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.
200 clubs with known founding year — oldest: Shenfield (1857)
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 (200 clubs)
Shenfield
Bray Wanderers
Cray Wanderers
Hallam
Notts County
Civil Service
Stoke City
Brigg Town
KAA Gent
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Trent
Chesterfield
Eaton Socon
Sheffield Wednesday
Wellingborough Town
AFC Leyton
Harefield United
Leyton
Long Melford
Walthamstow
Kilmarnock
Abingdon Town
England
Faringdon Town
Invergordon
Maidenhead United
Marlow
Reigate Priory
Stranraer
Brading Town F.C.
Henley Town
Henley Town F.C.
Horsham
Reading
Reading City
Southall
Sturminster Newton United
Uxbridge
AFC Telford United
Angers
Bury Town
Cefn Druids
Cuckfield Town
Dumbarton
Hillingdon Borough
Islington Borough
Kettering Town
Le Havre
Randers FC
Rangers
Roman Glass St George
Saffron Walden Town
Scotland
Chippenham Town
Colchester Town
Gainsborough Trinity
Halesowen Town
Aston Villa
Biggleswade Town
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop/qs Stortford
Bolton Wanderers
Colliers Wood United
Darlaston Town
Eagley
Grantham Town
Greenock Morton
Hamilton Academical
Heart of Midlothian
Heart Of Midlothian B
Northwich Victoria
AFC Bournemouth
Beith
Birmingham City
Birmingham City (A)
Blackburn Rovers
Bournemouth
Bournemouth FC
Bournemouth Poppies
Hibernian
Hibernians
Kington Town
Newtown
Royston Town
Royton Town
Wokingham Town
Bangor City
Caernarfon Town
Falkirk
Keyworth United
Melksham Town
Middlesbrough
Partick Thistle
Port Vale
Radcliffe Olympic
Radcliffe Olympic F.C.
Rocester
Stafford Rangers
Stourbridge
Wales
Windsor
Witham Town
Witham Town FC
AFC Wolverhampton City
Buxton
Clapton FC
Clyde
Crewe Alexandra
Glasgow University
Golspie Sutherland
Harwich & Parkeston
Harwich & Parkeston F.C.
Newmarket Town
St Mirren
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Alloa Athletic
Arbroath
Ashton United
Brora Rangers
Burnham
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.