Scottish Football Association Founded

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) was founded on March 13, 1873. It is the second oldest national football association in the world, after England’s Football Association (FA), which was established in 1863. The SFA was formed to standardize the rules of the game in Scotland, as different clubs were playing by various sets of rules, making inter-club matches chaotic at times.

The founding of the SFA was a pivotal moment in the development of football in Scotland. It helped organize the sport, leading to more structured competitions and the establishment of the Scottish Cup in the same year, which is the world’s second oldest football competition. The Scottish Cup was created to provide a national competition for the sport, following the model of the FA Cup in England.

The formation of the SFA also paved the way for international football, with Scotland playing in the first official international football match against England in 1872, a year before the SFA’s establishment. The association has been responsible for overseeing the development of football in Scotland, including the national team, the Scottish Cup, and later, the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).

Over the years, the SFA has played a crucial role in promoting football across all levels in Scotland, from grassroots to the professional game, ensuring the sport’s growth and sustainability. Its founding marked the beginning of a more organized and unified approach to football in Scotland, contributing significantly to the global development of the sport.