On October 26, 1863, representatives from eleven football clubs and schools gathered in London to agree on a standardised set of rules for the game—marking the birth of organised football as we know it today.

At the time, football’s popularity was surging. More teams were forming, more spectators were turning out—but everyone was playing by their own version of the rules.

Why was it essential to unify those rules? How did this decision shape the evolution of clubs and competitions? What role did competitive football play in Victorian society? And which team reigned supreme during those early years?

This marks the beginning of a new series by Tifo Football by The Athletic, tracing the complete history of the world’s game.