Foosball is a very entertaining indoor game. In fact, it ranks up high with billiards and chess, when it comes to the most popular and most played sport in the whole world. But how did foosball really start? Where did it originate and who conceived this popular table sport?
Foosball, which was originally referred to as table soccer is believed to have originated in the land of Germany in the late 1920’s. However, it was also discovered that the French were concocting the exact same game sometime in the early 1930’s. Foosball started as a soccer game played in an old wooden box.
The first commercial foosball table was released approximately thirty-five years ago, through the company called EBSCO Amusements. EBSCO Amusements introduced foosball in America by importing two German tables. But a few years later they began making their own line of patented tables and they called it the Vulcan Fussball Table. Several other foosball table manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon. The list includes Irving Kaye Sales Corporation, which released their table in 1969.
The game caught on with many followers and enthusiasts. And as the game started to get popular, competitions were being held left and right. In the United States, the first-ever professional foosball competition took place in 1979, with as much as $250,000 at stake. The event was called the World Championships, which also marked the debut of the foremost professional foosball league. The European and German leagues held competitions as early as the 1950’s. However, there isn’t a body established for the pros during those times.
Right now, foosball is a hit not only in the West but in the rest of the world as well. Good players are now emerging from countries like North Africa, the Middle East, South America, Tahiti, and Australia. Argentina and Japan are slowly inching their way towards winning the World Cup as well.
In the United States alone, there is an estimated 1.9 million players enjoying the game. The evolution of the game from a regular indoor game into a professional sport with millions in cash prizes at stake has contributed to its rise in popularity.
And the rest is history. If you love the sport of foosball, understanding its history will make it even more enjoyable.