Oneida Football Club

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The Oneida Foot Ball Club, founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1861, was the first organised team to play any kind of football in the United States. Although it has been claimed by much later followers of both soccer and American football, neither code existed at the time and the rules under which the club played are unknown, and probably varied greatly from one game to another.

It was the first US team in any kind of football because it consisted of a regular roster of players, as opposed to the pick-up games commonly played at the time. The Oneida Foot Ball Club was undefeated for most of its seasons between 1862 and 1867, when it folded. It is believed to have had an influence on the "Boston Game", a code which was popular in the area until the 1870s, perhaps longer.

The team consisted of a group of Boston secondary school students from relatively elite public (state) schools in the area, such as Boston Latin School and the English High School of Boston.

The Oneida Foot Ball Club played many of its games on the Boston Common, where it is commemorated by a plaque. It played matches against pickup teams throughout the Boston collegiate community.