<P> These first FA laws contained elements that are no longer part of association football, but which are still recognisable in other games (e.g. Rugby Union and Australian rules football): for instance, if a player first touched the ball behind the opponents' goal line, his side was entitled to a "free kick" at goal, from that point and fifteen yards (approximately 14 metres) in front of the goal line; and a player could make a catch and claim a "mark", which entitled him to a free kick from or behind that point (see Laws 7 and 8 respectively). The laws of the game agreed on by the FA members stipulated a maximum length and breadth for the pitch, the procedure for kicking off, and definition of terms, including goal, throw in, offside . Passing the ball by hand was still permitted provided the ball was caught "fairly or on the first bounce". Despite the specifications of footwear having no "tough nails, iron plates and gutta percha" there were no specific rule on number of players, penalties, foul play or the shape of the ball; captains of the participating teams were expected to agree on these things prior to the match . </P> <P> The laws laid down by the FA had an immediate effect, with Sheffield F.C. and Nottingham (now Notts County) playing an annual fixture on the FA code, among others . As more teams joined the code in the 1860s, the sport veered away from its origins in public schools, came to be played with round balls and by teams that had settled on 11 players each . The rule eliminating passing of the ball forwards by making all players in front of the ball' offside' (much like in rugby today) was dropped . A Sheffield against London game in 1866 had allowed the FA to observe how the rules were affecting the game; subsequently handling of the ball was abolished except for one player on each team, the goalkeeper . A red tape was added between the two goalposts to indicate the top of the goal, and a national competition was proposed . 1867 saw the introduction of the first competition and oldest existing trophy in football, the Youdan Cup . </P> <P> On 20 July 1871, C.W. Alcock, a gentleman from Sunderland and a former pupil of Harrow School proposed that "a Challenge Cup should be established in connection with the (Football) Association", the idea that gave birth to the competition . At the first FA Cup in 1872, Wanderers and Royal Engineers met in the final in front of 2,000 paying spectators . Despite the Royal Engineers being the heavy favourites, one of their players sustained a broken collar bone early on and since substitutions had not yet been introduced, the Engineers played a man down for the rest of the match which they eventually lost 1 - 0 . </P> <P> The FA Cup was a success and within a few years all of the clubs in England wanted to take part . To do so they had to accept the FA code, which led to the quick spread of a universal set of rules . These rules are the basis of which all association football rules today stem from . </P>

When was the first professional soccer game played