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Medieval Football

Medieval football is a term in the modern era which is used to call a variety of localized games which were invented in the Middle Ages, which includes Mob Football. Medieval football can also be called folk football, mob football, and Shrovetide football. These games are still played today. These types of football are usually played between neighboring towns and villages, involving an unlimited number of players on both teams.



There are still a number of medieval football games which are still played today. One is Alniwick that is played in Northumberland, Atherstone Ball in Warwickshire, Corfe Castle in Dorset, Haxey in Lincolnshire, Bottle-kicking in Leicestershire, and Sedgefield in County Durham. In Scotland there’s Duns, Hobkirk, Jedburgh, Scone, and Kirkwall. In France there’s La Soule that is played in Normandy and Brittany.

The Florentine Football Match played in the Piazza di SienaA Calcio Fiorentino match (from the Official Report of the 1960 Olympic Games, v.1, p311)

Some of the extinct medieval football games are Dorking, East Anglia, Newton ferrers, Kingston upon Thames, Teddington, Torrington, and Napan in Wales.

More versions of Medieval Football: Ba game, Calcio Fiorentino, Cornish Hurling, Haxey Hood, Lelo Burti, Royal Shrovetide Football, Uppies and Downies, Mob Football

No longer played: Chester-le-Street, Camping, Caid, Cnapan, La Soule

Alternative Names

Medieval football can also be called folk football, mob football, and Shrovetide football.

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