When did football officially start in Egypt?

Answer 1

Football can be traced back to ball games played in medieval Europe. The word 'football' is from the English language and from early medieval times the term 'foot ball' was used to describe a 'ball games played on foot'. These ball games may have evolved from a ball game played by the Romans known as Harpastum which was a Romanised version of a ball game played called Episkyros played by the Ancient Greeks played in the 4th centaury BC and possibly as early as 2000 BC. Episkyros is the oldest documented ball game played anywhere in the world that agrees with the etymology and definition of football by the earliest recorded rules.

There is evidence dating back to 2500BC that supports the idea the ancient Egyptians played various ball games. Linen balls, some covered in catgut for better bounce, were recovered from Egyptian tombs. It is unknown if these games are connected to the games played by the Ancient Greeks. And the rules to Egyptian ball games are unclear so it is debatable weather they were playing games we could look upon as football based on the medieval depiction of a 'ball game played on foot'. However, there was cultural exchange between the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Egyptians in much the same way there was cultural exchange between the Ancient Greeks, Romans and Britons so the possibility that the ball games which gave rise to 'foot ball' originating in Egypt cannot be rules out.