Club Of Pioneers

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.

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.

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)

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

(February 2024)

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.