Oldest Football Clubs in England
A complete list of English football clubs ranked by the year they were founded. From Victorian-era pioneers to modern community clubs — explore the full history of English football.
Football History — Key Facts & Records
Oldest surviving independent football club in the world
Founded on 24 October 1857, recognised by FIFA and the FA as the world's oldest.
Oldest professional football club in the world
Officially founded in December 1864, informally active from 1862.
Oldest club in London
Founded in 1860, the oldest club now playing association football in Greater London.
First FA Cup winners
Won the inaugural FA Cup in the 1871-72 season, beating Royal Engineers 1-0.
Oldest surviving founder of the FA
The only founding member of the Football Association still playing association football.
Oldest club in Wales
Evidence discovered in 2012 proved Wrexham were formed in 1864, not 1872 as previously thought.
Oldest Scottish football club (playing association)
Founded on 9 July 1867, the only amateur club in the SPFL until 2019.
All Clubs by Founding Year
The History of England's Oldest Football Clubs
English football has the deepest roots of any footballing nation in the world. The game as we know it was codified in 1863 when the Football Association was formed in London, but clubs had been organising matches for years before that — Sheffield FC, founded in 1857, is recognised by FIFA as the oldest independent football club in the world.
The non-league pyramid is home to hundreds of clubs with histories stretching back to the Victorian era. Many were founded by churches, factories, pubs or schools, and have survived two world wars, relocations and financial crises to continue playing today. From small market towns to inner-city communities, these clubs are living pieces of social history.
Some of the oldest clubs in the pyramid — like Cray Wanderers (1860), Brigg Town (1864) and Maidenhead United (1870) — still compete at the semi-professional level. Others have rich stories of FA Cup giant-killings, famous former players and grounds that have hosted football for over 150 years.
This page ranks every club in our database by their founding year, giving you a unique window into the evolution of English football from its earliest days to the present.