Austria/Habsburg Monarchy - Challenge Cup 1897-98

Vienna Cricket and Football Club

Theoretically the Austria/Habsburg Monarchy - Challenge Cup, initiated in 1897, was open to all clubs in the Austro- Hungarian Empire, which would make it an early claimant to the title of 'continental championship', a forerunner of the European tournaments that flourished in the 1950's and 60's.
 However the first editions were contested exclusively by Viennese clubs. In 1900-01 2 Prague clubs, Ceský AFC Vinohrady and Slavia Praha entered, with Budapest teams coming in in 1903.
Ultimately Ferencváros' 1909 victory proved to be the only time a team from outside Vienna won the trophy in its ten year history.
The tournament was established by Englishman John Gramlick, one of the founders of the Vienna Cricket and Football Club (commonly known as Cricketer). 

The first Challenge Cup was contested by four Viennese clubs over a week in November 1897.
The newly formed Wiener FC 98 beat Rasenspielclub Training Wien 5-0 and the predominantly English team,  Cricketer overcame First Vienna Football-Club 1894 3-2.
First Vienna Football-Club 1894 was established by English and Austrian gardeners working on the Rothschild estate, and still play in the Rothschild horseracing colours.

Cricketer proved far too strong for FC98 in the final, running out 7-0 winners.