Football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
(soccer) is the most popular
sport in Hong Kong
Sports in Hong Kong are a significant part of its culture. Due to British influence going as far back as the late 19th century, Hong Kong had an earlier introduction to Western athletics compared to other Asia regions.
In terms of participatio ...
, followed by rugby union. The
Hong Kong Football Association
The Hong Kong Football Association Limited (), often abbreviated to the HKFA, is the governing body of association football in Hong Kong. Its current chairman is Pui Kwan Kay and its Chief Executive Officer is Joaquin Tam.
History
The HKFA was ...
(HKFA) is the governing body for football in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
.
History
![Hong Kong football team, 1923-1924](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Hong_Kong_football_team%2C_1923-1924.jpg)
The first
football club
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an all- ...
of Hong Kong is
Hong Kong Football Club
Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC; ), established in 1886, is a private members' club in Hong Kong. The name reflects the origin as a club for playing association football and rugby.
The club is situated in Happy Valley, with the sports pitche ...
, usually known as The Club, founded in 1886. The club is one of the oldest existing football clubs in Asia.
The first football competition of Hong Kong is the
Challenge Shield, which founded in 1898. Its format is similar to the
FA Challenge Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in men's domestic Football in England, English football. First played d ...
in England.
Tracing back to early 20th century, the Hong Kong football league was founded in 1908. It is probably the oldest professional league in Asia. Most records before the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
have been lost and not many people can remember the old glory of Hong Kong's professional football.
The Hong Kong Football Association, the governing body of Hong Kong football, was founded in 1914 and is one of the oldest football associations in Asia.
In the 1970s and 1980s, football in Hong Kong was strong and popular, with competitive local teams boosted by well known overseas players and managers, playing in front crowds of tens of thousands.
In 1985, in a famous match, Hong Kong upset
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
2-1, in Beijing to move towards a place in the
1986 World Cup. The team ultimately fell short of qualification.
In recent years, major attempts have been made by Hong Kong government to improve both HKFA’s governance and the quality of Hong Kong football under a government scheme called ‘
Project Phoenix’.
Football league system
All the football leagues are organised by the HKFA.
Premier League
The
Hong Kong Premier League
The Hong Kong Premier League () is a Hong Kong professional football league organised by the Hong Kong Football Association. It is currently sponsored by BOC Life and officially known as BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League (). The inaugural seaso ...
began its first season in
2014–15 and is the top flight in Hong Kong. There are eight teams who compete in the league, all of whom are fully professional.
Lower Divisions
The lower divisions consist of the
Hong Kong First Division (D1 League), the
Second Division League (D2 League), and the
Third Division League (D3 League). Most of the teams in the lower divisions are amateur with the occasional semi-professional team. The bottom 4 teams of the Third Division League are eliminated from the league system
2022–23 season
Cup competitions
All the cup competitions are also organised by the HKFA. Among them, the HKFA Cup and Senior Shield are probably the oldest professional football competitions in Asia - even earlier than the league.
There are several cup competitions for clubs at different levels of the football pyramid. The most important cup competition is the
Senior Shield
The Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield (), known commonly as the Senior Shield, is the Association football, football Single-elimination tournament, knockout inter-club competition held in Hong Kong and the List of oldest football competitions, fo ...
, with the winners of the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
qualifying for the
AFC Cup
The AFC Cup is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Under its current rules, the competition is played primarily between clubs from nations that did not receive direct qualifying s ...
.
* The
Senior Shield
The Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield (), known commonly as the Senior Shield, is the Association football, football Single-elimination tournament, knockout inter-club competition held in Hong Kong and the List of oldest football competitions, fo ...
, established in 1896, is the oldest football
knockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
inter-club competition in Asia.
* The
Junior Shield, established in 1922, is a cup competition for clubs playing in levels 2–4 of the football pyramid. It was reformed in 2013 and is currently known as the
FA Cup Junior Division.
* The
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
, established in 1974, is Hong Kong's second major cup competition. The winners of the FA Cup receive either a berth in the
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League (abbreviated as ACL) is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition ...
or the
AFC Cup
The AFC Cup is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Under its current rules, the competition is played primarily between clubs from nations that did not receive direct qualifying s ...
.
* The
Sapling Cup
Hong Kong Football Association Sapling Cup (), more commonly known as Sapling Cup (), is a Hong Kong domestic football competition contested by all the teams in the Hong Kong Premier League. The objective of the Cup is to provide more playing opp ...
, established in 2015, is a cup competition designed to provide young players in the top flight with more first-team minutes. Each club is obligated to have a minimum of three players under the age of 22, on the pitch in each match.
* The
Community Cup
The Community Cup (known as the Reclink Community Cup since 2009 under naming rights) is an annual charity event which features a celebrity mixed-gender Australian rules football match. It is noted for its cult following, celebrity appearan ...
: is a single match played each September between the champions of the
Hong Kong Premier League
The Hong Kong Premier League () is a Hong Kong professional football league organised by the Hong Kong Football Association. It is currently sponsored by BOC Life and officially known as BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League (). The inaugural seaso ...
and the champions of the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
.
There have also been a number of other cup competitions which are no longer run:
* The
League Cup
In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament t ...
(2000–2009, 2010–2012, 2014–2016) was an annual football competition contested by clubs in the
Hong Kong Premier League
The Hong Kong Premier League () is a Hong Kong professional football league organised by the Hong Kong Football Association. It is currently sponsored by BOC Life and officially known as BOC Life Hong Kong Premier League (). The inaugural seaso ...
. It was being discontinued in the 2009–10 season but was relaunched for the 2010–11 season. However, the cup was discontinued again following the 2015–16 season.
* The
Community Shield (2009–2010) is a single match played each August between the champions and first runners-up of the previous season's
First Division League 1st Division may refer to:
Military
Airborne divisions
*1st Parachute Division (Germany)
*1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)
*1st Airmobile Division (Ukraine)
* 1st Guards Airborne Division
Armoured divisions
* 1st Armoured Division (Austra ...
.
* The
Viceroy Cup
Hong Kong Viceroy Cup () was a football competition in Hong Kong held by British American Tobacco. Started in 1969, it was the first football competition in Hong Kong which allowed commercial sponsorship. Together with First Division League, FA C ...
(1969–1998) was the first football competition in Hong Kong which allowed business sponsorship.
Cup eligibility
*
Senior Shield
The Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield (), known commonly as the Senior Shield, is the Association football, football Single-elimination tournament, knockout inter-club competition held in Hong Kong and the List of oldest football competitions, fo ...
: Level 1
*
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
: Level 1
*
Sapling Cup
Hong Kong Football Association Sapling Cup (), more commonly known as Sapling Cup (), is a Hong Kong domestic football competition contested by all the teams in the Hong Kong Premier League. The objective of the Cup is to provide more playing opp ...
: Level 1
*
Community Cup
The Community Cup (known as the Reclink Community Cup since 2009 under naming rights) is an annual charity event which features a celebrity mixed-gender Australian rules football match. It is noted for its cult following, celebrity appearan ...
: Level 1
*
FA Cup Junior Division: Level 2–4
Notable clubs
*
Kitchee
Kitchee Sports Club (; ; ) is a Hong Kong professional football club based in Kowloon. It was founded in 1931 and currently competes in the Hong Kong Premier League.
The club has won championships in Hong Kong 11 times, including 6 Hong Kong ...
*
Eastern
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
*Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
*Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991
*Eastern Air Li ...
*
South China
South China () is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is that most of its citizens are not n ...
*
Happy Valley
*
Sun Hei
Sun Hei Sports Club () is a Hong Kong football club which currently competes in the Hong Kong Third Division. The club has a long history in playing in the top flight, but decided to self-relegate in the 2013–14 season after declining to parti ...
*
HKFC
Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC; ), established in 1886, is a private members' club in Hong Kong. The name reflects the origin as a club for playing association football and rugby.
The club is situated in Happy Valley, with the sports pitche ...
*
Instant Dict.
*
Seiko
, commonly known as Seiko ( , ), is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, semiconductors, jewelry, and optical products. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced one of the first quartz watches and the ...
''(defunct)''
*
List of football clubs in Hong Kong
National teams
Men's
The
Hong Kong national football team
The Hong Kong national football team () represents Hong Kong in international association football, football and is controlled by the Hong Kong Football Association, the governing body for football in Hong Kong. Hong Kong was the first in Asia ...
represents Hong Kong in men's international football events. The team competed their first international match in 1947 against
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
during the colonial period. Even after 1997 the
transfer of sovereignty to China, it continues to represent Hong Kong separately from the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
as its own national team in international competitions due to the "
One country, two systems
"One country, two systems" is a constitutional principle of the People's Republic of China (PRC) describing the governance of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
The constitutional principle was formulated in the early ...
" principle. The team has never qualified for the
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
, with the closest time being the
1986 World Cup cycle, which also highlighted their most successful period. Recent success include winning the
East Asian Games
The East Asian Games was a multi-sport event organized by the East Asian Games Association (EAGA) and held every four years from 1993 to 2013. Among those who competed included athletes from East Asian countries and territories of the Olympic C ...
in
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
.
Women's
The
Hong Kong women's national football team
The Hong Kong women's national football team represents Hong Kong in international Women's association football, women's football.
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matc ...
qualified for 14 consecutive
AFC Women's Asian Cup
The AFC Women's Asian Cup (formerly known as the AFC Women's Championship) is a quadrennial competition in women's football for national teams which belong to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is the oldest women's international football ...
s between 1975 and 2003. However, the team has not qualified for a major tournament since the
2003 AFC Women's Championship.
References
External links
HKFA official site- English version (Chinese version also available)
Hong Kong Football- (English version)
{{League systems