page_title: Genoa C.F.C.
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Genoa C.F.C. / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The act of foundation of Italian club Genoa C.F.C.
context_page_description: Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to as Genoa, is an Italian professional football club based in Genoa, Liguria.
  Established on 7 September 1893, it is Italy's fourth oldest football team, and the oldest Italian football team to be still active to this day, with over 125 years of history.
  During their long history, Genoa have won the Italian Championship nine times. Genoa's first title came at the inaugural championship in 1898 and their most recent was in 1923–24. They have also won the Coppa Italia once. Historically, Genoa are the fourth most successful Italian club in terms of championships won.
  This slew of early successes may lie at the origin of the love professed for the team by the godfather of Italian sports journalists Gianni Brera, who, despite having been born nowhere near Genoa, always declared himself a supporter of the team. Brera went as far as creating the nickname Vecchio Balordo for Genoa.
  The club has played its home games at the 36,536 capacity Stadio Luigi Ferraris since 1911. Since 1946, the ground has been shared with local rivals Sampdoria.
context_section_description: The club was founded on 7 September 1893 as Genoa Cricket & Athletic Club. In its earliest years, it principally competed in athletics and cricket. Association football was only a secondary concern. Since the club was set up to represent England abroad, the original shirts worn by the organisation were white, the same colour as the England national team shirt. At first Italians were not permitted to join as it was a British sporting club abroad. Genoa's activities took place in the north-west of the city in the Campasso area, at the Piazza d'Armi. The men who initially handled the management of the club were;
   
  Charles De Grave Sells
  S. Blake
  G. Green
  W. Riley
   
  Daniel G. Fawcus
  Sandys
  E. De Thierry
  Jonathan Summerhill Sr.
   
  Jonathan Summerhill Jr.
  Sir Charles Alfred Payton
  On 10 April 1897 the footballing section of the club, already existing from 1893, became predominant thanks to James Richardson Spensley. It was among the oldest in Italian football at the time, the only other founded clubs were four in Turin. Italians were allowed to join and found a new ground in the form of Ponte Carrega.
  The first friendly match took place at home, against a mixed team of Internazionale Torino and FBC Torinese; Genoa lost 1–0. Not long after, Genoa recorded its first victory away against UPS Alessandria winning 2–0. Friendly games also took place against various British sailors such as those from HMS Revenge.
caption: Act of foundation of Genoa CFC, dated September 1893
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