-Rīnuži/LASD
Mo
oldova
F Dinamo
FC
o Bender
Ro
omania
F Dinamo
FC
o Bucureşti
Russia
73 Dynamo
D
D
Dynamo
Mosscow,
Brya
ansk,
Stavro
Dynamo
D
opol,
D
Dynamo
Sa
aint Petersb
burg,
D
Dynamo
Volo
ogda,
D
Dynamo
Kostro
oma,
D
Dynamo
K
Kirov,
Dyn
namo
B
Barnaul,
Dyn
namo
V
Voronezh
D
Dynamo
Kyyiv, FC Din
namo
Ukraine
L
Luhansk
Hapoel
IFK
Hebrew for The Worker, an
n Israeli
sport associatio
on, with liinks to
trade unionism
u
IFK, Id
drottsföreniingen Kamrraterna,
Society
Swedish for Sporting
S
Comra
ades. All Swedish clubs
named
d IFK are members of
o IFK's
centra
al organisa
ation, while
e clubs
named
d IFK in Fin
nland are no
ot.
Israel
(
(see
Hapoe
el)
IFK
IIFK
Eskkilstuna,
G
Göteborg,
I
IFK
Malmö, IFK
Sweden Motala,
M
IF
FK Norrköping,
I
IFK
Stockholm,
IFK
U
Uppsala
an
nd others.
Bulgaria
Lokomotiv
L
L
Lokomotiv
S
Sofia
Plo
ovdiv,
E
E
European
teams,
For Eastern
indicattes that the team
m was
L
e Leipzig
Ge
ermany Lokomotive
ally part of the Soviet
Lokomo
otiv origina
L
Lokomotiv
Mosscow,
Lokom
motiv sportt society or an
Russia
Lokomotiv
L
L
Liski
equiva
alent.
F Lokomo
otiv Astana
Ka
azakhstan FC
Maccab
bi
ewish team
ms, indicattes that
For Je
Israel
the tea
am was originally parrt of the
and
d others
Macca
abi sport so
ociety.
Spartak
k
E
E
European
teams,
For Eastern
indicattes that the team
m was
origina
ally part of the
t Soviet Spartak
S
sport society
s
or an
a equivalent.
Torpedo
o
E
E
European
teams,
For Eastern
indicattes that the
e team wa
as once
part of the Sovie
et republica
an VSS
Trud.
74 (
(see
Macca
abi (sports)))
Békéscsaba
B
a (from 197
70 to
1
1991
name
ed Békéscssabai
ungary
Hu
E
Előre
Sp
partacus SC),
N
Nyíregyház
za Spartacu
us
S
Spartak
Moscow,
FC
S
Spartak
Na
alchik, Spa
artak
K
Kostroma,
Spa
artak
Russia
T
Tambov,
Spa
artak
Y
Yoshkar-Ol
la,
Spa
artak
G
Gorno-Altay
ysk
Georgia FC
F Torpedo
o Kutaisi
F Torpedo Moscow
FC
w, FC
T
Torpedo-ZI
L,
Torp
pedo
Russia
V
Vladimir,
Torp
pedo
A
Armavir,
Torp
pedo
Rubtsovsk,
R
Torp
pedo
M
Miass,
Torp
pedo Lyube
ertsy,
Ukraine FC
F Torpedo
o Zaporizhzzhya
Spain AD
A Torpedo
o 66
Vorwärtts
Zenit
Armee
esportverein
nigung Vorwärts
V
East
were the
t sports society
s
of th
he East
Ge
ermany
Germa
an Army.
Czech
For Eastern
E
E
European
teams,
Re
epublic
indicattes that the team
m was
origina
ally part off the Sovie
et Zenit
Russia
sport society
s
or an
a equivalent.
V
Vorwärts
Be
erlin/Frankffurt
Z
Zenit
Čásla
av
Zenit Sain
Z
nt
Z
Zenit
Penza
a
Petersb
burg,
Club na
ames referrring to valu
ues and id
deals
Topic
Me
eaning
Courage
Ge
erman: Wacker
W
Po
ortuguese: Bravo
Sp
panish: Bravvo
Cou
untry
A
Angola
A
Austria
Gerrmany
Mexico
Clubs
C
O
Onze
Bravos do Maquiis
A
Admira
Wa
acker Mö
ödling, Wa
acker
In
nnsbruck, Wacker
W
Tiro
ol
A
Alemannia
Wacker Berlin,
B
Wa
acker
L
Leipzig,
Wacker Münch
hen, Wacke
er 90
N
Nordhausen
n
B
Bravos
de Nuevo
N
Lared
do
Energy
Ge
erman: Ene
ergie
Gerrmany
Russia
E
Energie
Cotttbus
Faith
Sp
panish: Fe
Colo
ombia
S
Santa
Fe
F Energiya
FC
a Volzhsky
F
Hjørring
Denmark Fortuna
F
Fortuna
Kö
öln, Fortun
na Düsselldorf,
Gerrmany
F
Fortuna
Mag
gdeburg
Fortune
e
F
Sitta
ard
Nettherlands Fortuna
Italy
L
Lucchese
Liibertas
Freedom
m
San
"lib
bertas" me
eaning
Mariino
"fre
eedom" in Latin
L
United
States
France
Friends
ship
Ru
ussian: Друужба
Gerrmany
75 A
A.C.
Libertas
Miami
M
F
Freedom,
Washin
ngton
F
Freedom
U
Union
Amicale Cog
gnac, Amicale
S
Sportive
de Poissy, Am
micale Spo
ortive
V
Vitré
S
Sportfreund
e Lotte, Sportfreu
unde
S
Seligenstadt
t, Sportfreu
unde Siegen
n
Italy
Glory
Harmon
ny
F.S. Sestresse Calcio 19
F
919
L Amis de
Les
e la Moselle Remerscchen,
Luxxembourg FC
F Amis dess Sports Lu
uxembourg
Namibia Friends
F
Northern
B
Ballyclare
C
Comrades
F
F.C.
Irela
and
H
Hamarkame
eratene,
Norway
M
Mandalskam
meratene
Russia Druzhba
D
Ma
aykop
A
Australia
P
Perth
Glory
Belgium V.C.
V
Eendra
acht Aalst 2002
2
S
SC
Concorrdia Hamb
burg, Eintrracht
B
Braunschwe
eig, Eintracht Dortm
mund,
Bamberg
E
Eintracht
g,
Eintrracht
D
Duisburg
1
848,
Eintr
racht
Frank
kfurt,
Gerrmany
E
Eintracht
F
Friedrichsha
agen, Eintrracht
M
Mahlsdorf,
Eintracht Trier,
T
Eintrracht
N
Nordhorn
Swiitzerland
Health
and
wellbein
ng
C
Concordia
B
Basel
Armthorpe Welfare,
A
W
A
Askern
Wellfare,
B
Blackwell
M
Miners
Wellfare, Blidw
worth
W
Welfare,
Brodsworrth
Wellfare,
C
Calverton
M
Miners
Wellfare, Clipsstone
W
Welfare,
G
Gedling
Miners Wellfare,
England
G
Glasshough
hton Welfa
are, Holb
brook
M
Miners
W
Welfare,
N
Nostell
Miners
W
Welfare,
Staveley Miners
M
Wellfare,
T
Thoresby
C
Colliery
We
elfare, Welbeck
C
Colliery
Wellfare
Tot Heil Onzzer Ribbenkkast
Nettherlands T
D
Danderhall
Miners We
elfare, Locchore
Scotland
M
Miners
Welffare, Whiteh
hill Welfare
Benin
E
Espoir
FC
Cam
meroon
Hope
France
E
Espérance
F
FC
Espérance Sportive
E
C
Champagne
e
Espoir FC
E
Niger
Rwanda Espoir
E
FC
T
Tunisia
E
Espérance
76 Sportive
Troyes
A
Aube
de
Tunis,
Espérance Sportive
E
S
de
e Zarzis, Esspoir
S
Sportif
de Hammam-So
ousse
Belgium Excelsior
E
Mo
ouscron
xcelsior
Ex
"higher"
Improve
ement
Fo
ortior
"sttronger"
m
means
AS Fortior
Mad
dagascar A
means
m
E
Excelsior
'3
31, Excelssior Maasssluis,
Nettherlands Excelsior
E
Ro
otterdam
Romania Progresul
P
Bucureşti
Argentina
Brazil
ersian: Este
eghlal
Indepen
ndence Pe
Colo
ombia
Speed
Strength
Supportt
Unity
77 ndependência
Futtebol
Clube,
In
In
ndependente Esportess Clube Ma
acaé
ndependien
nte Medellín
n
In
Esteghlal Tehran
E
T
F
F.C.,
Esteghlal
A
Ahvaz
F.C.
United New
N
E
England
Revolu
ution,
States
P
Philadelphia
a Independe
ence
England Folkestone
F
Invicta
Liberia In
nvincible Elleven
C
Celeritas,
Robur
et
Veloccitas,
ench:
V
Vitesse
Fre
V
Velocitas
18
897, Vitesse
e, Vitesse Delft,
D
Latin:
Velo
ocitas, Nettherlands
V
Vitesse
1892
2, Vitesse '08,
'
Vitesse
e '22,
Ce
eleritas
V
Vitesse
'63
A
Australia
S
Sydney
Hakkoah
A
Austria
H
Hakoah
Vien
nna
Bolivia The
T Stronge
est
H
Denmark Jødisk Idrættsforening Hakoah
Robur
Latin:
H
Hakoah
Ram
mat Gan
Israel
He
ebrew: Hako
oah
R
Robur
et Velocitas, Robur Goes,
G
Nettherlands Robur
R
Harlin
ngen
United
N
New
York Hakoah
States
o is Latin for
f "in
Pro
Italy
P Vercelli,, Pro Patria
Pro
a, Pro Sesto
o
fav
vour/supporrt of"
El
A
Alianza
F.C.
Salvvador
An
n example of
o this
n Berlin
1. FC Union
Gerrmany
is
A
Alianza
A
Alianza
Lima
a, Alianza Atlético
A
Peru
(Sp
panish).
U
Unirea
Urzziceni, Uniirea Alba-Iulia,
Romania
U
Unirea
Focşşani
Iran
Invincib
bility
C
Club
Atlético
o Independiente
Victory
Ara
abic: Al-Nasr
United
States
Saudi
Arab
bia
United
Arab
b
Emirrates
A
Australia
Hon
nduras
Wealth
m
Wisdom
Ara
abic: Al-Hikkma
A
Al-Nasr
A
Al-Nasr
Spo
orts Club
M
Melbourne
V
Victory
FC
V
Victoria
Club Deporttivo Los Millonarios
C
Colo
ombia
Lebanon Al-Hikma
A
A
Algeria
Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie
K
B
Boca
Junio
ors, Argen
ntinos Jun
niors,
C
Chacarita
J
Juniors,
Ju
ventud
Alia
anza
Argentina
de San Juan
n
Belize
Juventus (Belize)
Brazil
E Juventud
EC
de, CA Juvventus
Cam
meroon
Cape
Verd
de
Colo
ombia
Youth
D
D.C.
United,, Philadelph
hia Union
Ex
xamples off this
nduras
are
e
"jeun
nesse" Hon
(Frrench), "jjunior"
Côte
(se
everal
oire
d'Ivo
lan
nguages)
and
Ireland
"iuventus" (La
atin)
Jeunesse Bamiléké
d Norte
Juventude do
Junior de
S
Soacha
Barranqu
uilla,
Juve
entud
R
Real
Juventtud
Jeunesse Club d'Abidja
an
Wexford Youths
W
Juventus F.C., A.S. Fortis
F
Juve
entus
Italy
1909, S.S
S. Juve Stabia, A.G.
N
Nocerina
19
910
Jeunesse
Esch,
Jeunesse
H
Hautcharage
e,
Jeune
esse
Spo
ortive
Luxxembourg
V
Verlorenkos
st
Morocco Jeunesse Massira
M
Romania Juventus Bu
ucureşti
Russia FC
F Smena Komsomols
K
sk-na-Amurre
Serbia Mladost
M
Luččani, Mladost Apatin
Swiitzerland
78 B
BSC
Young Boys
Tunisia Jeunesse Sportive Kairrouanaise
T
Uruguay Rampla
R
Jun
niors
Club na
ames referrring to natural pheno
omena
Topic
Constelllation
Me
eaning
Countrry Clubs
outhern
So
Crross
Bra
azil Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Po
ortuguese:
Crruzeiro do Sul.
S
Earthqu
uake
United
d
States
San Jo
ose Earthqu
uakes
Fire
United
d
States
Chicag
go Fire
Galaxy
United
d
Los An
ngeles Gala
axy
States
pain Galáctico Pegaso
o
Sp
c
Galactic
Hurricane
Storm
Sp
panish:
Hu
uracán
Ge
erman: Stu
urm,
Frrench:
Te
empête
A
Hura
acán, Huraccán Corrien
ntes
Argentina Club Atlético
án Buceo
Uruguay Huracá
urm Graz
SK Stu
Austria
a
Ha
aiti
Tempê
ête Footballl Club
United
d
States
Los An
ngeles Storrm, Phoenix Banat Sttorm,
Springffield Storm
astle Blue Star
S
Englan
nd Newca
Greecce
Asteras Tripolis
Leban
non Nejmeh SC
Star
a da Amado
ora
Frrench: Éttoile Portug
gal Estrela
Arrabic: ‫اﻟﻨﺠﻤﺔ‬
a Bucharest
Romania Steaua
Russia
a
a Ryazan, Zvezda
Z
Serrpukhov
Zvezda
Serbia
a
Red Sttar Belgrade
Étoile Sportive
S
du
u Sahel
79 Tunisia
United
d
NSC Minnesota
M
S
Stars
States
Jap
pan Kashiw
wa Reysol
So
outh
Mamellodi Sundow
wns
Africa
Sun
United
d
States
Los An
ngeles Sol
Austra
alia Dandenong Thunder
Th
hunder
Thunde
er
lightnin
ng
and
Canad
da
on Thunder
Hamilto
Greecce
Keravn
nos Keratea
a F.C.
United
d
States
Arizona
a Thunder, Austin Th
hunder, De
enver
Thunde
er, Louisvville Thund
der, Minne
esota
Thunde
er, San Anttonio Thund
der
V
494
Estoniia Tartu Välk
Lightning
Lattvia Zibenss Zemessarrdze
Es
stonian: V
Välk
Sp
pain Rayo Vallecano
V
La
atvian: Zibe
ens
Sp
panish: Rayyo
United
d
Austin Lightning
States
Tides
United
d
States
Tacom
ma Tide
Canad
da
Vancou
uver White
ecaps fam
mily: Vanco
ouver
Whiteccaps FC, Vancouve
er Whiteccaps,
Vancou
uver White
ecaps Wom
men, Vanco
ouver
FC
Whiteccaps Residency, Whitecaps
W
Prospe
ects
United
d
States
Boston
n Breakers (WUSA), Boston
B
Brea
akers
(WPS))
Waves
ames referrring to art and literatture
Club na
Topic
Work
Cou
untry Club
bs
Literatu
ure
The Won
nderful Wizzard of Un
nited Kanssas City Wizzards
Oz
Sta
ates
Unknow
wn
80 •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Central Sports Club
Central United
Colne Dynamoes
Shepshed Dynamo
FC Krylya Sovetov Samara (Krylya means wing in several Slavic languages)
Maltby Main F.C. Alludes to the coal mining industry once prevalent in the area:
Maltby Main was the main colliery
Orlando Pirates — "Orlando" comes from the Johannesburg-area neighbourhood
where the club was founded
Rapid (Rapid Bucureşti, Rapid Vienna, Rapid JC)
Berwick Rangers, Queens Park Rangers, Stafford Rangers, Rangers de Talca
Sporting: Sporting Lisbon, Sporting Braga, Sporting Covilhã, Sporting Gijón,
Sporting Cristal - A sporting club or 'sport' in general?
[edit] Initials
Initials presented in this table are presented with dot punctuation, this is for
representation only, several clubs use the initials without dots, e.g. FC.
Initials
1. F.C.
A.C.
A.F.C.
A.I.F.
A.I.K.
Examples
Meaning
1. FC Kaiserslautern, 1. FC Köln,
1. FC Magdeburg, 1. FC 1. FC stands for First Football Club
Nuremberg
Associazione
Calcio
("Football
A.C. Milan, A.C. Siena
Association" in Italian)
AC St. Louis
Athletic Club
Association Football Club. Usually used to
Leeds United A.F.C., Sunderland
distinguish association football teams in
A.F.C., Workington A.F.C., Barrow
towns where other football codes such as
A.F.C., A.F.C. Liverpool
Rugby football are also commonly played.
A.F.C. Bournemouth
Athletic Football Club
According to the club, its initials have no
official meaning. Some have used
"Association Football Club" or "A Fan's
Club". Also could mean Alternate Football
Club when the original club ceases to
AFC Wimbledon
exist—AFC Wimbledon was formed after
the original Wimbledon F.C., now MK
Dons, received approval to move to Milton
Keynes in 2002.
Allmänna Idrottsförening ("General Sport
Mjällby AIF, Motala AIF
Society" in Swedish)
Allmänna Idrottsklubben ("General Sport
AIK
Club" in Swedish)
81 Italian: Associazione Sportiva ("Sport
A.S. Roma, A.S. Livorno Calcio, Association")
A.S.
A.S. Monaco, A.S. Saint-Etienne French: Association Sportive (same
meaning)
Alkmaar Zaanstreek – from the 1967
A.Z.
AZ
merger of Alkmaar '54 and FC Zaanstreek
Aalborg BK, Halmstads BK, BK Boldklub – "Ball Club" in Scandinavian
B.K.
Häcken, Rosenborg BK
languages
C.A.
CA Boca Juniors, CA River Plate Club Atlético
Club
Deportivo
(Spanish),
Clube
C.D.
C.D. Chivas USA, C.D. Feirense
Desportivo (Portuguese)
Club Deportivo, Social y Cultural
C.D.S.C. C.D.S.C. Cruz Azul
(Spanish: "Sporting, Social and Cultural
Club")
Club de Fútbol (Spanish), Clube de
C.F.
CF Estrela da Amadora
Futebol (Portuguese)
Căile Ferate Române, the Romanian state
C.F.R. CFR Cluj
railway system
FC
Bayern
München
e.V.,
Karlsruher Sport-Club MühlburgPhönix e.V., 1. Frauen-Fußball- e.V. is the abbreviation for Eingetragener
e.V.
Club Turbine Potsdam 71 e. V., Verein, meaning registered club
Fußballsportverein Frankfurt 1899
e.V.
FC Barcelona, Chonburi F.C., FC
Dallas, F.C. Tokyo, Toronto FC,
F.C.
Football Club in various languages
Sevilla
FC,
Puebla
F.C.,
Yokohama F.C.
Kalmar FF, FF Jaro, Malmö FF,
F.F.
Football Society in Swedish
Trelleborgs FF
Frauenfußballclub (= Women's football
F.F.C.
1. FFC Frankfurt
club)
F.K.
FK Crvena Zvezda, FK Atlantas
F.C. in various countries
Fußballsportverein - German for Football
F.S.V.
FSV Frankfurt
Sport Association
G.I.F.
GIF Sundsvall
"Gymnastic Sport Society" in Swedish
Brøndby
IF,
Hammarby
IF,
"Sport Society" in the Scandinavian
I.F.
Helsingborgs IF, Vålerenga IF
languages
Fotball
I.K.
IK Brage, Västerås IK
"Sport Club" in Swedish
J.K.
Helsingin JK, JK Viljandi Tulevik
F.C. in Finnish and Estonian
82 Jimnastik Kulübü (Turkish: "Gymnastics
Club")
Koninklijke Sportvereniging (Dutch: "Royal
Cercle Brugge K.SV.
Sport Union")
Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging (Dutch:
Club Brugge K.V.
"Royal Football Union")
German:
Meidericher
Sportverein
MSV Duisburg
(Meiderich Sport Association)
Magyar Testgyakorlók Köre (Hungarian:
MTK Hungária FC
"Circle of Hungarian Physical Activists")
NK Dinamo Zagreb, NK Drava Ptuj F.C. in Croatian and Slovenian
National Sports Center, the multisport
NSC Minnesota Stars
facility that owns the club
PFC CSKA Moscow
Professional Football Club
Philips Sport Vereniging (Dutch: Philips
PSV
Sport Union)
R.C. Strasbourg, R.C. Lens
Racing Club
Spanish: Real Club Deportivo, Catalan:
RCD Mallorca, RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu (both "Royal Sporting
Club")
R.S.C. Anderlecht
Royal Sporting Club
SC Bastia, SC Freiburg, Sahel
Sporting Club
Sporting Club
Soccer Club, in countries where "soccer"
Chicago Fire S.C., Erie Admirals
is the standard term for the sport (such as
SC
the USA and Canada)
German: Sportgemeinschaft (= Sport
SG Wattenscheid 09
Community)
SK
Brann,
Lierse
S.K.,
Fenerbahçe S.K., Galatasaray Sport/Sporting Club in various languages
S.K., SK Rapid Wien, Västerås SK
SpVgg
Unterhaching,
SpVgg German: Spielvereinigung (= Games
Greuther Fürth
Association)
S.S. is the abbreviation for Società
S.S. Lazio, S.S. Murata
Sportiva, Sport Society in Italian.
S.S.C. is the abbreviation for Società
S.S.C. Napoli
Sportiva Calcio, Football (Soccer) Sport
Society in Italian.
SV is the abbreviation for Sport Verein,
Hamburger SV
meaning Sports Association
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
German: Turn- und Sportgemeinschaft (=
Beşiktaş J.K.
K.S.V.
K.V.
M.S.V.
M.T.K.
N.K.
N.S.C.
P.F.C.
P.S.V.
R.C.
R.C.D.
R.S.C.
S.C.
S.G.
S.K.
SpVgg.
S.S.
S.S.C.
S.V.
T.S.G.
83 Gymnastics and Sport Community)
TSV or
German: Turn- und Sportverein (=
TSV Crailsheim, TuS Koblenz
TuS
Gymnastics and Sport Association)
U.C. is the abbreviation for Unione Calcio,
U.C.
U.C. Sampdoria, U.C. AlbinoLeffe
Football Union in Italian.
U.S. is the abbreviation for Unione
U.S.
U.S. Città di Palermo, U.S. Lecce
Sportiva, Sport Union in Italian.
VfB Admira Wacker Mödling, VfB
Auerbach, VfB Einheit zu Pankow,
VfB
Eppingen,
VfB
Fichte
German for Verein für Bewegungsspiele
VfB
Bielefeld, VfB Fortuna Chemnitz,
(association for exercise games)
VfB Hermsdorf, VfB Hüls, VfB
Lübeck, VfB Oldenburg, VfB
Pößneck, VfB Stuttgart
VfL Bochum, VfL Gummersbach,
VfL Halle 1896, VfL Klafeld- German for Verein für Leibesübungen
VfL
Geisweid 08, VfL Osnabrück, VfL (association for physical exercises)
Wolfsburg
VfR Aalen, VfR Bürstadt, VfR
German for Verein für Rasenspiele
VfR
Mannheim, VfR Schlesien Breslau,
(association for lawn games)
VfR Wormatia Worms
Maastrichtse
VV,
K.
SintV.V.
(F.C. in Dutch)
Truidense V.V.
Yellow Red Koninklijke Voetbalclub—the
Y.R.K.V. Y.R. K.V. Mechelen
team's colours in English, plus the Dutch
for "Royal Football Club"
Football Competitions
Charles William Alcock’s proposal in 1871 saw the establishment of the FA Challenge
Cup, the first competition in football history. Taking place in 1872, the Wanderers FC
(now-deceased team, formerly of Battersea) were the first to take the trophy home,
beating the Royal Engineers 1-0 in the final. Today, every domestic football association
has one, or even two, cup competitions which run simultaneously with a league. To top
it off, there are continental and even world tournaments in existence at both club and
international level. Here are a list of the main leagues and cup competitions in British
club football, along with a few international competitions to get you up to scratch:
The Premiership/The FA Premier League
The Premiership, as it is more commonly known, was formed in 1992 and composed of
teams in the old Division One of the Football League. The decline in football’s popularity
during the 1980s was halted with the English national side’s positive showing in the
84 1990 World Cup, and the Premiership sought both to capitalise on this unexpected
boom and the top clubs’ threats to form a breakaway division from the Football League
due to squabbling over television rights.
Originally containing 22 clubs, the number was trimmed down to 20 in 1995 in
accordance with FIFA regulations. The infrastructure of the league is comparable to a
corporation, with each member club having a vote on major issues and electing a
Chairman, Chief Executive and Board of Directors to deal with the day-to-day affairs.
Premiership Trophy
Despite the long list of clubs each year, the trophy has only been won by 4 sides;
Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea and Manchester United. Each year, the winners
and 2nd placed team immediately qualify for the group stages of the Champions
League, while 3rd and 4th place means admission to the qualifying round of the
Champions League. 5th place guarantees entry in the UEFA Cup and it is even possible
for 6th and 7th placed sides to follow, if the finalists of both the FA and League Cups
have already qualified for European competition in the league.
However, the benefits of merely being in the Premiership are palpable. The Premiership
is the most popular league in the world, with an audience of over a billion each week
and matches beamed to an incredible 195 countries. In China alone, as many as 360
million viewers tune in, more than any other foreign sport. Consequently, television
rights bring in a hefty sum, with each club receiving £45 million per annum on the 20072010 deal.
85 The trickle-down effect has been dramatic for players and fans. Whereas the average
salary of a top-flight footballer in 1992 was approximately £75,000 per annum, statistics
released in 2004 showed it had ballooned to an astonishing £676,000 each year. The
English transfer record has also been smashed time after time since the Premiership’s
inception. The £3.75 million record signing of Roy Keane from Nottingham Forest to
Manchester United in June 1993 pales in significance to the £30 million signing of
Andriy Shevchenko by Chelsea from AC Milan in June 2006.
Standing alongside the Premiership is the FA Women’s Premier League National
Division, a semi-professional league which currently represents the top flight of English
women’s football.
The Football League
Championship Trophy
The Football League is the oldest league in world football and represented the top clubs
in English football until the establishment of the Premiership. Today, the League acts as
a feeder to the Premier League and encompasses three divisions (the Championship,
League One and League Two) and 72 clubs. However, the Championship is still
remarkably popular and, according to Deloitte auditors, is the richest non-top-flight
division in world football.
The Championship
86 Promoted
1st Place
Promoted
2nd Place
Play-offs (Two Legged Semi-final versus 6th placed side + Final)
3rd Place
Play-offs (Two Legged Semi-final versus 5th placed side + Final)
4th Place
Play-offs (Two Legged Semi-final versus 4th placed side + Final)
5th Place
Play-offs (Two Legged Semi-final versus 3rd placed side + Final)
6th Place
Bottom Three Relegated
The Football Conference
Represents the top-flight structure of non-league football in England and is made up of
three leagues; Conference National, Conference North and Conference South. The
Conference National is, in turn, the top division in the Conference, made up of 24
teams. The winners of the Conference National are promoted to the Football League,
assuming the club meets the regulations on stadium facilities. Both the Conference
North and Conference South feed teams to the National league each season.
Conference National
Promoted
1st Place
Four Worst Placed Teams Relegated
Conference North
Promoted
1st Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 5th placed side + Final)
2nd Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 4th placed side + Final)
3rd Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 3rd placed side + Final)
4th Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 2nd placed side + Final)
5th Place
Three Worst Placed Teams Relegated to Step leagues
Conference South
Promoted
1st Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 5th placed side + Final)
2nd Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 4th placed side + Final)
3rd Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 3rd placed side + Final)
4th Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 2nd placed side + Final)
5th Place
Three Worst Placed Teams Relegated to Step leagues
Scottish Premiership & Football League
The Premier League is made up of 12 teams and was set up in 1998 from the ashes of
the old Scottish Division One. It was formulated on the English model and today
represents the top clubs in Scottish football. The winners and the second placed side
87 qualify for the Champions League group stages and the qualifying rounds respectively,
while the third placed team are entered into the UEFA Cup.
The Scottish Football League, in turn, encompasses three divisions and acts as a
feeder for the Premier League.
Scottish Division One
Promoted
1st Place
Relegated
Worst Placed Team
2nd Worst Placed Play-offs (Also includes the 2nd to 4th placed clubs in Division
Two)
Team
Scottish Division Two
Promoted
1st Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 3rd place + Final)
2nd Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 2nd place + Final)
3rd Place
Play-offs (Semi-final versus 2nd worst placed team in Division
4th Place
One + Final)
Worst Placed Team Relegated
2nd Worst Placed Play-offs (Also includes the 2nd to 4th placed clubs in Division
Three)
Team
Scottish Division Three
1st Place Promoted
2nd Place Play-offs (Semi-final versus 3rd place + Final)
3rd Place Play-offs (Semi-final versus 2nd place + Final)
4th Place Play-offs (Semi-final versus 2nd worst placed team in Division Two + Final)
N.B. There is no relegation in Division Three, but finishing last three times in a row
means expulsion to the amateur leagues.
Irish Premier League
The Premier League is Northern Ireland’s top tier of football, incorporating 16 teams. It
is not to be confused with the Football League of Ireland, which is located in the
Republic of Ireland. However, the top four each year do go into the All-Ireland Setanta
Sports Cup, where they meet teams from the Republic of Ireland.
League of Wales
Established in 1992 and containing 17 teams, the League winners are submitted to the
qualifying stages of the Champions League, while the 2nd placed side reach the UEFA
Cup. Two sides are relegated each year, replaced by one promoted side each from the
Welsh Football League and Cymru Alliance.
88 FA Cup
FA Cup
The oldest competition in world football, the FA Cup is also a reflection of football’s
popularity across England, with an exceptional 687 teams accepted into the 2006/2007
competition. The Cup starts in August with the Extra Preliminary Round, followed by the
2nd qualifying round when the Conference North and South are entered. The
Conference National are entered in the 4th qualifying round, with League One and
League Two clubs taking part from the First Round stage. However, the key moment is
the Third Round proper, when the Championship and Premiership teams are involved.
The winners of the FA Cup are entered into the UEFA Cup although, if the winners have
already gained qualification into a European competition in the league, the other finalist
will receive that honour. This matter has always been a major issue in the competition
due to the top flight’s dominance. Indeed, the last non-league side to win the FA Cup
was Tottenham Hotspur (now a Premiership side) in 1901, and the last side outside the
top flight to win was West Ham United in 1980. The two most successful English sides
in the league, Manchester United and Arsenal, are also the most successful in the FA
Cup, with 11 and 10 wins respectively.
Football League Cup
89 League Cup
Referred to by whatever sponsor it happens to have, the League Cup is the second
knock-out competition in England (unlike most European countries like Spain and Italy,
who settle for one). Only 92 teams are permitted to enter, representing the entirety of
the Football League and the Premiership.
It was founded in 1961 but the competition only really grew in popularity when the
winners were awarded a UEFA Cup spot. Like the FA Cup, if the winners have qualified
by other means, the other finalist benefits. On this matter, if both finalists have qualified,
6th place in the league qualifies for Europe (can extend to 7th place if the same
situation reigns in the FA Cup).
The competition is exceptional in its format because the knockout format is briefly
replaced at the semi-final stage by a two-legged affair, with away goals a factor.
However, the League Cup is far less popular than the FA Cup and has increasingly
been used by the top teams as a way to blood their youngsters and reserve players.
Liverpool have been the most successful club in the competition, with seven victories.
UEFA Champions League/The European Cup
90 Champions League Trophy
Could easily be considered the greatest prize in club football worldwide, the Champions
League is connected to the old European Cup. Whereas the old Cup was established in
1955, the Champions League renaming took place in 1992 as a response to the total
restructuring of the format.
The old knockout style solely including the winners of each domestic league was
replaced by a dramatically different system involving 32 teams. This was preceded by
three qualifying rounds with two-legs each. Once into the full competition, a group stage
takes place (8 groups with 4 teams in each). Each team plays home and away, the top
two of each qualifying for the knockout stages, which are at first drawn from two groups
(representing those who finished 1st and 2nd respectively) but then done randomly for
the rest of the competition. Ties at this point are two-legged, with the away goals rule
applied along with extra-time and penalties if necessary. The final is naturally a singleleg affair.
The exclusivity of the old European Cup was thrown out the window for the Champions
League, as now the admitted sides represent the top teams in a country. The number of
teams permitted depends on the strength of the league. For example, La Liga in Spain,
Serie A in Italy and the Premiership in England are all given four spots in the
Champions League. Ligue 1 in France, the Bundesliga in Germany and the Portuguese
Liga in Portugal each receive 3 spots. All other representatives are given two places or
a single spot.
The Champions League’s popularity with clubs stems from its prestige and the
monumental financial benefits. Sponsorship and television money means the rewards
91 are phenomenal. In the 2005/2006 season, teams were given a cumulative total of 430
million Euros, the figure for each club being decided based on their performance in the
competition (e.g. Liverpool FC received 30 million Euros for winning in 2004/2005).
The most successful leagues are, unsurprisingly, the strongest leagues in Europe,
Spanish teams having been victorious 11 times, followed by their English and Italian
counterparts with 10 trophies each. The single most dominant side is Real Madrid with 9
Cups, way ahead of AC Milan in second, who have won 6 times.
UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Cup is the bridesmaid to the bride that is the Champions League in
European club football. First played in 1971, the tournament has seen many changes,
not least being merged with the Cup Winners Cup in 1999. It is now seen as a very
lowly second to the Champions League mainly due to the growth of that tournament in
numbers as well as in wealth.
Domestic Cup winners gain entry to the UEFA Cup along with the highest placed league
team who failed to qualify for the Champions League. Teams enter the competition
depending on the strength of their UEFA coefficients. Teams from countries ranked
lower than 18th enter in the first qualifying round and teams from nations ranked
between 9th and 18th enter in the second qualifying phase. There are also spots in this
round for the lucky winners of the Fair Play Draw as well as entrants from the Intertoto
Cup.
In the first round proper the teams that have qualified from highly ranked coefficient
nations join the qualifiers meaning 80 teams will play in the first round. These games
92 are played over two legs and the winners advance to a group phase of eight groups
consisting of five teams each. The top three in each group progress after a round-robin
stage where they are joined by the eight 3rd placed teams in the Champions League
and a straight two-legged knock-out format ensues until the final, which is played at a
neutral arena in a one-off game.
Juventus are the most successful UEFA Cup entrant having won the tournament on
three occasions and have been beaten finalists the same amount of times again. Sevilla
are the current holders and have won it in back-to-back years.
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
If there’s one thing which brings out all the casual fans, it’s the World Cup. Whereas all
the aforementioned competitions take place annually, the World Cup only happens once
every four years and has done since 1930 (with a break between 1942 and 1946 due to
World War II). Nevertheless, seven countries have won the trophy, Brazil being the
most successful with 5 victories (England’s only victory came in 1966).
This figure of just seven victors is all the more remarkable when you consider that 198
nations tried to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. This figure is trimmed down to 32 for the
Finals themselves. The qualification process is organised in the six FIFA continental
zones (see below for more details). Qualification takes some two years and is achieved
via a single group stage (the terms of which depend on the particular zone). The
number of places for each zone is decided by FIFA, although the host nation never
have to qualify.
93 The Finals themselves are composed of a group stage (8 groups with 4 teams in each,
the top two qualifying after every team plays each other once) and a straight-up
knockout stage, concluding with a final.
UEFA European Football Championship
European Championship Trophy
Simply known as ‘the European Championships’, this competition is unsurprisingly
solely for teams within the European FIFA continental zone. Approximately 50 nations
enter the qualification stage, with just 16 sides making it to the Finals. In order to avoid
clashing with the World Cup, the European Championships alternate with the World
Cup (for example, the 2006 World Cup followed by the 2008 European Championships).
Qualification also takes roughly two years. 10 groups with 5 teams in each are drawn,
1st place qualifying and 10 runners-up forced to play-off with one another for 5 extra
spots. The host does not have to qualify.
The first competition took place in 1958 and the most successful sides are Germany
with 3 wins
Football in India
Football is one of India's popular sports, and is said to rank first in popularity in states
like West Bengal, Goa, Kerala and the entire North-East India, especially Manipur,
Mizoram and Sikkim. Football is played in almost all schools in India.
Having been Asian champions twice, the standard of Indian football has degraded due
to a lack of investment and proper planning. While standards of other Asian nations in
which football is the most popular sport improved, Indian football was largely neglected
94 in preference to cricket in which the national team is among the top three countries in
the world.[1] In September 2006, India and Brazil signed an agreement formalising a
scheme to train Indian footballers and coaches.[2]
Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), in the state of West Bengal, is considered to be the home of
Indian football. The city contains the two most famous Indian teams, East Bengal Club
and Mohun Bagan AC. Derbies between these two clubs are popular events in Kolkata.
Recently, Goan clubs have been doing well in the I-league with Dempo SC being the
most successful club in the history of the league.
Structure of the game in India
The game in India is administered by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which is
affiliated to the regional Asian Football Confederation, as well as to the worldwide body
FIFA. The Indian national team has entered into the regional Asian Cup but has never
competed in any World Cup. The Indian women's national team has also played in
various competitions; moreover, women's football has its own separate inter-state and
state competitions. Youth football is administered by the governmental Sports Authority
of India.
The standard of Indian football (compared globally) is poor. According to FIFA rankings,
the national team is ranked 132th place in the world as of April 2010, and is said to
struggle to qualify for both the World Cup and the Asian Cup. Part of this has been put
down to the lack of opportunities for proper training and development of players in the
country.
History
The early Indian football clubs include Dalhousie Club, Traders Club and Naval
Volunteers Club.
Initially, games were played between army teams. However, clubs were soon set up
around the country. Mohun Bagan Athletic Club was set up in what is now West Bengal
in 1889. The club became famous in 1911 when it became the first Indian team to lift
the IFA Shield, a tournament previously won only by British teams based in India. It
defeated the Eastern Yorkshire Regiment 2-1 in the final of the tournament in a victory
that is still regarded by many as the greatest by an Indian team before Independence.
The Indian Football Association (IFA) was established in Calcutta in 1893, but did not
have a single Indian on its board until the 1930s.
The national football team was quite successful until the 1970s, when it qualified for the
Olympics. The team qualified for the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, but could not appear as
they still played bare feet at the time.
95 The Indian team also won gold medals in football at the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games,
and finished fourth at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
In August 2007, the Indian national team won the Nehru Cup for the first time in its
history beating Syria 1-0.[3] In August the following year, India defeated Tajikistan 4-1 to
lift the AFC Challenge Cup and in turn qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.
Women's football
Women's football has not had the relative head start over the rest of the world that the
men's game has had, and also has not had the chance to spread through the country
like its male counterpart. The game was administerd by the Women's Football
Federation of India (WFFI) from 1975 until the early 1990s when they were absorbed
into the AIFF. However, there are complaints that women's football is treated as a poor
relation to the men's game leading to (unfulfilled) plans to de-merge the WFFI.
The women's game, like the men's game, also has its early pioneers in the state of
West Bengal. The large Kolkata teams, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, started
women's club sides in the 2000/01 season, and they participate with other teams in the
Calcutta Women's Football League. However, it has been seen recently that players
from Manipur have made advances in the game. Players from these two states make up
a large part of the India women's national football team.
The main women's national competition is played on a state vs. state basis in the Senior
Women National Championship. There are also similar national championships for
junior teams: Junior Girls National Championship (for under 19s) and the Under-17 Girls
National Championship.
Some female players have become internationally recognised. Among them are Chitra
Gangadharan selected to play for the All Asian Star team. Jaanki Kotecha was selected
as captain to the All Asian Star Team in 2008-2009, where she led her team to victory.
In February 2000, Sujata Kar and Alpana Sil became the first Indian footballers to sign a
contract outside India. They signed with the German team TSV Crailsheim, but had to
return after a month due to problems with the clearance of their international transfer.
Until 1983, women's football tok part in international tournaments like the Asia Cup. For
example the team won silver in 1980 at Calicut. In later years it had become poor in
status just like its male counterpart. In the 2003 AFC Women's Championship, the
Indian team was embarrassed by a 12-0 defeat to the Chinese women's team.[6]
The poor support of the national team by the AIFF became evident, when the team's trip
to Germany was only made possible by Non Resident Indians in the country, and by the
support of the German Football Association. Furthermore, championships are hold in
remote locations, and national media coverage is said to be restricted to state and local
newspapers.[4]
96 The women's game reached a new low in June 2009 when FIFA delisted the side from
its world rankings for being out of action for more than 18 months. This comes at a time
when the game is gaining in popularity amongst the younger generation as evident by
the local leagues conducted around the country. The recently concluded Mumbai
Football League 2009-10 organised by the MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association)
was a major success and featured many talented players who had played for the
national team.
List of football clubs in India
A
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ahbab football Club - Delhi, Haryana
Aikya Sanmelani - Kolkata, West Bengal
Air India - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Amity United - Gurgaon, Haryana
Ar Hima FC - Shillong, Meghalaya
ARC (Army Regimental Centre)
Aryans Club - Kolkata, West Bengal
Assam Dynamo Club - Guwahati, Assam
Assam Police - Guwahati, Assam
Assam Police Blues - Guwahati, Assam
Assam Rifles - Guwahati, Assam
Assam State Electricity Board - Guwahati, Assam
Azad Sporting Union - Azad, Jammu
Aryans Football Club-Bilaspur,H.P. play at roura sec.-2 stadium
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Barisha SC - Kolkata, West Bengal
Bata FC - Kolkata, West Bengal
BB Star Delhi - Delhi, Haryana
BEML FC - Bangalore, Karnataka
Bengal Mumbai FC - Mumbai, Maharashtra
BNR (Bengal Nagpur Railway) FC - Kolkata, West Bengal
Bhatri Sangha FC - Kolkata, West Bengal
BSF (Border Security Force) - Jalandhar, Punjab
big-ben club nagpur maharashtra
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Calcutta Customs - Kolkata, West Bengal
Calcutta FC - Kolkata, West Bengal
Calcutta Port Trust - Kolkata, West Bengal
Central Railways - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chandni FC - Calicut, Kerala
B
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Chetak FC - Pune, Maharashtra
Chetakal FC - Ernakulam, Kerala
Chirag United FC - Kolkata, West Bengal
Churchill Brothers SC - Margao, Goa
City FC - Delhi, Haryana
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Dodgers FC - Vadodara, Gujarat - www.fcdodgers.com
Deccan11 FC - Pune, Maharashtra
Dempo SC - Panjim, Goa
Don Bosco School FC - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Dwarka FC - Sec-19, Dwarka, Delhi.
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East Bengal Club - Kolkata, West Bengal
Eastern Railways - Kolkata, West Bengal
Entally Athletic Club - Kolkata, West Bengal
Eagles FC - Pune, Maharashtra
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FC Kochin - Cochin, Kerala
FC Ladakh - Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir
Fatima XI FC - Pune, Maharashtra
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George Telegraph - Kolkata, West Bengal
Goa Police - Panjim, Goa
Guwahati Town Club - Guwahati, Assam
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Harvesters NYC - Ooty, Tamil Nadu
Him Club
HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) - Bengaluru, Karnataka
Hindustan FC - New Delhi, Haryana
Howrah Union - Kolkata, West Bengal
Hyderabad Globe FC - Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, play at 5,000 capacity
Hyderabad Football Stadium
GAME ZONE UNITED FC - Arunachal Pradesh, Play at 30000 capacity Rajiv
Gandhi Stadium, Naharlagun
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Indian Air Force - Kolkata, West Bengal
Indian Bank - Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Indian Nationals FC
ITI (Indian Telephone Industries)
ICF (Integral Coach Factory) - Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Iqbal Club - Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
ICL football club - thane,mumbai
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JCT (Jagatjit Cotton and Textile Mills FC) - Phagwara, Punjab
J&K FA - Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
J&K Forest Club - Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
J&K Police Eleven - Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
J&K Sports - Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
Jewel Star Club
Jorba Durga Club
JK Bank FC - Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
JK Solina Club - Srinagar, Jammu and kashmir
Solina Football Players Name
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Kalighat Club - Kolkata, West Bengal
Keltron FC
Kerala Police - Trivandrum, Kerala
Khadki Blues FC - Pune, Maharashtra
Kidderpore SC - Kolkata, West Bengal
Kochin Port Trust - Cochin, Kerala
Kolhapur Police - Kolhapur, Maharashtra
KSC (Kodaikanal Soccer Club)
Kumartuli FC - Kolkata, West Bengal
Khan club-Bilaspur H.P.
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Laitumkhrah FC - Shillong, Meghalaya
Lajong FC - Shillong, Meghalaya [1]
Langsning FC - Shillong, Meghalaya
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Maharana Athletic Club(Estd-1907) Danish Road,Guwahati-1
Maharana AC
Mahindra United - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Malabar United - Malabar, Kerala
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Manipur Police - Imphal, Manipur
Maratha United - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Mizoram Police -Izwal,Mizoram
Mohammedan Sporting - Kolkata, West Bengal
Mohun Bagan - Kolkata, West Bengal
Moonlight FC - Delhi, Haryana
Mugals FC - Delhi, Haryana
Mumbai FC - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Mahogany FC - Chennai, Tamil Nadu
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Nagaland Police -Kohima,Nagaland
Nemesis FC
Nethaji SC - Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Nine Bullets
Nirvana FC - ???, Assam
Northern Frontier Railway SC
ND Heroes FC - Delhi
NEW GLOBE CLUB CLUB NAGPUR
New Delhi United Fc - Delhi
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Octopus Marine SC
Oil India Limited - Guwahati, Assam
ONGC FC (Oil and Natural Gas Company FC)
Osian's New Delhi Heroes FC - New Delhi, Haryana
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Peerless Football Club - Kolkata, West Bengal
Police Club - Kolkata, West Bengal
Pune FC - Pune, Maharashtra
PSEB (Punjab State Electricity Board) - ???, Punjab
Punjab Police -Jalandhar,Punjab
PSG Tech FC
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Royal FC (Delhi)
Rangers FC (Vadodara) - Vadodara, Gujarat
Riders on the storm FC—Symbiosis, Pune
RUBBANI CLUB NAGPUR
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St. George's FC
Salgaocar - Vasco, Goa
Salkia Friends Assciation - Kolkata, West Bengal
Satyabhama Engineering College
Shahdra FC
Shastri FC - New Delhi, Haryana
Simla Youngs FC - New Delhi, Haryana
Solina Football Club
Sonali Sibir Athletic Club - Kolkata, West Bengal
Southern Railway - Chennai, Tamil Nadu
SC Goa - Margao, Goa
Sporting Union - Kolkata, West Bengal
SAI (Sports Authority of India)
Sunday Boys Football Club - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Surat fc Surat,Gujarat
SBI (State Bank of India) - Mumbai, Maharashtra
SBT (State Bank of Travancore) - Trivandrum, Kerala
Strikers Sports Club based in Mulund , Mumbai, Maharastra
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United Bangalore FC - Bengaluru, Karnataka
United Keralite City - ???, Kerala
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Vasco SC - Vasco, Goa
Vikram Jeet Football Club - Ludhiana, Punjab
VIP Royal Rovers
Viva Kerala - Cochin, Kerala
Varanasi Jaguars FC-Varanasi,U.P.
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Wahingdoh FC - Shillong, Meghalaya
Wari - Kolkata, West Bengal
Western Railway - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Williamson Magor Academy
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Young Heroes -Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir
YMCA Srinagar - Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
YOUNGSTAR united-THANE,MUMBAI
YOUNG BROTHERS FOOTBALL CLUB BARWANI (M.P.)
U
V
W
Y
101 2010 fifa World Cup
Matches
Group A
Match
Date
Time
-
1
11/06
16:00
Johannesburg - JSC
South
Africa
Mexico
2
11/06
20:30
Cape Town
Uruguay
France
17
16/06
20:30
Tshwane/Pretoria
South
Africa
Uruguay
18
17/06
20:30
Polokwane
France
Mexico
33
22/06
16:00
Rustenburg
Mexico
Uruguay
34
22/06
16:00
Mangaung/Bloemfontein
France
South
Africa
Venue
Group B
Match
Date Venue
Time
3
12/06
16:00
Johannesburg - JEP
Argentina
Nigeria
4
12/06
13:30
Nelson Mandela Bay/Port
Elizabeth
Korea
Republic
Greece
19
17/06
16:00
Mangaung/Bloemfontein
Greece
Nigeria
20
17/06
Johannesburg - JSC
Argentina
Korea
102 Group B
Match
Date Venue
Time
13:30
Republic
35
22/06
20:30
Durban
Nigeria
Korea
Republic
36
22/06
20:30
Polokwane
Greece
Argentina
Group C
Match
Date
Time
-
5
12/06
20:30
Rustenburg
England
USA
6
13/06
13:30
Polokwane
Algeria
Slovenia
22
18/06
16:00
Johannesburg - JEP
Slovenia 2:2 (2:0)
USA
23
18/06
20:30
Cape Town
England 0:0
Algeria
37
23/06
16:00
Nelson Mandela
Elizabeth
Slovenia
England
38
23/06
16:00
Tshwane/Pretoria
USA
Algeria
Venue
Bay/Port
Group D
Match
Date
Time
7
13/06
-
Venue
Results
Durban
Germany
103 Australia
Group D
Match
Date
Time
-
Venue
Results
20:30
8
13/06
16:00
Tshwane/Pretoria
21
18/06
13:30
Nelson Mandela
Elizabeth
24
19/06
16:00
39
40
Serbia
Ghana
Germany
Serbia
Rustenburg
Ghana
Australia
23/06
20:30
Johannesburg - JSC
Ghana
Germany
23/06
20:30
Nelspruit
Australia
Serbia
Bay/Port
Group E
Match
Date
Time
-
9
14/06
13:30
Johannesburg - JSC
Netherlands
Denmark
10
14/06
16:00
Mangaung/Bloemfontein
Japan
Cameroon
25
19/06
13:30
Durban
Netherlands
Japan
26
19/06
20:30
Tshwane/Pretoria
Cameroon
Denmark
43
24/06
20:30
Rustenburg
Denmark
Japan
Venue
104 Group E
Match
Date
Time
44
24/06
20:30
-
Venue
Cape Town
Cameroon Preview
Netherlands
Group F
Match
Date
Time
-
11
14/06
20:30
Cape Town
Italy
Paraguay
12
15/06
13:30
Rustenburg
New
Zealand
Slovakia
27
20/06
13:30
Mangaung/Bloemfontein
Slovakia
Paraguay
28
20/06
16:00
Nelspruit
Italy
New
Zealand
41
24/06
16:00
Johannesburg - JEP
Slovakia
Italy
42
24/06
16:00
Polokwane
Paraguay
New
Zealand
Venue
Group G
Match
Date
Time
-
13
15/06
16:00
Nelson Mandela Bay/Port
Elizabeth
Côte
d'Ivoire
Portugal
14
15/06
20:30
Johannesburg - JEP
Brazil
Korea
DPR
Venue
105 Group G
Match
Date
Time
-
29
20/06
20:30
Johannesburg - JSC
Brazil
Côte
d'Ivoire
30
21/06
13:30
Cape Town
Portugal
Korea
DPR
45
25/06
16:00
Durban
Portugal
Brazil
46
25/06
16:00
Nelspruit
Korea
DPR
Côte
d'Ivoire
Venue
Group H
Match
Date Venue
Time
15
16/06
Nelspruit
13:30
Honduras
Chile
16
16/06
Durban
16:00
Spain
Switzerland
31
21/06 Nelson Mandela Bay/Port
16:00 Elizabeth
Chile
Switzerland
32
21/06
Johannesburg - JEP
20:30
Spain
Honduras
47
25/06
Tshwane/Pretoria
20:30
Chile
Spain
48
25/06
Mangaung/Bloemfontein
20:30
Switzerland
Honduras
106 List of qualified
q
te
eams
The follo
owing 32 te
eams qualifiied for the final
f
tournament.
AFC (4)
C
CONCACA
AF (3)
Australia
a
Japan
Korea DPR
D
Korea Republic
R
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•
•
Honduras
Mexico
United Stattes
C
CONMEBO
OL (5)
CAF (6)
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•
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•
•
•
Algeria
Camero
oon
•
Côte d'Iv
voire
•
Ghana
•
Nigeria
AfricaOFC
South
O
(1)
(h
hosts)
•
A
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Paraguay
Uruguay
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•
•
•
•
•
•
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•
•
•
New Zealand
107 UEFA (13)
Denmark
Eng
gland
Fra
ance
Germany
Gre
eece
Italy
Nettherlands
Porrtugal
Serrbia
Slo
ovakia
Slo
ovenia
Spa
ain
Swiitzerland
Popular Players of FIFA World Cup 2010
Cristana Ronaldo (Portugal )
(Spain)
Andres Iniesta (Spain)
Lionell Messi (Argentina)
Steven Gerrad (England)
108 Xavi Hernandez
Kaka ( Brazi)
Fernando Toress (Spain)
Iker Cassilas (Spain)
Nemanja Vidic (Serbia)
David Villa (Spain)
109 Rio Ferdinand (England)
Wayne Rooney (England)
Franc Ribery (France)
110 South Africa
The Republic of South Africa, is located on the southern tip of the African continent and
inhabits 1,219,912 square kilometres (471,011 square miles) of land. It is neighboured
by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique to the north and Swaziland in the east.
South Africa wholly encompasses the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
The country has a population of more than 47 million that spans across nine provinces.
The provinces are the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo,
Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, North West and the Western Cape. The Northern
Cape is by far the largest province, but also has the smallest population while the
smallest province is Gauteng, which has the densest population.
South Africa is a democracy with the president as the head of state. The country has
clear separation of powers, with the legislative seated in the parliament and headed by
the speaker of the house, administrative with the president and his cabinet (also
members of parliament) and the judiciary headed by the chief justice. The constitution of
South Africa however, is the supreme law and supersedes all branches of government.
South Africans are proud of their constitution and it is considered to be one of the most
progressive and liberal of its kind in the world.
The country has three capitals: Cape Town (legislative), Pretoria (administrative) and
Bloemfontein (judicial). The government is further divided into three tiers: national,
provincial and local.
The country is a juxtaposition of natural beauty that includes vast open plains, rolling
hills, mountains, lakes, coastline and bustling, sophisticated cities. There are two trans111 frontier parks, the internationally renowned Kruger National Park and four natural
UNESCO World Heritage sites. The uKhahlamba/Drakensburg Mountains are a
combination of cultural and natural heritage because of the high volumes of Rock Art
left by the San who lived in the area for 4000 years.
The most precious possession South Africa has is its people and this led the
Archbishop Desmond Tutu to refer to it as the 'Rainbow Nation'. This was in reference
to the diverse cultures, histories and languages which permeate the country.
There are 11 recognised official languages but English is used in road signs, hotels,
commerce, banking, government and official documents. The country is two hours
ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (UTC +2) and has an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine
per day.
Despite the diversity of culture and numerous languages, the nation is fanatical about
sport, most notably rugby, cricket, golf, swimming, athletics, and, of course, football.
Football is sometimes called soccer and colloquially referred to as 'diski'.
Generally, the infrastructure in South Africa is very good and moving between cities is
relatively easy. The 2010 FIFA World Cup has been a catalyst for infrastructural
upgrades and the South African government is investing more nine billion South African
Rand for further works.
112