Why Was Soccer Banned in the 1300s?
By Drew Johnson
Soccer — or football as it is called throughout most of the world — was first played in Britain between 700 AD and 800 AD. Unlike the relatively peaceful state of the game today, soccer was a very violent sport in its early age.
Injuries and even deaths occurred during this time. It was a truly brutal game. Soccer was widely popular among commoners during this era but those of higher class and in positions of power were not so keen on it.
On April 13, 1314, King Edward II banned the sport in England. In fact, the monarch said, “For as much as there is great noise in the city, caused by hustling over large balls from which many evils might arise which God forbid, we command and forbid, on behalf of the king, a pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city in the future.”
Like a teenager being threatened punishment by their parents, citizens were not phased a bit and continued to play. In 1331, King Edward III passed new laws that banned the game even further. Over the next century, King Richard II, Henry V, and Henry VI consistently scrutinized and passed more laws to prevent the game from being played.
During this time, England was in the midst of the 100 Years War with France. Monarchs feared that the sport was too enticing to commoners, so much so that they would not feel inclined to train for and join the military. The game did not have a formal title and went by multiple names across the country, and did not even have an official set of rules.
In 1442, King James I banned the game in Scotland and between 1331 and 1660, a number of monarchs also banned the game in their nations. However, soccer fans were resilient. Despite the threat of punishment and imprisonment, their love of the game was too strong to be thwarted. This also prevailed despite the game’s violent nature at the time.
Eventually, English royalty saw that there was nothing that could be done. They officially legalized the game in 1605 and even began to be looked on fondly by those in powers. It started becoming clear that soccer was making a positive impact on society, namely keeping children out of trouble.
In 1848, the rules of the game were standardized. They are known as the Cambridge Rules and many of these rules are prevalent in the game today.
At its core, soccer is a sport of rebellion. It speaks volumes of its fans and players’ love of the game. From kicking the ball around in the backyard and playing in front of millions of people on the international stage, those who play the game today have the resilience of commoners in the Middle Ages to thank.
