Football, or association football as it is more formally known, was invented in England in 1863. The Football Association (FA), the sport's governing body in England, was founded in that year and codified the rules of the game. However, the history of football goes back much further than that. There are references to games similar to football being played in England as far back as the 12th century. These games were often played by peasants and involved kicking a ball around a field.