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Club of Pioneers

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Countries of origin of member clubs, as of May 2024.

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

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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

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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

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Club Country founded in League Season 23/24 Level Continent
Sheffield FC England England 1857, 24 October Northern Premier League Division One East 8 Europe
Wrexham AFC Wales Wales 1864, 4 October League One 3 Europe
Queen's Park FC Scotland Scotland 1867, 9 July Scottish Championship 2 Europe
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub Denmark Denmark 1876, 26 April Copenhagen Series 6 Europe
FC St. Gallen Switzerland Switzerland 1879, 19 April Swiss Super League 1 Europe
Koninklijke HFC Netherlands Netherlands 1879, 15 September Second Division 3 Europe
Cliftonville FC Northern Ireland Northern Ireland 1879, 20 September NIFL Premiership 1 Europe
Royal Antwerp FC Belgium Belgium 1880 Pro League 1 Europe
Savages FC Pietermaritzburg South Africa South Africa 1882, 26 August Not applicable[1] n.a. Africa
Balgownie Rangers F.C. Australia Australia 1883 Not applicable n.a. Oceania
Hong Kong F.C. Hong Kong Hong Kong 1886, 12 February Hong Kong Premier League 1 Asia
Yokohama C&AC Japan Japan 1886, 26 December Not applicable[2] n.a. Asia
Associação Académica de Coimbra Portugal Portugal 1887, 3 November Liga 3 3 Europe
North Shore United AFC New Zealand New Zealand 1887 NRFL Division 1 3 Oceania
Örgryte IS Sweden Sweden 1887, 4 December Superettan 2 Europe
BFC Germania 1888 Germany Germany 1888, 15 April Kreisliga Berlin B Staffel 6 10 Europe
Mohun Bagan Super Giant India India 1889, 15 August Indian Super League[3] 1 Asia
Real Club Recreativo de Huelva Spain Spain 1889, 23 December Primera Federación 3 Europe
St. George's FC Malta Malta 1890 National Amateur League 3 Europe
Albion Football Club Uruguay Uruguay 1891, 1 June Primera División 2 South America
Tvøroyrar Bóltfelag Faroe Islands Faroe Islands 1892, 13 May 1. deild 1 Europe
Santiago Wanderers Chile Chile 1892, 15 August Primera B de Chile 2 South America
Genoa CFC Italy Italy 1893, 7 September Serie A 1 Europe
Odds Ballklubb Norway Norway 1894, 31 March Eliteserien 1 Europe
First Vienna FC Austria Austria 1894, 22 August 2. Liga 2 Europe
CS Fola Esch Luxembourg Luxembourg 1906, 9 December National Division 1 Europe
Botev Plovdiv Bulgaria Bulgaria 1912, 11 March First Professional Football League 1 Europe
FK Ljuboten North Macedonia North Macedonia 1919, 28 March Third Football League 3 Europe
FK Sveikata Lithuania Lithuania 1919, 8 June II Lyga 3 Europe
SV Voorwaarts Suriname Suriname 1919, 1 August Topklasse 1 South America
AC Libertas San Marino San Marino 1928, 4 September Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio 1 Europe


(May 2024)

Pioneers Cup

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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)

Notes

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  1. ^ "Info". Facebook. 20 November 2022. (...)Savages has junior teams from U6 to U17, and senior teams: Over 35 and Over 50
  2. ^ Yokohama Country & Athletic Club (20 December 2021). "Football". Retrieved 20 November 2022. 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 represents the football section of Mohun Bagan AC since 2020.

Sources

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