Football, or as it is known in many parts of the world, soccer, is one of the most popular sports in Asia. The game has a long and rich history on the continent, dating back to the late 19th century when British colonialists introduced the sport to their colonies in Asia. One of the earliest recorded instances of football being played in Asia was in Japan in the 1870s. British sailors and expatriates living in the port city of Yokohama formed the Yokohama Foot Ball Club in 1874, laying the foundation for the sport to take hold in the country. In India, football started gaining popularity in the late 19th century, with the formation of clubs in cities like Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Bombay (now Mumbai).
