HISTORY:

Evidence from many ancient societies-Chinese, Greek, Mayan, and Egyptian-reveals that kicking games were played in those cultures. The modern game of soccer began in the 19th century in England, where a variety of football games developed, all of which involved both handling and kicking. At a meeting of the London Football Association (FA) in 1863, the game of football was split into rugby football (the parent sport of American football), in which handling and carrying the ball was allowed, and association football, which banned the use of the hands. The FA established the first set of rules for soccer, which was played at that time mostly in private schools and universities. Before long, soccer became widely played by people of the working classes, and in 1885 the FA reluctantly recognized the legitimacy of professional players. The FA Cup, a tournament first organized in 1871, sparked the rapid spread of soccer in England. The tournament, which is still played, climaxes with the annual Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London.Regular league play started in England in 1888. A game in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1872 between an English all-star team and its Scottish counterpart marked the beginning of international play.

Soccer's global spread began at the end of the 19th century, when British traders, sailors, and workers carried the sport all over the world. Germans, Italians, and Austrians were eager converts in Europe, while Argentines, Uruguayans, and Brazilians took quickly to the sport in South America. By 1930 professional leagues were operating in many countries, and that year FIFA-formed in 1904-organized the first World Championship. Now known simply as the World Cup, the tournament is played every four years and has become the world's most popular sporting event. Olympic soccer competition-traditionally limited to amateur players-has been largely overshadowed by the World Cup and its professional players. In an attempt to invigorate soccer at the Olympic Games, eligibility requirements were modified in the 1980s to allow the use of professional players. Olympic players must be aged 23 or under, but each team is allowed to field three over-age players.

One nation that long resisted soccer's appeal was the United States: Soccer was played, mostly among immigrants, but it was not until the 1970s that a national professional league gained some popularity. The North American Soccer League (NASL), founded in 1968, brought Brazilian star Pelé to the United States, and by 1980 the league had 24 teams. The NASL suffered financially, and in 1984 it went out of business. However, the league left a legacy of growing American involvement in the sport at youth level. By the 1990s, soccer was recognized as the fastest-growing college and high school sport in the United States. The Soccer Industry Council of America estimated that by 1994 there were more than 13 million boys and girls under the age of 18 who played soccer.

The growing number of players in the United States attracted sponsorship backing for the sport, and faith in its future was recognized by FIFA when it granted the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) the right to organize the 1994 World Cup. The event proved to be a great success, attracting nearly 3.6 million spectators over the course of its 52 games. The increased American interest in soccer, sparked by the 1994 World Cup, led the USSF to announce plans for the formation of a new professional soccer league-to be called Major League Soccer (MLS)-scheduled to begin play in 1996.

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