History of the game
The history of the game, from the original invention and patent registration in 1929, following the centuries up to todays modern sports table football.
Flick to kick – the three (3) well known and famous words, printed on millions of boxes and catalogues. showing how the game is played.
1929 – 2029 will experience the 100 year jubilee of this fantastic table top game, which featured millions of sold sets and millions of fantastic championship- and cup matches played on the classic green cloth, all over our blue planet.
Come in and join us in our glorious time travel journey from the last millenium up to the main entrance of modern sports venues.
Timeline
| Timeline | Abbreviation | Historical fact | Important Person | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1893–1940s | ||||
| 1893 | Newfooty | Mr William Lane Keeling was born (around) September. (b.1893 – d.1976) | William Lane Keeling | Birth |
| 1916 | Subbuteo | Mr Peter Adolph was born. (b.1916 – d 1994) | Peter Adolph | Birth |
| 1925 | Newfooty | Table football/soccer invented from Mr. William Lane Keeling for his children. The Development began until the patent was able to be registered. | William Lane Keeling | Development |
| 1929 | Newfooty | Newfooty Company founded and invented table football / soccer material. The figures where flat version with a plastic base and lead at the bottom of the base. The patent for Newfooty was registered. | William Lane Keeling | Patent registration |
| 1934 | NPA | The ‘Newfooty Players Association’ (NPA) was founded. In England people could become member to participate in Leagues and Cup competitions. It was the world’s first “players association” organized by Newfooty Company. There was also a Newfooty player of the Year Trophy. The Newfooty handbook “Libro Oficial” was also available in Spanish language with “Instrucciones y Reglamentos” for “Futbol de Mesa”. | NPA | |
| 1939 | Newfooty | Newfooty Patent ran 1929–1934, and a second period of 5 years, 1934–1939. | William Lane Keeling | .. |
| 1947 | Subbuteo | Subbuteo Sports Games Ltd was founded by Mr. Peter Adolph. New material and flat cardboard figures came into sales. | Peter Adolph | Flat figures |
| 1948 | FBFTS | The first national association was founded in Belgium (FBFTS). Mr. Beliard becomes the first Belgium champion. The world has its first table football/soccer champion. | Mr. Beliard | Belgium |
| 1950s–1960s | ||||
| 1950 | TSPA | Peter Adolph founds the ‘Table Soccer Players Association’ (TSPA) in England. | Peter Adolph | TSPA |
| 1953 | Newfooty | Newfooty brings the first 3D plastic figurine into the market. | William Lane Keeling | 3D |
| 1954 | NTVB | The Dutch federation (NTVB) was founded in Haarlem (NED). | NTVB | .. |
| 1957 | Subbuteo | Subbuteo Sports Games Ltd. takes over rivals Newfooty Company from Liverpool. 1957–58 the first team championship was played in Belgium. Subbuteo Club Jemeppe became the first team champion. | Peter Adolph | Company takeover |
| 1960 | FBFTS | The first international match (National Teams) was played in Bruxelles (BEL) on 7 February 1960, between Belgium and the Netherlands. Belgium won. The foundation of an international federation was in line. Later in Oct./Nov. 1960, England lost 1–2 vs. Belgium in Tunbridge the 2nd International match. | .. | International match. |
| 1961 | UES | The “Union Europeene de Subbuteo (UES)” was founded in Schiedam (NED) by Mr. Ling (NTVB), Mr Kroonberg (FBFTS) and Mr. Feuerlein (DSTFB). He was the first president of the DSTFB (GER), which was founded shortly before the creation of the UES/UNEFTA. The UES was the predecessor of the ETF. | UES | Foundation |
| 1963 | ETF | The motivation was set to found a real European table football/soccer federation, for all European countries. The ‘European Table Soccer Federation’ ETF / ‘Union Europeene de Football de table’ UNEFTA’ was founded in 1963 by the three active nations: Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The BTSA (British Table Soccer Association) was founded and invited, but showed no interest in joining the ETF. | .. | .. |
| 1964 | ETF | The 1st ETF Europa Cup was played in Rotterdam (NL), which saw Marinus Schild became the first International Champion. | .. | .. |
| 1965 | ETF | BEL, NED, GER, ENG and FRA participated in Bruxelles at the 2nd Edition of the ETF Cup. The first French player at the ETF Europa Cup was Mr.de Smet (FRA). The BTSA was changed into BSTSA with the S standing for Subbuteo. | xxx | .. |
| 1967 | BSTSA | The British Subbuteo Table Soccer Association (BSTSA) splits into separate independent associations, with free choice of material and not regulated by Subbuteo. The foundation of the English Table Soccer Association (ETSA), Scottish (STSA) and Welsh (WTSA) were based on democratic elections. | .. | .. |
| 1969 | WSSG | Waddingtons take over Subbuteo Sports Games (SSG). The SSTFB (later SSTV) was founded in Switzerland by Mr. Dieter Brechbühl. | SSG | Company takeover |
| 1970s–1980s | ||||
| 1970 | SSG | The 1st Subbuteo World Cup was played in London (ENG). Subbuteo Sports Games. | Peter Adolph | World Cup. |
| 1973 | EÖTV | The EÖTV was founded in Vienna, Austria by Mr. Gustav Adler. | Gustav Adler | .. |
| 1975 | FISCT | The Italian championships are organized. In March the ‘Federatione Italian Calcio Miniatura Subbuteo’ FICMS is founded. The FICMS is affiliated with the ETF, the European federation, where all materials are permitted. FICMS plays only with the 3D-Subbuteo figures and not with the flat traditional figures. | Edilio Parodi | FICMS |
| 1976 | Newfooty | William Lane Keeling departed | William Lane Keeling | departed |
| 1979 | FISA | FISA (Subbuteo company controlled) was founded as an alternative to ETF (democratic sports federation). | .. | .. |
| 1980 | FISA | The 1st FISA European Championship (National teams of 1 Senior and 2 Junior) where played in Rome (ITA). | .. | .. |
| 1983 | ETF | The ETF Nations Cup made a comeback on behalf of DSTFB German initiative . | Horst Becker | .. |
| 1985 | ETF-FISA | The Europa Cup for club teams was born (in-official event). The Nations came closer. | Eric Naszalyi | |
| 1987 | FICMS | The FICMS was closed and the Associationi Italia Calcio in Miniatura Subbuteo (AICiMS) was founded. The name was changed, because it was necessary to remove the word “Federation” (replaced by “Association”), it was a bureaucratic issue, due to the relationship with ‘Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano’ (CONI). Curiously the same problem arose again in 2013 in FISCT. | AICIMS | |
| 1990s–2000s | ||||
| 1992 | FISTF | FISTF was founded in Hamburg, Germany, 16 June 1992. On the same weekend the Subbuteo European Championship was held in Hamburg. | Laurent Garnier | Willy Hofmann |
| 1993 | FISTF-ESTF | The 1. FISTF European Championship was played in Verviers (BEL). The 30th Edition of the ETF (ESTF) Europa Cup was played and ESTF defunct in Farehem (ENG) with the democratic votes of the participating nations (ENG, WAL, SCO, MAL, AUT, GER, SUI, NED). Belgium and France did not participate. The FISTF Europa Cup for clubs had its official debut edition played. | Defunct | |
| 1994 | FISTF-FISA | The 1st FISTF World Championship was played in Paris (FRA) and the 7th FISA Subbuteo World Cup was played for the first time outside Europe, in Chicago, (USA). In the same year Hasbro (USA) take over Waddingtons Sports Games section (UK), including Monopoly and Cluedo. Mr. Peter Adolph, the founder of Subbuteo Sports Games departed. | Two world cups |
Company takeover. Departed. |
| 1995 | ZEUGO | Zeugo playing equipment was introduced. The Emilio Parodi company (Genoa, ITA) created their own table football sets and material. | Edilio and Giovanni Parodi | |
| 1996 | FISA | FISA was defunct in London (ENG) after the last edition. Hasbro fails to supply good playing material for the world players. Many new manufacturers arose to supply good quality playing material. | .. | |
| 1998 | GSS | Global Sports Games (Lichtenstein), The ‘Toccer’ figure was invented by Willy Hofmann (SUI). | Willy Hofmann | |
| 2000 | FISTF | The FISTF World Masters was installed. | ||
| 2010s–2020s | ||||
| 2010 | FISTF | The Europa Cup for clubs was rebranded into the FISTF Champions- and Europa League. | ||
| 2011 | WASPA | World Amateur Subbuteo Players Association founded from Mr. Vincent Coppenolle (Belgium). | Vincent Coppenolle | |
| 2014 | NSVB | 60 years of Sports table football in the Netherlands (NSVB). | Jubilee | |
| 2017 | FISTF, Subbuteo | 70 Years Subbuteo trade mark. 25 Years FISTF. | Jubilee | |
| 2017 | CASTFA | The Confederation of Asian Sports Table Football Associations (CASTFA) was founded in Tokyo 11 June 2017 by executives of NOSKSJ (Japan), TFAS (Singapore), ATFA (Australia), and FISTF Vice President, Stephen Dettre. Kenzo Koi was named first president of CASTFA | .. | |
| 2018 | FISTF | World Cup in Gibraltar, the smallest country as FISTF member will be host to the main Event. | GTSA | |
| 2018 | FBFTS | 70 Years FBFTS-Belgian Association. 1. WASPA World Cup in Budapest, Hungaria | Vincent Coppenolle | |
| 2019 | SSTV, Newfooty | 50 Years SSTV-Swiss Association. 90 Years Newfooty invention. The European Youth Champions League, 1st Edition | William Lane Keeling | |
| 2020 | CONASTF | The Confederation of North American Sports Table Football was founded 8th February 2020 in Ontario (Canada). Founding members are American Subbuteo Association and Subbuteo Canada. The foundation fell during the time when the Corona Virus Covid-19 emerged world wide and several FISTF tournaments had to be cancelled. The World Cup 2020 in Rome, Italy was postponed until 2021. | Horst Deimel | Mike Sgro, Bryan Arnold |
| 2022 | FISTF | 30 Years FISTF | Laurent Garnier | |
| 2023 | EÖTV, DSTFB | 50 Years EÖTV-Austrian Association. 60 Years DSTFB-German Association. | Jubilee | |
| 2025 | FISCT | 50 Years FISCT-Italian Association (formal FICMS and AICIMS) | Jubilee | |
| 2029 | STF | 100 Years Sport Table Football, from Newfooty to modern Sport Table Football/Soccer. | 100 Years | |
| .. | .. | .. | .. |
Last update: 2020 April 10