The origins of football trace back to various ancient civilizations, each contributing in its own way to the evolution of the game we know today. Among them, the Ancient Greeks played a notable role with their ball game known as Episkyros.

Episkyros: An Ancient Greek Ball Game

Episkyros was a team-based game played between two groups of 12 to 14 players. It was highly physical and allowed full contact, with players using both their hands and feet to control the ball. A central white line, known as the skyros, separated the two teams, and the objective was to throw the ball over the opposing team's heads. While the game was primarily played by men, historical evidence suggests that women occasionally participated as well.

FIFA's View on Football’s Origins

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) acknowledges Episkyros as an early form of football. However, it officially recognizes the Chinese game Cuju as the first documented version of the sport.

Cuju (translated as “kick ball”) dates back over 2,000 years and is mentioned in military manuals from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). The game involved kicking a leather ball through a small opening in a net and was widely practiced as a form of military training.

Greece vs. China: Two Distinct Games

Although both Episkyros and Cuju involved a ball and required teamwork, their gameplay and objectives differed significantly:

Episkyros was more like a mix of rugby and football, allowing hand use and physical contact.
Cuju, on the other hand, strictly prohibited hand use and focused on kicking skills, aligning more closely with modern football rules.

Did the Ancient Greeks Invent Football?

While the Ancient Greeks contributed to the early history of ball games, FIFA credits Cuju as the first true form of football. Therefore, even though Episkyros bore some similarities to the modern sport, it does not qualify as its direct ancestor.