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·23 January 2025

10 Oldest Soccer Clubs Still Active

Article image:10 Oldest Soccer Clubs Still Active

We all know that soccer isn’t just a game. It’s a sport steeped in local pride, history and tradition. Sure, the modern game has evolved significantly from its roots back in the mid-19th century, evolving from a uniquely United Kingdom passtime into a global phenomenon. But the fact remains that many UK clubs from that bygone era who played a role in defining soccer’s early years are still active today. These historic institutions are a testament to soccer’s enduring legacy, whether they be local amateur teams or professional clubs competing in the highest tiers of the game.

Sheffield FC (1857)

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Where: Derbyshire, England
Current League: Northern Premier League Division One East (8th tier of the Pyramid)
Overview: Recognized by FIFA as the world’s first soccer club, Sheffield FC was founded in 1857. They also drafted a different codified ruleset for the game, known as the Sheffield Rules, and did not switch the later FA Rules until 1878. Despite never played at the highest levels of professional soccer, their legacy as pioneers of the sport is unmatched.

Cambridge University AFC (1856/1857)

Article image:10 Oldest Soccer Clubs Still Active

The Cambridge University rugby crest

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Where: Cambridge, England
Current League: Amateur (British Universities & Colleges Sport Midland 1A)
Overview: Cambridge University AFC claims to be the oldest soccer club based on a reference found in the 1856 edition of the Cambridge Rules (yet another rules variation that predated the FA Rules of 1863). Regardless of your opinion as to who was first, this club is OLD and its role in the history of soccer looms large. They have never gone professional, continuing to compete with the British university leagues.

Cray Wanderers (1860)

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Where: Chislehurst, London, England
Current League: Isthmian League Premier Division (7th tier of the Pyramid)
Overview: Cray Wanderers is one of the oldest semi-professional clubs. Though they haven’t reached the top tier (or even the second or third), they have amassed a dozen trophies within different leagues and competitions over their 165 year run. This year, they reached the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, where they lost 1-0 to 6th tier Tonbridge Angels.

Hallam FC (1860)

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Where: South Yorkshire, England
Current League: Northern Counties East League (9th tier of the Pyramid)
Overview: While they claim to be the SECOND oldest soccer club (again, this is disputed), they do have the distinction of playing their home matches in the oldest, continuously-used-and- still-running soccer ground: Sandygate Road. They are also fierce rivals with nearby Sheffield FC, with whom they have contested the heated Rules Derby since December, 1860.

Article image:10 Oldest Soccer Clubs Still Active

Sandygate Road – the oldest continuously used soccer pitch (Source)

Worksop Town (1861)

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Where: Nottinghamshire, England
Current League: Northern Premier League Northern Division (7th tier of the Pyramid)
Overview: The club claims to have been founded in 1861, and that date appears on its crest, though there is no credible proof to back this up. Known as “The Tigers,” Worksop Town has had a number of different names and manifestations in their long history but has always bounced between the lower leagues of the England pyramid.

Notts County (1862)

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Where: England
Current League: EFL League Two (4th tier of the Pyramid)
Overview: Move over, Newcastle… Notts County has an older claim to “The Magpies” nickname. The oldest professional soccer club in the world, Notts County was one of a dozen founding members of the Football League in 1888. They have played at every level of the football pyramid, though recently spent four years outside the EFL and only recently rejoined in 2023. Italian club Juventus replaced their original kit with the Notts County black-and-white stripes in 1902.

Royal Engineers AFC (1863)

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Where: Kent, England
Current League: The Army Football Association (Amateur)
Overview: As the name indicates, this soccer team is associated with the British Army’s Royal Corps of Engineers. One of the earliest squads to employ combination play and a passing game (as opposed to just dribbing), they were FA Cup winners in 1875 and runners-up three other times in the 1870s. The Sappers ceased to be a competitive force before WWI, but still play in their signature red and blue hooped kit against other Army teams.

Wrexham AFC (1864)

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Where: Wrexham, Wales / Wrecsam, Cymru
Current League: EFL League One (3rd tier of the Pyramid)
Overview: Wrexham is the oldest soccer club in Wales with a long and glorious history, but an equally long period of decline, including a 12-year spell in non-league. Their home pitch The Racecourse Ground is also the oldest international stadium still in use today. Since their takeover by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenney in 2022, and the success of their documentary Welcome to Wrexham, the club has become a global sensation. But they’ve also delivered on the field by experiencing back-to-back promotions into the EFL.

Queens Park FC (1867)

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Where: Glasgow, Scotland
Current League: Scottish Championship (2nd tier)
Overview: Scotland’s oldest soccer club, Queens Park’s motto is Ludere Causa Ludendi – “To Play for the Sake of Playing.” They remained amateur until 2019 but have quickly climbed up from the 4th to the 2nd tier once turning professional. As early innovators of the passing game, they earned the nickname “The Spiders” for their intricate play.

Kilmarnock FC (1869)

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Where: Ayrshire, Scotland
Current League: Scottish Premiership (top tier)
Overview: The second oldest soccer club in Scotland, Kilmarnock’s storied history includes playing in European competition, three Scottish Cup wins, a Scottish League Cup win in 2011-12 and 44 victories in the local Ayrshire Cup. Kilmarnock was the historical home of the Johnny Walker distillery, so you can imagine victory parties were celebrated with a dram and a Killie pie.

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