The Austro-Hungary monarchy covered a large area of central Europe. It encompassed the modern Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovnia as well as territories that are now part of Romania, Germany, Ukraine and Italy. Austria and Hungary were independent states within this enjoying equal status (Hungary had it's own Government) .
Football within the Empire developed around three major cities- Vienna (Austria), Budapest (Hungary) and Prague (Bohemia- now Czech republic but at the time a part of Austria) .
The above is an advertisement for a match that was played at Budapest's Millenáris pálya on Sunday October 31st. 1897 between Budapesti Torna Club (BTC) and Vienna Cricket and Football Club (Cricketer).
Football had been established in Vienna since 1894 when the Vienna Cricket Club took to the game.
The Austria/Habsburg Monarchy Challenge Cup, initiated in 1897, was open to any teams from the Empire, but initially only teams from Vienna took part.
This match was significant in the development of Hungarian football as it inspired the formation of other clubs in Budapest. Budapesti Torna Club, formerly primarily concerned with gymnastics, cycling and boxing, formed a football club in February 1897 - club member Ray Ferenc had encountered the game whist studying in Switzerland and brought a genuine English football to Budapest. Ferenc Stobbe, often called The Father of Hungarian football, was also active in BTC's earliest football ventures, In February 1897 members had played a few experimental games amongst themselves, going public in May.
When they met Cricketer at Millenaris it was expected that BTC would get beaten heavily. As it was they managed to restrict their visitors to a 2-0 win (one of the goals being hotly disputed).
BTC's line up for the game was :
Stobbe , Klebersberg, Harsády, Hajós, Iszer , Lindner, Ray, Ramaszéder, Yolland, Ashton, Pesky.
The Magyar Labdarúgó Szövetség was founded in January 1900, and the first Hungarian league match was played on February 17th 1901. All five teams taking part in this league were from Budapest.
In 1902/03 Budapest sides 33 FC and Ferencváros competed in the Austria/Habsburg Monarchy Challenge Cup.
In 1902/03 Budapest sides 33 FC and Ferencváros competed in the Austria/Habsburg Monarchy Challenge Cup.
Vienna Cricket and Football Club
Budapesti Torna Club
