The following are the association football events of the year 1898 throughout the world. Events January 1: Footballing arm of Belgian club K.A.A. Gent established. April 5: Portsmouth founded May 8: Genoa become the first ever Italian national champions May 12: French club Tourcoing FC founded (as US Tourcoing) December: French club Union Sportive Boulonnaise founded at Boulogne-sur-Mer. Italian Football Federation is founded National champions Argentina: Lomas Athletic Club Belgium: FC Liégeois England: Sheffield United France: Standard Athletic Club Ireland: Linfield Italy: Genoa (first Italian champions) Netherlands: RAP Amsterdam (first Eredivisie champions) Scotland: Divions One: Celtic Scottish Cup: Rangers Sweden: Örgryte IS Switzerland: Grasshopper Zurich (unofficial) International tournaments 1898 British Home Championship (February 19 – April 2, 1898) Births January 7 – Dick MacNeill, Dutch footballer (d. 1963) Deaths June 30 – Reg Birkett, English footballer Clubs founded K.A.A. Gent Portsmouth FC BSC Young Boys SV Darmstadt 98 Crosshaven AFC References Association football by year