1889 in Sports - Association Football

Association Football

Denmark

• Formation of the Danish Football Association (Dansk Boldspil-Union or DBU)

England

• The Football League – Preston North End 40 points, Aston Villa 29, Wolves 28, Blackburn Rovers 26, Bolton Wanderers 22, West Bromwich Albion 22
• FA Cup final – Preston North End 3–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers at The Oval.
• Preston North Ends wins the inaugural Football League championship unbeaten, an achievement that will not be equalled until 2003–04 by Arsenal. Preston also wins the FA Cup to become the first team ever to complete The Double. The team earns the nickname of "Invincibles".
• The Football Alliance is founded as a rival to the Football League. It is short–lived and collapses in 1892 when the Football League expands. The Alliance is brokered by Sheffield Wednesday president John Holmes. Founder members include Sheffield Wednesday, Newton Heath (Manchester United), Nottingham Forest, Small Heath (Birmingham City) and Grimsby Town. Ardwick (Manchester City) will join in 1891 for the final season.
• Sheffield United is founded. With Sheffield Wednesday having left Bramall Lane in 1887, the management committee of the Bramall Lane complex decides to form a new football club at the ground, using Sheffield United Cricket Club as its basis. Bramall Lane is the world's oldest professional football venue, though not the longest in continuous use (which is Deepdale).
• The 1889–90 Football League season features the same 12 teams as in 1888–89.

Netherlands

• 8 December — formation of the Royal Dutch Football Association (i.e., the Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond or KNVB).

Scotland

• Scottish Cup final – Third Lanark 2–1 Celtic (replay; the SFA declared the original match void due to adverse conditions). Celtic reaches the Scottish Cup final in the club's inaugural season.