On 30 November 1872, the first international football match was played.

148 years ago, the first official international football match was played between England and Scotland. Beginning worldwide success.

The Football Association, nine years after the creation of the English Football Federation, has played its first international match. It was on 30 November 1872 at Hamilton Crescent in Partick (Scotland) between England and Scotland. The meeting was played in front of around 4000 spectators, who were a bit hungry from the goalless draw.

At the time, it was the meeting between the Scottish workers’ football and the English elite’s football. It is also the year when the size and weight of the ball will be standardized as previously it was the subject of an agreement between the parties concerned during the preparation of the match.

This confrontation between the two oldest football associations – 1863 for England and 1873 for Scotland – is therefore the first official international meeting, even though there have been five meetings between the two nations. But with the Scots living in London. By 1879, England and Scotland were the only two national selections. Then comes Wales and Ireland.

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