Oldest football clubs and year of establishment

Oldest football clubs in the world

Football is one of, if not the oldest sports in the world. Most of it is down to the countless number of historic clubs that have lent their contribution to the history of this beautiful game.

Seif Khaled compiles the oldest football clubs were founded in the middle of the 19th century and European clubs founded in the 20th century, Also Rest of the world clubs founded in the 20th century and clubs founded in the 21st century.

Clubs founded in the 19th century:

FoundedNameCountryNotes
1857Sheffield FCEnglandFounded as Sheffield Club
1859Wanderers FCEnglandFounded as Forest Club; Dissolved in 1887
1860Hallam FCEngland
1861Crystal Palace FCEnglandDissolved in 1876; not identical with the Crystal Palace FC founded in 1905
1862Notts CountyEngland
1862Barnes FCEnglandDissolved
1863Stoke City FCEnglandFounded as Stoke Ramblers
1863Royal Engineers AFCEngland
1864Brigg TownEngland
1864Wrexham AFCWales
1865Harrow Chequers FCEnglandDissolved in 1891
1865Hertfordshire Rangers FCEnglandDissolved in 1898
1865Nottingham ForestEngland
1866Cambridge University AFCEngland
1866Uptown Park FCEnglandDissolved in 1911
1867Queen’s Park FCScotland
1867Sheffield Wednesday FCEnglandFounded as The Wednesday
1868Leyton FCEnglandDissolved in 2011
1868Swifts FCEnglandDissolved in 1890
1869Clapham RoversEnglandDissolved in 1911
1869Kilmarnock FCScotland
1870Abingdon TownEnglandFounded as Abingdon FC
1870Maidenhead UnitedEngland
1870MarlowEngland
1870Stranraer FCScotland
1871Old EtoniansEngland
1871Oxford University AFCEngland
1871Reading FCEngland
1871Southall FCEngland
1871Uxbridge FCEngland
1872Dumbarton FCScotland
1872Rangers FCScotland
1872Renton FCScotlandDissolved in 1922
1872Third Lanark ACScotlandDissolved in 1967
1872Vale of Leven FCScotlandDissolved in 1929
1874Arthurlie FCScotland
1874Aston VillaEngland
1874Bolton WanderersEngland
1874Grantham Town FCEngland
1874Greenock MortonScotland
1874Hamilton Academical FCScotland
1874Heart of Midlothian FCScotland
1874Wednesbury Old Athletic†EnglandDissolved in 1893
1875Birmingham CityEnglandFounded as Small Heath Alliance
1875Blackburn RoversEngland
1875Beith FCScotlandDissolved in 1938
1875Hibernian FCScotland
1875Newtown AFCWales
1876Chirk AAA FCWales
1876Falkirk FCScotland
1876Kjøbenhavns BoldklubbDenmark
1876Middlesbrough FCEngland
1876Old Carthusians FCEngland
1876Partick Thistle FCScotland
1876RomfordEngland
1877Abercorn FCScotlandDissolved in 1920
1877Blackburn OlympicEnglandDissolved in 1889
1877Clyde FCScotland
1877St MirrenScotland
1877Wolverhampton WanderersEngland
1878Accrington FCEnglandDissolved in 1878
1878AirdrieoniansScotlandFounded as Excelsior FC, dissolved in 2002
1878Alloa Athletic FCScotland
1878Arbroath FCScotland
1878Everton FCEngland
1878Grimsby TownEngland
1878Ipswich TownEnglandFounded as Ipswich Association FC
1878Manchester United FCEnglandFounded as Newton Heath
1878Royal AlbertScotland
1878West Bromwich Albion FCEnglandFounded as West Bromwich Strollers
1878Blackburn Olympic FCEnglandDissolved in 1889
1879Ayr FCScotlandDissolved in 1910
1879Cliftonville FCN. Ireland
1879Fulham FCEngland
1879FC St. GallenSwitzerland
1879Koninklijke HFCNetherlandsFounded as Haarlemse FC
1879Montrose FCScotland
1879Sunderland AFCEngland
1879Swindon Town FCEngland
1880Royal Antwerp FCBelgium
1880Dykehead FCScotlandDissolved in 1928
1880DistilleryN. Ireland
1880Preston North EndEngland
1880Manchester CityEnglandFounded as St. Mark’s
1881Berwick Rangers FCScotland
1881Colwyn Bay FCWales
1881Cowdenbeath FCScotland
1881East Stirlingshire FCScotland
1881FC Girondins de BordeauxFrance
1881Leyton Orient FCEnglandFounded as Glyn Cricket and FC
1881Watford FCEnglandFounded as Watford Rovers
1882Albion Rovers FCScotland
1882Bo’ness FCScotlandDissolved in 1945
1882Burnley FCEngland
1882Corinthian FCEnglandDissolved in 1939
1882Glentoran FCN. Ireland
1882Racing Club de FranceFrance
1882Tottenham Hotspur FCEnglandFounded as Hotspur
1883Coventry CityEnglandFounded as Singer’s FC
1883Raith Rovers FCScotland
1884Bristol CityEngland
1884Derby CountyEnglandFounded as Bristol South End
1884Leicester City FCEnglandFounded as Leicester Fosse
1884Lincoln City FCEngland
1884Stenhousemuir FCScotland
1884St Johnstone FCScotland
1885BuryEngland
1885Chester CityEnglandDissolved in 2010
1885Clackmannan FCScotlandDissolved in 1931
1885Luton Town FCEngland
1885Millwall FCEngland
1885Southampton FCEngland
1885Újpest FCHungary
1886Arsenal FCEngland
1886Ayr Parkhouse FCScotlandDissolved in 1910
1886BK FremDenmark
1886Hong Kong FCChina
1886Linfield FCN. IrelandFounded as Linfield Athletic Club
1886Motherwell FCScotland
1886Queens Park Rangers FCEngland
1887Académica de CoimbraPortugal
1887Athlone Town AFCIreland
1887BarnsleyEngland
1887BlackpoolEngland
1887GimnasiaArgentina
1887Hamburger SVGermanyFounded as SC Germania
1887Örgryte ISSweden
1888MTK Budapest FCHungary
1888Celtic FCScotland
1888BFC Germania 1888Germany
1888Walsall FCEnglandFounded as Walsall Town Swifts
1889BrentfordEngland
1889HFC HaarlemNetherlandsDissolved in 2010
1889Mohun Bagan ACIndia
1889Recreativo de HuelvaSpain
1889Sheffield UnitedEngland
1889BFC Viktoria 1889GermanyDissolved in 2013
1889Wimbledon FCEnglandMilton Keynes Dons since 2004
1890Bohemian FCIreland
1890Club FrançaisFranceDissolved in 1935
1890Halmstads BKSweden
1890Sevilla FCSpain
1890Standard Athletic ClubFrance
1890St. Andrew’s Athletic ClubArgentinaDissolved in 1894
1891Club Brugge KVBelgium
1891PeñarolUruguayFounded as Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club
1892Club LisbonensePortugalDissolved in 1902
1892Liverpool FCEngland
1892Hertha BerlinGermanyas as BFC Hertha 92
1892Newcastle United FCEngland
1892Pro VercelliItaly
1893FC BaselSwitzerland
1893Bathgate FCScotlandDissolved in 1938
1893Dundee FCScotland
1893Elgin City FCScotland
1893Genoa CFCItaly
1893FC MulhouseFrance
1893Oxford United FCEnglandFounded as Heddington
1893FC PortoPortugal
1894First Vienna FCAustria
1894Floriana FCMalta
1894FC La Chaux-de-FondsSwitzerland
1894Odds BKNorway
1895FlamengoBrazil
1895Oldham AthleticEnglandFounded as Pine Ville
1895FC RoubaixFranceDissolved in 1964
1895Royal Daring Club MolenbeekBelgiumDissolved in 1973
1895Shelbourne FCIreland
1895West Ham United FCEngland
1896FC Biel-BienneSwitzerland
1896Hannover 96Germany
1896FC Lausanne-SportSwitzerland
1896Oruro Royal ClubBolivia
1896UdineseItaly
1896FC WinterthurSwitzerland
1896FC ZürichSwitzerland
1897Juventus FCItaly
1897Northampton Town FCEngland
1897Red Star FCFranceFounded as Red Star Club Français
1898Dresdner SCGermany
1898FC Étoile-SportingSwitzerland
1898PortsmouthEngland
1898Standard LiègeBelgium
1898CR Vasco da GamaBrazil
1898SK Rapid WienAustriaFounded as Wiener Arbeiter FK
1899TSV 1860 MunichGermany
1899FC BarcelonaSpain
1899K. Beerschot VACBelgiumDissolved in 1999
1899AFC BournemouthEngland
1899Cardiff CityWales
1899Cercle Brugge KSVBelgium
1899Esporte Clube PinheirosBrazilFounded as SC Germânia
1899FerencvárosHungary
1899Olympique de MarseilleFrance
1899AC MilanItaly
1899Shamrock Rovers FCIreland
1899SV Werder BremenGermany

European clubs founded in the 20th century

FoundedNameCountryNotes
1900AFC AjaxThe Netherlands
1900FC Bayern MunichGermany
1900Borussia MönchengladbachGermanyFounded as FC Borussia
1900FC KaiserslauternGermanyFounded as FC 1900 Kaiserslautern
1900SS LazioItaly
1901Brighton & Hove Albion FCEnglandFounded as Brighton & Hove United
1901FC Sète 34FranceFounded as Olympique de Cette
1901Stade Rennais FCFrance
1902AS CannesFrance
1902Debreceni VSCHungary
1902Norwich City FCEngland
1902Olympique LilloisFranceDissolved in 19454
1902Real Madrid CFSpainFounded as Madrid Football Club
1903Athletic BilbaoSpain
1903Atlético MadridSpain
1903Beşiktaş JKTurkey
1903Boavista FCPortugal
1903Bradford City AFCEngland
1904SL BenficaPortugalFounded as Sport Lisboa
1904OGC NiceFrance
1904LKS Pogoń LwówPolandDissolved in 1945
1904FC Schalke 04Germany
1904Stade Saint-GermainFranceMerged with Paris FC in 1970
1905Charlton Athletic FCEngland
1905Chelsea FCEngland
1905Crystal Palace FCEngland
1905Galatasaray SKTurkey
1905HŠK Zrinjski MostarBosnia and Herzegovina
1906Sporing CPPortugal
1906Toprino FCItaly
1906Wisła Kraków SAPoland
1907Alba RomaItalyDissolved in 1907
1907Atalanta BCItaly
1907Fenerbahçe SKTurkey
1907Real BetisSpain
1908RSC AnderlechtBelgium
1908FC InternazionaleItaly
1908FC LuganoSwitzerland
1908Panathinaikos FCGreece
1909Bologna FCItaly
1909Borussia DortmundGermany
1909Budapest Honvéd FCHungary
1909SC Hakoah ViennaAustriaDissolved in 1949
1911HNK Dinamo Zagreb*CroatiaFounded as HŠK Građanski
1911HNK Hajduk SplitCroatia
1911CSKA MoscowRussia
1911Vasas FCHungary
1912Swansea CityEngland
1914FK VojvodinaSerbia
1916Legia Warszawa SAPolandFounded as Drużyna Sportowa Legia
1918FC Dnipro DnipropetrovskUkraineDissolved in 2019
1919CF BelenensesPortugal
1919Leeds UnitedEngland
1919AS MonacoFrance
1919Montpellier HSCFranceFounded as Stade Olympique Montpelliérain
1919Valencia CFSpain
1920Cagliari CalcioItaly
1920Ruch Chorzów SAPoland
1921SC BragaPortugal
1921FC Spartak VladikavkazRussia
1921FK Željezničar SarajevoBosnia and HerzegovinaFounded as RŠD Željezničar
1922KKS Lech PoznańPolandFounded as Lutnia Dębiec
1922FC Lokomotiv MoscowRussiaFounded as Kazanka
1922FC Spartak MoscowRussiaFounded as Moscow Sport Circle
1923FC Dynamo MoscowRussia
1923Ethnikos Piraeus FCGreece
1924AEK FCGreece
1925FC Dinamo TbilisiGeorgia
1925Olympiacos FCGreece
1925Union LuxembourgLuxembourgDissolved in 2005
1925FC Zenit Saint PetersburgRussia
1926AFC FiorentinaItaly
1926SSC NapoliItaly
1926PAOKGreece
1927FC Dynamo KyivUkraine
1927AS RomaItaly
1929FC Rotor VolgogradRussia
1930FC RostovRussia
1932Wigan Athletic FCEngland
1933FC Salzburg – #Austria
1935FC Ararat YerevanArmeniaFounded as Spartak Yerevan
1936FC Chernomorets OdessaUkraine
1936FC Shakhtar DonetskUkraine
1937Nîmes OlympiqueFrance
1943FC NantesFrance
1944Lille OSCFrance
1945FK Partizan BelgradeSerbia
1945Red Star BelgradeSerbia
1946HNK RijekaCroatiaFounded as Sportsko Društvo
1946UC SampdoriaItaly
1946FK SarajevoBosnia and HerzegovinaFounded as SD Torpedo
1947Śląsk WrocławPoland
1947CSA Steaua BucureștiRomaniaFounded as ASA București
1948Górnik Zabrze SSAPoland
19481. FC KölnGerrmany
1950Olympique LyonnaisFrance
1958FC Rubin KazanRussia
1958SC Tavriya SimferopolUkraineFounded as Avanhard Simferopol
1963BursasporTurkey
1963FC Karpaty LvivUkraine
1963FC Volga Nizhny NovgorodRussiaDissolved in 2016
1967TrabzonsporTurkey
1970Paris Saint-Germain FCFrance
1976FC OrenburgRussiaFounded as Gazovik Orenburg
1994FC Amkar PermRussiaDissolved in 2018

# Officially FC Red Bull Salzburg since 2005

Rest of the world clubs founded in the 20th century

FoundedNameCountryNotes
1901River PlateArgentina
1902FluminenseBrazil
1918Club OlimpiaUruguay
1903GrêmioBrazil
1903RacingArgentina
1904BotafogoBrazil
1905Club Atlético IndependienteArgentina
1905Boca JuniorsArgentina
1907Al Ahly ClubEgypt
1908Atlético MineiroBrazil
1908San Lorenzo de AlmagroArgentina
1909InternacionalBrazil
1910CorinthiansBrazil
1911ZamalekEgypt
1912América-MGBrazil
1912SantosBrazil
1914PalmeirasBrazilFounded as Palestra Italia
1920PortuguesaBrazil
1921Cruzeiro Esporte ClubeBrazil
1925Barcelona SCColombia
1925Colo-ColoChile
1927América de CaliColombiaunofficially founded 1918
1930São Paulo FCBrazil
1931BahiaBrazil
1943GoiásBrazil
1947Atlético NacionalColombia
1957Al-Hilal SFCSaudi Arabia

Rest of the world clubs founded in the 20th century

FoundedNameCountryNotes
1901River PlateArgentina
1902FluminenseBrazil
1918Club OlimpiaUruguay
1903GrêmioBrazil
1903RacingArgentina
1904BotafogoBrazil
1905Club Atlético IndependienteArgentina
1905Boca JuniorsArgentina
1908Atlético MineiroBrazil
1908San Lorenzo de AlmagroArgentina
1909InternacionalBrazil
1910CorinthiansBrazil
1912América-MGBrazil
1912SantosBrazil
1914PalmeirasBrazilFounded as Palestra Italia
1920PortuguesaBrazil
1921Cruzeiro Esporte ClubeBrazil
1925Barcelona SCColombia
1925Colo-ColoChile
1927América de CaliColombiaunofficially founded 1918
1930São Paulo FCBrazil
1931BahiaBrazil
1943GoiásBrazil
1947Atlético NacionalColombia
1957Al-Hilal SFCSaudi Arabia

Clubs founded in the 21st century

FoundedNameCountryNotes
2001PFC Ludogorets RazgradBulgariaOriginates from Razgrad 2000
2004Milton Keynes DonsEnglandOriginates from Wimbledon
2004FC MoscowRussiaDissolved in 2019
2008FC KrasnodarRussia
2010Chester FCEnglandOriginates from Chester City
2013FC TosnoRussiaDissolved in 2018

 

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