In which century did the first professional football clubs emerge?

The rise of professional football clubs is really a story rooted in the Victorian era, the 19th century. Think about the Industrial Revolution – people moved to cities for work, and this created large communities with more leisure time. Football, which had been played in various forms for centuries, became increasingly popular as a recreational activity. As the game became more organised, with standardised rules, clubs started to form. Initially, these were often linked to factories or churches. The key turning point was the gradual shift towards paying players. This was driven by the desire to attract the best talent and win matches, which in turn drew bigger crowds. While football existed before, it was in the 19th century that clubs like Notts County (1862) and Stoke City (1863) were founded, marking the beginning of professional football as we know it. So, while the 20th century saw football become a global phenomenon, the seeds of professionalism were firmly planted in the 1800s.