FOOTBALL

Where football comes from Kicking-a-ball games are ancient. China's cuju dates back more than two thousand years, and the Romans played harpastum. In medieval Europe, whole villages played chaotic "mob football" with almost no rules. The modern game starts in 1863, when clubs in London founded the Football Association and wrote a common set of rules. That is also the moment football and rugby went their separate ways. Organised competition followed quickly: 1871–72: the FA Cup, the oldest football competition in the world 1872: the first official international, Scotland vs England in Glasgow, a 0-0 draw 1888: the Football League, the first professional league 1904: FIFA founded in Paris Defining moments 1930: the first World Cup, in Uruguay. The hosts won it. 1950: the "Maracanazo". Brazil needed only a draw at home and lost the deciding match to Uruguay in front of a huge Maracanã crowd. 1954: the "Miracle of Bern", when West Germany beat the great Hungarian side in the final. 1958: a 17-year-old Pelé announces himself at the World Cup. 1974: the Netherlands' "Total Football" changes how the game is thought about. 1986: Maradona's "Hand of God" and his solo goal against England, in the same match. 1992–95: the Premier League and the rebranded Champions League arrive, and the Bosman ruling opens up player movement. Together they created modern football's economics. 1991 and beyond: the first Women's World Cup, with the women's game growing into a major global event. The latest chapter: World Cup 2026 The 2026 tournament was the first held across three countries (the U.S., Canada and Mexico) and the biggest ever, with 48 teams and 104 matches. Spain beat defending champion Argentina 1-0 in the final, with Ferran Torres scoring in extra time, which gave them their second World Cup title. The final was decided in the 106th minute, and Argentina played extra time with ten men after Enzo Fernández was sent off. In the semi-finals, Spain beat France 2-0. France finished fourth after losing the third-place match to England 6-4.