Club of Pioneers explained

The Club of Pioneers is a worldwide network of the oldest continuing association football clubs from each country.

The Club of Pioneers was founded in 2013 by Sheffield FC, the first and oldest association football club in the world. The Club of Pioneers aims to discover and connect the world's oldest existing football clubs, to build a global network of like-minded football clubs to promote the importance of football history and the grass roots and amateur game.

Definition of Pioneers

According to today's historical knowledge and available sources of football history, the Sheffield Football Club Foundation awards the honorary membership within the Club of Pioneers to those football clubs, who:

  1. Still play football in amateur or professional football competition today.
  2. Have constantly existed as a sports organisation since their date of foundation. (Exceptions for periods of inactivity due to external reasons, for example war.)
  3. Are by definition the oldest existing football club of their country, referring to the foundation date of a football team as part of a multi-sport club or as a proper football club, playing to association football rules.
  4. Live and support the values of the game and amateur football: Integrity, Respect, Community.

Team Work

The club has a work team made up of great professionals who have been working in the field of football for many years.

  1. President: Richard Tims
  2. Partnerships: Dylan Ralph
  3. Ambassador: Tom Simons (Belgium)
  4. Latam Ambassador: Juan Alvarez (France - Uruguay)
  5. Ambassador: Robert Zitzmann (Germany)

Current members

Club Country founded in League Season 23/24LevelContinent
England 1857, 24 October Northern Premier League Division One East8Europe
Wales 1864, 4 October League One3Europe
Scotland 1867, 9 July Scottish Championship2Europe
Denmark 1876, 26 April Copenhagen Series6Europe
Switzerland 1879, 19 April Swiss Super League1Europe
Netherlands 1879, 15 September Second Division3Europe
Northern Ireland 1879, 20 September NIFL Premiership1Europe
Belgium 1880 Pro League1Europe
South Africa 1882, 26 August Not applicable[1] n.a.Africa
Australia 1883Not applicablen.a.Oceania
Hong Kong 1886, 12 February Hong Kong Premier League1Asia
Japan 1886, 26 December Not applicable[2] n.a.Asia
Portugal 1887, 3 November Liga 33Europe
New Zealand 1887 NRFL Division 13Oceania
Sweden 1887, 4 December Superettan2Europe
Germany 1888, 15 April Kreisliga Berlin B Staffel 610Europe
India 1889, 15 August Indian Super League[3] 1Asia
Spain 1889, 23 December Primera Federación3Europe
Malta 1890 National Amateur League3Europe
Uruguay 1891, 1 June Primera División2South America
Faroe Islands 1892, 13 May 1. deild1Europe
Chile 1892, 15 August Primera B de Chile2South America
Italy 1893, 7 September Serie A1Europe
Norway 1894, 31 March Eliteserien1Europe
Austria 1894, 22 August 2. Liga2Europe
Luxembourg 1906, 9 December National Division1Europe
Bulgaria 1912, 11 March First Professional Football League1Europe
North Macedonia 1919, 28 March Third Football League3Europe
Lithuania 1919, 8 June II Lyga3Europe
Suriname 1919, 1 August Topklasse1South America
San Marino 1928, 4 September Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio1Europe

(May 2024)

Pioneers Cup

Members of the Club of Pioneers, can also take part in a Pioneers Cup: a football tournament where only 'oldest' clubs can participate, to showcase their pioneering heritage. The teams themselves do not play, but are represented by 'Pioneer' teams of fans, former-players, and staff of the club.

Pioneers Cup 2013 - Sheffield
Date 16 November 2013
Venue Sheffield F.C. Stadium - England
Participating teams Sheffield F.C. (England) with Chris Waddle, Carlton Palmer, John Beresford,
RC Recreativo de Huelva (Spain)
Genoa CFC (Italy)with Tomáš Skuhravý, Gennaro Ruotolo
Winners Sheffield F.C.
Pioneers Cup 2014 - Haarlem
Date 30 August 2014
Venue Haarlem - Netherlands
Participating teams Sheffield F.C. (England) with Chris Dolby
Koninklijke HFC (Netherlands) with Tom Van Schaick
Royal Antwerp Fc (Belgium)
Winners Sheffield FC
Pioneers Cup 2014 - Huelva
Date 6 September 2014
Venue Nuevo Colombino - Huelva - Spain
Participating teams RC Recreativo de Huelva (Spain)
Koninklijke HFC (Netherlands)
Genoa CFC (Italy)
Winners RC Recreativo de Huelva
Pioneers Cup 2016 - Antwerp
Date 21 May 2016
Venue Bosuilstadion - Antwerp - Belgium
Participating teams Royal Antwerp F.C. (Belgium) with Jonas De Roeck
Koninklijke HFC (Netherlands) with Tom Van Schaik, Paulo Meijnderhagen
CS Fola Esch (Luxembourg) with Pascal Welter
Winners Koninklijke HFC
extra info Pioneers Cup Ambassador : Laszlo Fazekas
Pioneers Cup 2019 - Haarlem
Date 31 August 2019
Venue Haarlem - Netherlands
Participating teams FK Sveikata (Lithuania) Gintaras Cibirka, Audrius Paškevičius
Koninklijke HFC (Netherlands)
Royal Antwerp Fc (Belgium)
Winners FK Sveikata
Pioneers Cup 2024 - Haarlem
Date 7 September 2024
Venue Haarlem - Netherlands
Participating teams FK Sveikata (Lithuania)
Koninklijke HFC (Netherlands)
Royal Antwerp Fc (Belgium
Winners FK Sveikata (2)

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 20 November 2022 . Info . . "(...)Savages has junior teams from U6 to U17, and senior teams: Over 35 and Over 50".
  2. Web site: Yokohama Country & Athletic Club . 20 December 2021 . Football . 20 November 2022 . en-US . "OVER 30/40 SECTION: The Masters play every weekend against teams from the local community and beyond, and stick behind afterwards for beers at the bar. In the summer, a select squad of Over 40s play in the difficult Kanagawa Senior Masters League. All matches are played at home.(...)".
  3. [Mohun Bagan Super Giant]

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