- 1857
| Oct 24 | World's first soccer club founded the Sheffield Football Club of England. | Ref: 5 |
- 1863
| Oct 26 | Football Association forms in England, standardizing soccer. | Ref: 5 |
- 1869
| Nov 06 | The first intercollegiate football (soccer) game was played -- in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Rutgers beat Princeton 6-4, with each team fielding 25 men, though not all at once. | Ref: 4 |
| Dec 18 | Canada's Hamilton Foot Ball Club plays its first game. | Ref: 5 |
- 1870
| Nov 30 | First International Association football (soccer) match-England vs. Scotland. | Ref: 10 |
- 1873
| Dec 06 | Americas first international football (soccer) game was played in New Haven, CT. Yale defeated Eton (England) 2-1. | Ref: 4 |
- 1876
| Mar 25 | Glasgow first soccer match Scotland-Wales (4-0). | Ref: 5 |
- 1885
| Sep 12 | Highest score (35) recorded in any first-class soccer match is set. | Ref: 5 |
- 1887
| Apr 10 | Soccer team Be Quick forms in Hairs Groningen. | Ref: 5 |
- 1888
| Apr 01 | Soccer team Sparta forms in Rotterdam. | Ref: 5 |
- 1892
| May 14 | Vitesse 1892 soccer team forms in Arnhem. | Ref: 5 |
- 1894
| Dec 24 | Soccer team Achilles '94 forms in Axes. | Ref: 5 |
- 1895
| Jan 18 | Amsterdam's AFC soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
- 1900
| Jan 15 | SCNEC soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Feb 18 | Ajax soccer team forms in Amsterdam. | Ref: 5 |
| May 01 | Roermond soccer team forms in Roermond. | Ref: 5 |
- 1901
| Apr 28 | First soccer game between Belgium (8) & Netherlands (0). | Ref: 5 |
- 1902
| Apr 02 | Soccer team MVV '02 forms in Maastricht. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 05 | 25 are killed at a soccer match in Scotland. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
| Dec 02 | Soccer team Go Ahead forms in Deventer. | Ref: 5 |
- 1903
| Feb 07 | VVV '03 Soccer team forms in Venlo. | Ref: 5 |
| May 03 | AVC Heracles (SC Heracles '74) soccer team forms in Almelo. | Ref: 5 |
- 1904
| May 21 | Federation Internationale de Football Association (Soccer) forms in Paris France. | Ref: 5 |
- 1905
| Feb 01 | Hague soccer team ADO forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 30 | First official soccer game between Belgium-Netherlands (1-4). | Ref: 5 |
| May 14 | 2nd official international soccer match, Netherlands beats Belgium 4-0. | Ref: 5 |
| Oct 21 | England Pilgrim Assn beats All NY 11, 7-1 in soccer at Polo Grounds. | Ref: 5 |
- 1907
| Dec 02 | English Professional Football Player's Association forms. | Ref: 5 |
- 1908
| Feb 08 | Wilhelmina '08 soccer team forms in Weert Netherlands. | Ref: 5 |
- 1910
| Mar 17 | DHC soccer team forms in Delft Netherlands. | Ref: 5 |
- 1912
| Feb 16 | VSV soccer team forms in Ijmuiden. | Ref: 5 |
| May 01 | Amsterdam-North soccer team DWV forms. | Ref: 5 |
- 1913
| Mar 24 | Netherlands soccer team's first victory over England. | Ref: 5 |
- 1918
| Mar 18 | Soccer team SON OF Meerssen forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 30 | Orange Nassau soccer team forms in Groningen. | Ref: 5 |
- 1919
| Jan 13 | Dutch Soccer team OSV forms. | Ref: 5 |
-
| May 08 | Appingedam soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
- 1920
| Feb 01 | Soccer team Quick Boys forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 08 | LONGA soccer team forms in Tilburg. | Ref: 5 |
| May 15 | Soccer team ADO '20 forms in Heemskerk. | Ref: 5 |
- 1921
| Jan 26 | Soccer team GVAV of Groningen Netherlands forms. | Ref: 5 |
| May 06 | American Soccer League formed. | Ref: 5 |
- 1922
| Apr 18 | Netherlands soccer team defeats Denmark 2-0. | Ref: 5 |
| May 07 | Belgian soccer team defeats Netherlands, 1-2. | Ref: 5 |
- 1924
| Feb 01 | Soccer team VSV Tonido forms in Voorburg. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 27 | Antwerp soccer tie Belgium-Netherlands 1-1. | Ref: 5 |
- 1926
| Feb 12 | Barendrecht soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 01 | Halsteren Soccer team forms in Halsteren. | Ref: 5 |
| May 05 | Geldrop soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Dec 21 | Soccer team DOS Struggle forms. | Ref: 5 |
- 1927
| Feb 22 | ARC soccer team forms in Alphen on the Rhine. | Ref: 5 |
| May 01 | Netherlands beats Belgium 3-2 in soccer match in Amsterdam. | Ref: 5 |
| May 01 | Panningen soccer team forms in Panningen. | Ref: 5 |
| May 11 | Belgium beats England 9-1 in soccer. | Ref: 5 |
| May 13 | VVOG soccer team forms in Harderwijk. | Ref: 5 |
- 1928
| Mar 11 | Netherlands & Belgium tie 1-1 (soccer match in Amsterdam). | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 09 | Top-Oss soccer team forms in Oss. | Ref: 5 |
| May 01 | Rotterdam soccer team Black White '28 forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Oct 08 | Eastern Soccer League forms in US. | Ref: 5 |
- 1930
| Feb 20 | Capelle soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Mar 24 | R˙nsburgse Boys soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Mar 30 | Babberich-H soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 13 | First World Cup of Soccer begins play with thirteen nation teams in Montevideo, Uruguay. | Ref: 10 |
| Jul 30 | Uruguay beats Argentina 4-2 to win soccer's first World Cup in Montevideo. | Ref: 5 |
- 1932
| Mar 27 | De Bataven soccer team forms in Gendt. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 13 | Kozakken Boys soccer team forms in Werkendam forms. | Ref: 5 |
- 1933
| Mar 04 | Noordwijk soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 23 | Dovo soccer team forms in Veenendaal. | Ref: 5 |
- 1934
| Mar 11 | Netherlands beats Belgium 9-3, in soccer. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 28 | Soccer team Blue White '34 forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 10 | Italy beats Czechoslovakia 2-1 (OT) in soccer's 2nd World Cup at Rome. | Ref: 5 |
- 1938
| Apr 24 | Lindenheuvel soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| May 14 | English soccer team beats Nazi-Germany, 6-3. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 19 | Italy beats Hungary 4-1 in soccer's 3rd World Cup at Paris. | Ref: 5 |
- 1939
| Feb 17 | Katwijk soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 08 | ACV soccer team forms in Axes. | Ref: 5 |
- 1940
| Apr 21 | Netherlands beats Belgium 4-2 in soccer. | Ref: 5 |
| May 20 | Soccer team HZVV forms in Hoogeveen. | Ref: 5 |
- 1945
| Mar 26 | Venray soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 01 | Sons of Elburger Soccer team forms in Elburg. | Ref: 5 |
- 1946
| Mar 06 | 33 are killed at a soccer match in England. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
- 1948
| Mar 29 | Drachtster Boys soccer team forms in Drachten. | Ref: 5 |
- 1950
| Jul 16 | The largest crowd in sporting history -- 199,854 -- watched the World Cup soccer finals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Uruguay defeated Brazil. | Ref: 4 |
- 1953
| Feb 17 | DSB soccer team forms in Eindhoven. | Ref: 5 |
| Mar 15 | West Germany loses in soccer to Netherlands, 2-1. | Ref: 5 |
- 1954
| Feb 01 | Soccer team The County forms in Doetinchem. | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 04 | West Germany beats Hungary 3-2 for soccer's 5th World Cup in Bern. | Ref: 5 |
- 1955
| Mar 30 | 6 are killed at a soccer match in Chili. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
- 1956
| Feb 22 | First British soccer match at Kunstlicht Portsmouth vs Newcastle United. | Ref: 5 |
| May 05 | Broekster Boys soccer team forms in Damwoude. | Ref: 5 |
- 1957
| Mar 10 | Thousands of soccer fans riot in Italy. | Ref: 5 |
| May 01 | Flevo Boys soccer team forms in Emmeloord. | Ref: 5 |
- 1958
| Feb 06 | 7 members on Manchester United football team die in an air crash. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 29 | Brazil beats Sweden 5-2 in soccer's 6th World Cup at Stockholm. | Ref: 5 |
- 1959
| Oct 29 | 10 nation soccer league to play all games on NY Randalls Is, announced. | Ref: 5 |
- 1960
| Jul 16 | 205,000 (record sports attend) see Brazil-Uruguay World Cup soccer. | Ref: 5 |
- 1962
| Jun 17 | Brazil Beats Czechosolakia in soccer's 7th World Cup at Santiago. | Ref: 5 |
- 1964
| May 24 | 318 are killed at a soccer match in Lima, Peru. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
- 1966
| Apr 17 | 100th international soccer meet between Netherlands-Belgium (3-1). | Ref: 5 |
| May 25 | Peru & Argentina soccer fans fight in Lima; 248 die. | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 30 | England beats West Germany 4-2 for soccer's 8th World Cup in London. | Ref: 5 |
- 1967
| May 10 | Foundation AZ soccer team forms in Alkmaar. | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 15 | LA Wolves beat Wash Whips 6-5 in OT to be United Soccer Association champs. | Ref: 5 |
| Dec 13 | United Soccer Association & National Pro Soccer League merge into NASL. | Ref: 5 |
- 1968
| May 29 | Manchester United become the first English team to win European Championship soccer tournament beating Benfica of Portugal 4-1 at Wembley after an added 30 minutes. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 23 | 74 are killed at a soccer match in Argentina. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
| Sep 28 | Atlanta Chiefs beat San Diego Toros 3-0 for NASL championship. | Ref: 5 |
| Nov 01 | US pro soccer 14 teams merged into 1 all star team. | Ref: 5 |
| Dec 11 | US Soccer Football Association refuses to let NASL disband. | Ref: 5 |
- 1969
| Nov 19 | Soccer great Pelé scores 1,000th goal in his 909th first class soccer match at Maracana Stadium, Rio. | Ref: 10 |
| Nov 20 | Soccer star Pelé collected his 1,000th career goal -- in Rio de Janeiro. | Ref: 4 |
- 1970
| Jun 21 | Brazil wins last Jules Rimet Trophy, soccer championship. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 30 | Brazil beats Italy 4-1 in soccer's 9th World Cup at Mexico City | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 15 | Denmark beats Italy 2-0 in first world female soccer championship. | Ref: 5 |
| Dec 10 | North American Soccer League awards NY & Toronto franchises. | Ref: 5 |
- 1971
| Jan 02 | A barrier collapses at Ibrox Park football ground at end of a soccer match in Glasgow Scotland, killing 66. | Ref: 5 |
- 1972
| Aug 26 | NY Cosmos beat St Louis Stars, 2-1 to win the NASL championship. | Ref: 5 |
- 1973
| Nov 11 | The Soviet Union is kicked out of World Cup soccer for refusing to play Chile. | Ref: 2 |
| Dec 11 | NA Soccer League awards Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle & Vancouver franchises. | Ref: 5 |
| Dec 31 | Johan Cruyff chosen European soccer Player of year. | Ref: 5 |
- 1974
| Feb 17 | 49 die in stampede for seats at soccer match, Cairo, Egypt. | Ref: 5 |
| May 22 | Soccer team Veendam forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 07 | West Germany beats Neth 2-1 for soccer's 10th World Cup in Munich. | Ref: 5 |
| Aug 25 | LA Aztecs defeat Miami Toros to win NASL cup. | Ref: 5 |
- 1975
| Aug 24 | Tampa Bay Rowdies beat Portland 2-0 for NASL cup. | Ref: 5 |
- 1976
| May 05 | Anderlecht wins 16th soccer Europe Cup II. | Ref: 5 |
| Aug 28 | NY Cosmos beat Seattle Sounders 2-1 for NASL cup. | Ref: 5 |
- 1977
| Apr 23 | ADO The Hague soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| May 11 | Hamburger SV wins 17th soccer Europe Cup II. | Ref: 5 |
| Aug 28 | NY Cosmos defeat Seattle Sounders, 2-1, at Civic Stadium in Portland Ore, winning their 2nd North American Soccer League championship. | Ref: 5 |
| Oct 01 | 77,691 fans saw world-famous soccer player Pele in the last game of his career -- at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. He played the first half with the NY Cosmos and the second half with his former team, Santos of Brazil. Pele' retires with 1,281 goals in 1,363 games. | Ref: 4 |
| Nov 10 | Major Indoor Soccer League officially organized (NYC). | Ref: 5 |
- 1978
| Apr 10 | Formation of the Major Indoor Soccer League announced. | Ref: 5 |
| May 01 | MVV soccer team forms in Maastricht. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 25 | Argentina beats Holland 3-1 in soccer's 11th World Cup at Buenos Aires. | Ref: 5 |
| Sep 30 | Major Indoor Soccer League grants first 6 franchises to Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, NY, Philadelphia & Pittsburgh Phillies win 3rd consecutive NL East Division title. | Ref: 5 |
| Nov 09 | NASL realigns its 24 teams into 6 divisions. | Ref: 5 |
| Nov 16 | Major Indoor Soccer League holds its first draft. | Ref: 5 |
- 1981
| Mar 17 | FC Lisse, Dutch soccer team forms. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 27 | First female soccer official is hired by the NASL. | Ref: 5 |
| Aug 16 | Highest score in World Cup soccer match (New Zealand-13, Fiji-0). | Ref: 5 |
- 1982
| Jul 11 | Italy beats West Germany 3-1 for soccer's 12th World Cup in Madrid | Ref: 5 |
| Oct 20 | Soccer disaster in Moscow during Soviet vs. Dutch crushes 340 fans; Affair hushed up for 7 years. | Ref: 10 |
- 1985
| Apr 23 | Brooklyn College soccer team wins Nepal's invitational. | Ref: 5 |
| May 11 | More than 50 people died when a flash fire swept a jam-packed soccer stadium in Bradford, England. (TWA, 1997) | Ref: 95 |
| May 29 | Death and hundreds of injuries resulted from a riot at a soccer match in Brussels, Belgium. The European Cup Final at Heysel stadium between Liverpool and Juventus of Turin was televised throughout Europe. Just before the match was to begin, soccer fans rioted killing 39 and injuring 400 or more. 26 British soccer fans identified from the video tapes were extradited to Belgium to stand trial. The riot prompted increased security at later British soccer games. | Ref: 4 |
| Aug 10 | Uno Lindstron of Sweden, juggles a soccer ball 13.11 miles. | Ref: 5 |
- 1986
| Apr 06 | Soccer ball juggled non-stop for 14:14 hrs. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 19 | Argentina beats West Germany 3-2 in soccer's 13th World Cup. | Ref: 5 |
- 1987
| Mar 21 | PSV sells soccer player Ruud Gullit to AC Milan (17 million). | Ref: 5 |
- 1988
| Mar 12 | 93 are killed at a soccer match in Nepal. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
| Jul 24 | US & Jamacia play scoreless tie, in 2nd round of 1990 world soccer cup | Ref: 5 |
| Aug 13 | US beats Jamaicia 5-1, in 2nd round of 1990 world soccer cup. | Ref: 5 |
- 1989
| Apr 15 | Ninety-five people died in a crush of soccer fans at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England. (TWA, 1990) | Ref: 95 |
| Apr 16 | Costa Rica beats US 1-0, in 3rd round of 1990 world soccer cup. | Ref: 5 |
| Apr 30 | US beats Costa Rica 1-0, in 3rd round of 1990 world soccer cup. | Ref: 5 |
| May 13 | Trinidad & Tobago ties US 1-1, in 3rd round of 1990 world soccer cup. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 17 | US beats Guatemala 2-1, in 3rd round of 1990 world soccer cup | Ref: 5 |
| Nov 05 | US plays El Salvador, in 3rd round of 1990 world soccer cup. | Ref: 5 |
| Nov 19 | US beats Trinidad, 1-0 qualifying for the 1990 world soccer cup finals. It was US' first qualification since 1950. | Ref: 5 |
- 1990
| Jun 09 | Czechoslovakia beats US 5-1 in World Cup soccer. | Ref: 5 |
| Jun 18 | First ever loss for Cameroon in the World Cup, US-4 Cameroon-0. | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 08 | Germany beats Argentina 1-0 for soccer's 14th World Cup at Rome. | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 08 | Italy beats England in soccer's World Cup conselation game. | Ref: 5 |
- 1991
| Jan 13 | 40 are killed at a soccer match in South Africa. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
| May 23 | San Diego Sockers win 4th consecutive Major Soccer League championship. | Ref: 5 |
- 1992
| Jan 20 | Score begins selling international soccer cards. | Ref: 5 |
| Feb 13 | West beats East 14 to 9 in Major Soccer League all star game. | Ref: 5 |
| May 15 | 17 are killed at a soccer match in Corsica. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
- 1993
| Apr 28 | Zambian plane crashes at Libreville Gabon, 30 soccer players die. | Ref: 5 |
- 1994
| Jun 17 | 1994 World Cup soccer match begins. | Ref: 5 |
| Jul 02 | Colombian soccer player Andres Escobar was shot to death in Medellin, 10 days after accidentally scoring a goal against his own team in World Cup competition. | Ref: 70 |
| Jul 17 | Two billion people, 1/3 of world population, view World Cup final in LA; Brazil beats Italy. | Ref: 10 |
- 1996
| Jun 16 | 9 are killed at a soccer match in Zambia. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
| Oct 16 | 84 are killed at a soccer match in Guatemala. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
- 1997
| Apr 06 | 5 are killed at a soccer match in Nigeria. (Ref: Sports Illustrated, p. 15, 5/21/2001) | |
| Apr 09 | Major League Soccer announces Miami & Chicago expansion. | Ref: 5 |
- 1999
| Jul 10 | The US women's soccer team wins the World Cup beating China 5-4 in a shootout after 120 minutes of scoreless play at the Rose Bowl in CA. (XDG, p 4A, 7/10/2000) | Ref: 83 |
- 2000
| Jul 09 | Twelve people died in a soccer stampede set off when police fired tear gas at bottle-throwing fans during a World Cup qualifier between Zimbabwe and South Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe. (South Africa's 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe was ruled official.) | Ref: 6 |
- 2002
| May 31 | The World Cup soccer tournament opened in Asia for the first time with a match held in South Korea, which co-hosted the event with Japan. | Ref: 70 |
- 2003
| Oct 11 | Germany beats Sweden 2-1 in overtime to win the World Cup of women's soccer; the US defeats Canada 3-1 to win 3rd place. (WSJ, p A1, 10/13/2003) | Ref: 33 |
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Soccer Chronology