Challenge International du Nord


In March 1898, Sporting-Club Tourquennois (S.C.T.), from Tourcoing near the Belgian border, launched a competition for clubs from northern France and Belgium, at least partially motivated by the fact that until 1898 the official French football (association) championships (both amateur and professional) were open to Parisian clubs only.
The prize for the winners of this first ever annual international club tournament on the European continent (the Challenge Cup started five months earlier, but did not feature any clubs from outside Vienna until the 1900/01 edition) was (in addition to a cup and medals) a bronze statue by Charles Vital-Cornu called "le réveil du génie", on which their name was to be engraved before having to be returned at the next edition.
Four clubs (three from northern France and one from Brussels) were invited for the first edition, which consisted of three matches played in April 1898.

The first three editions, for which all matches were played in Tourcoing, only saw clubs from Belgium and northern France enter, but the tournament was opened to other countries in July 1900, when S.C.T. published a new réglement in the issue of "Le Sport picard" of 21 July 1900, inviting other countries to join the "Challenge International de Football Association" by setting up a national competition for which one club was to qualify for the final stage played at the ground of S.C.T., starting with the semi-finals (for which at most eight (!) clubs from as many different countries could qualify, cf. "Article 8" of the regulations: "Il ne pourra y avoir que huit équipes qualifiées pour ces demi-finales, représentant huit nations ou contrées différentes." – the "demi-finales" played between 1902 and 1904 all featured six clubs!).

At the banquet following the final of the third edition, the president of S.C.T., Henry Masquilier, had specifically looked forward to the entry of strong clubs from Great Britain, Germany and the Netherlands. That did not happen immediately, although one club from England (Folkestone Invicta) and two from Switzerland (Grasshopper Club and Servette FC) inscribed for the fourth edition (1900/01), together with twenty clubs from Belgium and France; however, they eventually did not enter that season.
Following the foundation of F.I.F.A. in May 1904, Dutch clubs (although none from the western Eerste Klasse, to the regret of "L'Auto") entered twice (in 1904/05 and 1905/06) and Swiss clubs once (in 1904/05; in 1906/07 Grasshoppers inscribed but scratched for their semi-final).

In 1908, the U.S.F.S.A., to which the relevant French clubs belonged, left F.I.F.A. and founded the U.I.A.F.A. in 1909; because of that, the Belgian, Dutch and Swiss clubs, which remained with F.I.F.A., could not enter anymore and were replaced by member clubs of the A.F.A., an English amateur association which had rebelled against the F.A., for the five tournaments from 1908/09 to 1912/13. Until 1908, Belgian clubs had won ten of the eleven editions, and nearly half the finals (five) had not even featured a French club (after 1908, the set-up guaranteed at least one French finalist). The last edition, after the U.S.F.S.A. had joined the C.F.I., the new French F.I.F.A. members, at the end of 1912, thereby deserting the U.I.A.F.A., only included French clubs, thus belying the name of the competition.

Between 1910 and 1914, a counterpart of this tournament was staged on the opposite side of France, also for U.I.A.F.A. members clubs, the "Challenge International du Sud" or "Coupe des Pyrénées", which included clubs from southern France (members of the U.S.F.S.A.) and northern Spain (members of the F.E.C.F.).


Palmares

Ed. Season    Winners                             Runners-Up
restricted to North of France and Belgium
 1  1898      Léopold FC                      3-1 Racing Club Roubaisien
 2  1898/99   Léopold FC                      4-1 FC Brugeois 
 3  1999/00   Le Havre AC                     3-2 Club Français                   [aet]
opened to other countries
 4  1900/01   Beerschot AC                    2-0 Léopold FC 
 5  1901/02   Antwerp FC                      4-2 Beerschot AC 
 6  1902/03   Racing Club de Bruxelles        4-0 Racing Club Roubaisien  
 7  1903/04   Union Saint-Gilloise            5-0 United Sports Club              [abandoned after 53 minutes]
foundation F.I.F.A.
 8  1904/05   Union Saint-Gilloise            3-1 Prinses Wilhelmina  
 9  1905/06   Antwerp FC                      3-2 US Tourquennoise                [aet]
10  1906/07   Union Saint-Gilloise            4-0 Olympique Lillois 
11  1907/08   Racing Club de Bruxelles        1-0 Union Saint-Gilloise  
foundation U.I.A.F.A.
12  1908/09   Eastbourne FC                   5-1 Racing Club de Roubaix 
13  1909/10   Reigate Priory FC               3-0 Cercle Athlétique Parisien  
14  1910/11   US Tourquennoise                2-1 Cambridge Town FC
15  1911/12   Cambridge Town FC               4-1 US Tourquennoise                  
16  1912/13   US Tourquennoise                1-0 Club Français  
restricted to North of France
17  1913/14   CASG                            7-0 Stade Français  

Number of Wins (17; lost finals between square brackets)

 3 [ 1] Union Saint-Gilloise (Bruxelles)

 2 [ 2] US Tourquennoise (Tourcoing) 
 2 [ 1] Léopold FC (Bruxelles)   
 2      Antwerp FC (Antwerpen) 
 2      Racing Club de Bruxelles   

 1 [ 1] Beerschot AC (Antwerpen) 
 1 [ 1] Cambridge Town FC
 1      Cercle Athlétique de la Société Générale (Paris)
 1      Eastbourne FC
 1      Le Havre AC
 1      Reigate Priory FC

   [ 3] Racing Club de Roubaix        [called Racing Club Roubaisien until 1905]
   [ 2] Club Français (Paris)
   [ 1] FC Brugeois (Brugge)
   [ 1] Cercle Athlétique Parisien  
   [ 1] Olympique Lillois (Lille)
   [ 1] Prinses Wilhelmina (Enschede)
   [ 1] Stade Français (Paris)
   [ 1] United Sports Club (Paris)

By country (17; lost finals between square brackets)

10 [ 4] Belgium      [Belgian clubs only entered 11 editions (1898-1907/08)]

 4 [11] France

 3 [ 1] England      [English (A.F.A.) clubs only entered 5 editions (1908/09-1912/13)]

   [ 1] Netherlands  [Dutch clubs only entered 2 editions (1904/05-1905/06)]

1898

Participants (4):
French clubs:
Union Sportive de Calais
Iris-Club Lillois (Lille)
Racing Club Roubaisien (Roubaix)
Belgian club:
Léopold Football-Club de Bruxelles

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Apr 3]
Léopold FC                  1-0 Iris-Club Lillois
[Apr 17]
RC Roubaisien               3-0 US de Calais   

Final [Apr 24, Tourcoing]
Léopold FC                  3-1 RC Roubaisien

1898/99

Participants (8):
French clubs:
Union Sportive de Calais
Iris-Club Lillois (Lille)
Club Français (Paris)
Sport Audomarois (Saint-Omer)
Union Sportive Tourquennoise (Tourcoing)    
Belgian clubs:
Football Club Brugeois (Brugge)
Athletic and Running Club (Bruxelles)
Léopold Football-Club de Bruxelles

Quarter-finals [all in Tourcoing]
[Nov 20]
Léopold FC                  3-1 Club Français
[Dec 11]
FC Brugeois                 1-0 Iris-Club Lillois
[Jan 8]
Sport Audomarois           1-10 Athletic and Running Club
[Jan 22]
US Tourquennoise            2-1 US de Calais

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Feb 19]
FC Brugeois                 3-1 Athletic and Running Club   [ht: 1-0]
[Mar 5]
US Tourquennoise            0-9 Léopold FC

Final [Mar 26, Tourcoing]
Léopold FC                  4-1 FC Brugeois

1899/00

Participants (10):
French clubs:
Union Sportive de Boulogne
Union Sportive de Calais
Le Havre Athletic Club
Iris-Club Lillois (Lille)    
Association Vélocipédique d'Amateurs (Paris)  
Club Français (Paris) 
Union Sportive Tourquennoise (Tourcoing)
Belgian clubs:
Football Club Brugeois (Brugge)
Athletic and Running Club (Bruxelles)
Bruxelles-Club               [apparently an ad hoc combination of Brussels players]

Round 1
[Oct 22]
US Tourquennoise            4-0 US de Boulogne
[date?]
Bruxelles-Club              w/o Association Vélocipédique   [forfait Vélocipédique]

Quarter-finals [all in Tourcoing]
[Nov 19]
US Tourquennoise            n/p Iris-Club Lillois           [possibly ICL forfeited]
[Jan 14]
Club Français               3-0 Athletic and Running Club
[Jan 28]
Bruxelles-Club              3-0 US de Calais
[Feb 11]
Le Havre AC                 3-1 FC Brugeois                 [ht: 1-0]

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Mar 11]
US Tourquennoise            0-4 Club Français 
[Apr 8]
Le Havre AC                10-0 Bruxelles-Club              

Final [Apr 29, Tourcoing]
Le Havre AC                 3-2 Club Français               [aet; ht: 1-0, ft: 2-2]
  [2x10 minutes of extra time were played; ref: G. Pelgrims (Belgium)]

1900/01

Participants (23 clubs registered by Oct 16, 1900):
French clubs:
Union Sportive de Calais
Le Havre Athletic Club
Iris-Club Lillois (Lille)
Club Français (Paris)
Paris Star
Racing Club de France (Paris)
Stade Français (Paris)
Standard Athletic Club (Paris)
United Sports Club (Paris)
Sport Athlétique Sézannais (Sézanne)
Union Sportive Tourquennoise (Tourcoing) 
Belgian clubs:
Beerschot Athletic Club (Antwerpen)
Cercle Sportif Brugeois (Brugge)
Football Club Brugeois (Brugge)
Athletic and Running Club (Bruxelles)
Léopold Football-Club (Bruxelles)
Skill Club (Bruxelles)
Union Saint-Gilloise (Bruxelles)
United Sports Club (Bruxelles)
Football Club Liégeois (Liège)
English club:
Folkestone Invicta
  [originally Folkestone FC had inscribed, but as a professional club they were
   denied participation; instead Folkestone Invicta were accepted as entrants]
Swiss clubs:
Grasshopper Club Zürich
Servette Football Club (Genève)
NB: eventually the English and Swiss clubs did not enter; reportedly 18 clubs
    participated so two other clubs (including US de Calais) also withdrew.

North France Group
[Feb 17]
Iris-Club Lillois           8-2 US Tourquennoise            
  [first time Iris-Club won a tie, in its fourth participation]
[date? (match apparently never fixtured)]
Iris-Club Lillois           w/o US de Calais                [forfait USC]
NB: Iris-Club Lillois qualified for semi-finals but withdrew (on Mar 10 they
    lost 1-7 to Standard AC in an unrelated match (annual friendly), which,
    together with the fact they themselves organised another tournament at
    the time (the Coupe Iris) may have prompted the decision to renounce).

Paris Group
Round 1 [Jan 6]
United SC (Paris)           n/p Paris Star                  [possibly Paris Star forfeited]
Club Français               0-1 Standard AC
Round 2
[Mar 10]
Racing Club de France       3-1 United SC
[date?]
Stade Français              lt  Standard AC 
Round 3
[Apr 8]
Standard AC                 2-1 Sport Athlétique Sézannais
[Apr 21]
Racing Club de France       2-1 Le Havre AC     
NB: both winners round 3 qualified for semi-finals.

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Apr 21]
Beerschot AC                4-3 Standard AC
[May 5]
Léopold FC                  3-1 Racing Club de France 

Final [May 12, Tourcoing]
Beerschot AC                2-0 Léopold FC                  [ht: 1-0]

1901/02

Participants (16 clubs registered by Nov 9, 1901):
French clubs:
Union Sportive de Calais
Le Havre Athletic Club
Iris-Club Lillois (Lille)
Club Français (Paris)
Racing Club de France (Paris)
Standard Athletic Club (Paris)
United Sports Club (Paris)
Racing Club Roubaisien (Roubaix)
Sporting-Club Tourquennois (Tourcoing) 
Union Sportive Tourquennoise (Tourcoing) 
Belgian clubs:
Antwerp Football Club (Antwerpen)
Beerschot Athletic Club (Antwerpen)
Cercle Sportif Brugeois (Brugge)
Football Club Brugeois (Brugge)
Athletic and Running Club (Bruxelles)
Léopold Football-Club (Bruxelles)

Belgium Group
[Mar 16]
Antwerp FC                  w/o Cercle Sportif Brugeois     [forfait CSB]
Athletic and Running Club   w/o FC Brugeois                 [forfait FCB]
[Mar 23]
Antwerp FC                  2-1 Athletic and Running Club
[Mar 28]
Léopold FC                  1-3 Antwerp FC 
NB: Antwerp FC and Beerschot AC (as holders) qualified for "demi-finales".

North France Group
[Feb 23]
US Tourquennoise            2-1 Iris-Club Lillois           
[Mar 16]
US Tourquennoise            4-2 US de Calais
[Mar 23]
RC Roubaisien               3-2 SC Tourquennois
NB: US Tourquennoise and RC Roubaisien qualified for "demi-finales".

Paris Group
[Jan 5]
Club Français               2-1 Standard AC 
[Jan 19]
Club Français               1-1 Le Havre AC 
[Mar 2]
Le Havre AC                11-1 Club Français               [replay Jan 19; ht: 6-0]
[Mar 9]
Racing Club de France       2-1 United SC
NB: Le Havre AC and Racing Club de France qualified for "demi-finales".

Quarter-finals [denoted as "demi-finales" in the press; all in Tourcoing]
[Apr 20]
Racing Club de France       o/w Antwerp FC                  [forfait RCF]
  [instead Antwerp played a training match against SC Tourquennois, winning 3-1]
[Apr 27]
US Tourquennoise            w/o RC Roubaisien               [forfait RCR]
  [after winning the French championship on Apr 20 by defeating Racing Club de France
   after three periods of 20 minutes of extra time (the match lasted two hours and a
   half), RC Roubaisien decided to close its football season]
[May 4]
Beerschot AC                w/o Le Havre AC                 [forfait HAC]
  [match originally fixtured for Apr 27; rescheduled for May 4, Havre forfeited;
   Beerschot instead played a training match against a Tourcoing XI, winning 8-0]

Semi-final [May 8, Tourcoing]
US Tourquennoise            1-3 Antwerp FC 
Beerschot AC                bye

Final [May 25, Tourcoing]
Antwerp FC                  4-2 Beerschot AC

1902/03

Participants (19 clubs entered, of which 17 are known):
French clubs:
Union Sportive de Calais
Iris-Club Lillois (Lille)
Olympique Lillois (Lille)
Nationale de Saint-Mandé (Paris)
Racing Club de France (Paris)
Standard Athletic Club (Paris)
Union Sportive Parisienne (Paris)
Racing Club Roubaisien (Roubaix)
Sporting-Club Tourquennois (Tourcoing) 
Belgian clubs:
Antwerp Football Club (Antwerpen)
Beerschot Athletic Club (Antwerpen)
Cercle Sportif Brugeois (Brugge)
Daring Club de Bruxelles
Racing Club de Bruxelles
Union Saint-Gilloise (Bruxelles)
Football Club Courtraisien (Kortrijk)
Football Club Liégeois (Liège)

Belgium Group
[Dec 21]
Beerschot AC                2-3 Racing Club de Bruxelles 
Union Saint-Gilloise        w/o FC Liégeois                 [forfait FCL]
FC Courtraisien            0-13 Cercle Sportif Brugeois      
[Dec 28]
Union Saint-Gilloise        7-1 Daring Club de Bruxelles        
[Jan 11]
Cercle Sportif Brugeois     1-2 Racing Club de Bruxelles
[Mar 8]
Racing Club de Bruxelles    w/o Union Saint-Gilloise        [forfait USG]
NB: Antwerp FC (as holders) and Racing Club de Bruxelles qualified for "demi-finales".

North France Group
[Dec 7]
SC Tourquennois             1-2 Olympique Lillois           
[date?]
Olympique Lillois           bt  Iris-Club Lillois           
[Jan 18]
RC Roubaisien               4-0 US de Calais
NB: Olympique Lillois and RC Roubaisien qualified for "demi-finales".

Paris Group
[Dec 14]
Nationale de Saint-Mandé    5-3 Racing Club de France       
Standard AC                 3-0 US Parisienne
NB: Nationale de Saint-Mandé and Standard AC qualified for "demi-finales".

Quarter-finals [denoted as "demi-finales" in the press; both in Tourcoing]
[Mar 1]
RC Roubaisien               3-0 Antwerp FC                  [ht: 0-0]
[Mar 15]
Olympique Lillois           2-4 Racing Club de Bruxelles    [ht: 1-2]
Nationale de Saint-Mandé    bye
Standard AC                 bye

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Mar 29]
RC Roubaisien               w/o Standard AC                 [forfait SAC]
[Apr 19]
Nationale de Saint-Mandé    0-1 Racing Club de Bruxelles    [ht: 0-0]

Final [May 3, Tourcoing]
Racing Club de Bruxelles    4-0 RC Roubaisien               [ht: 1-0]               

1903/04

Belgium Group
[Jan 10]
CS Verviétois               w/o Beerschot AC                [forfait BAC]
Cercle Sportif Brugeois     w/o FC Courtraisien             [forfait FCC]
[Jan 17]
FC Brugeois                 w/o SC Mouscron                 [forfait SCM]
Union Saint-Gilloise        4-0 Daring Club Bruxelles 
[Feb 7]
Olympia Club Bruxelles      1-2 Antwerp FC 
CS Verviétois               4-0 Cercle Sportif Brugeois     
[Mar 13]
Antwerp FC                  1-0 FC Brugeois 
[Mar 20]
CS Verviétois               1-0 Antwerp FC 
NB: Union Saint-Gilloise and CS Verviétois qualified for "demi-finales".

North France Group
[Feb 28]
US de Calais                3-0 Olympique Lillois  
[Mar 6]
RC Roubaisien               3-1 US Tourquennoise            
NB: Iris-Stade Lillois and RC Roubaisien qualified for "demi-finales".

Paris Group
[date?]
Racing Club de France       2-1 Cercle Athlétique 
[Dec 20]
Gallia Club                 1-1 FC de Paris                 
[Dec 27]
United SC                  11-0 Stade Français 
[Feb 16]
FC de Paris                 4-2 Gallia Club                 [aet; replay Dec 20]
  [match abandoned 5 minutes before the end of the second period of extra time,
   Gallia walked off complaining about the rain]
[Mar 20]
Racing Club de France       2-1 FC de Paris
NB: United SC and Racing Club de France qualified for "demi-finales".

Quarter-finals [denoted as "demi-finales" in the press; both in Tourcoing]
[Mar 20]
Union Saint-Gilloise        8-0 Iris-Stade Lillois
[Mar 27]
United SC                   1-0 CS Verviétois               
Racing Club de France       bye
RC Roubaisien               bye

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Apr ?]
United SC                   w/o Racing Club de France       [forfait RCF]
[Apr 24]  
RC Roubaisien               o/w Union Saint-Gilloise        [forfait RCR]

Final [May 8, Tourcoing]
Union Saint-Gilloise        5-0 United SC                   [ht: 4-0]
  [match abandoned at 5-0 after 53 minutes by United, who were unhappy about
   the continuous rain (and, presumably, the score)]

1904/05

NB: for the first time Dutch and Swiss clubs entered, presumably in connection
    with the foundation of F.I.F.A. on May 21, 1904, less than two weeks after
    the final of the previous edition; the Dutch preliminaries were organised
    by C. Hirschman, the Swiss by V. Schneider, both F.I.F.A. board members.

Participants (21):
French clubs:
Iris-Stade Lillois (Lille)   [combination of Iris-Club Lillois and Stade Lillois]
Olympique Lillois (Lille)
Football Club de Paris
Gallia Club (Paris)
Racing Club de France (Paris)
Stade Français (Paris)
Union Sportive Parisienne (Paris) 
United Sports Club (Paris)
Racing Club Roubaisien (Roubaix)
Union Sportive Tourquennoise (Tourcoing) 
Belgian clubs:
Antwerp Football Club (Antwerpen)
Racing Club de Bruxelles
Union Saint-Gilloise (Bruxelles)
Dutch clubs:
Vitesse (Arnhem)
Concordia (Delft)
Prinses Wilhelmina (Enschedé)
Swiss clubs:
Football Club Old Boys (Basel)
Servette Football Club (Genève)
Football Club La Chaux-de-Fonds
Montriond Football Club (Lausanne) 
Grasshopper Club Zürich
NB: FC Zürich originally inscribed, but withdrew before fixtures were drawn.

Belgium Group
NB: no results available; Antwerp FC apparently withdrew before playing a match;
    Union Saint-Gilloise qualified for semi-finals.

Netherlands Group
Semi-final [Dec 18, Enschede]
Prinses Wilhelmina          3-1 Concordia                   [ht: 1-0]
Final [Feb 26, Arnhem]
Vitesse                     3-4 Prinses Wilhelmina          [ht: 1-3]
NB: Prinses Wilhelmina qualified for semi-finals.

North France Group
Semi-finals
[Feb 12]
Racing Club Roubaisien      6-3 Iris-Stade Lillois
[Feb 19]
US Tourquennoise            4-2 Olympique Lillois  
Final [Mar 12]
US Tourquennoise            6-2 Racing Club Roubaisien      [RCR fielded second team]
NB: US Tourquennoise qualified for national final.   

Paris Group
Round 1 [Oct 30]
FC de Paris                 8-1 Stade Français 
Gallia Club                 w/o United SC                   [forfait USC]
Racing Club de France       bye
US Parisienne               bye
Semi-finals [Nov 6]
Racing Club de France       2-1 Gallia Club
FC de Paris                 2-1 US Parisienne    
Final [Feb 26]
Racing Club de France       3-2 FC de Paris             
NB: Racing Club de France qualified for national final.   

France Final [Mar 26]
US Tourquennoise            2-3 Racing Club de France       [aet; ht: 1-0; ft: 2-2]
NB: Racing Club de France qualified for semi-finals.

Switzerland Group
Round 1 [Mar 12, Lausanne]
Servette FC                 w/o FC La Chaux-de-Fonds        [forfait FCL]
Semi-finals
[Mar 26, Morges]
Servette FC                 1-1 Montriond FC                [aet; Montriond declined to
[Apr 2, Basel]                                               play additional extra time;
FC Old Boys                 3-1 Grasshopper Club Zürich      match awarded to Servette]
Final [Apr 9, Genève]
Servette FC                 1-2 FC Old Boys                 [ht: 1-2]
NB: Old Boys qualified for semi-finals.
  
Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Apr 16]
Union Saint-Gilloise        4-3 FC Old Boys 
[Apr 30]
Racing Club de France       1-2 Prinses Wilhelmina          [ht: 0-1]

Final [May 21, Tourcoing]
Union Saint-Gilloise        3-1 Prinses Wilhelmina          [ht: 1-0]
  [ref: Desrousseaux (France)]

1905/06

Belgium Group
Final [Apr 22]
Antwerp FC                  5-2 Daring Club de Bruxelles
NB: Antwerp qualified for semi-finals.

Netherlands Group
NB: only G.V.C. (Wageningen) inscribed.

North France Group
[Mar 25]
US Tourquennoise            2-0 Olympique Lillois
[May 6]
Racing Club de Roubaix      o/w Iris-Stade Lillois          [forfait ISL; RCR disqualified]
  [Iris-Stade did not show for the match but later Racing were disqualified]

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[May 13]
Antwerp FC                  2-1 Iris-Stade Lillois          [ht: 2-0]
[May 20]
US Tourquennoise            4-0 G.V.C.

Final [May 27, Tourcoing]
Antwerp FC                  3-2 US Tourquennoise            [aet; ht: 0-0, ft: 1-1]

1906/07

Participants (9; fixtures drawn on Feb 1, 1907):
French clubs:
Iris-Stade Lillois (Lille)   [combination of Iris-Club Lillois and Stade Lillois]
Olympique Lillois (Lille)
Racing Club de France (Paris)
Sporting Club Tourquennois (Tourcoing) 
Union Sportive Tourquennoise (Tourcoing) 
Belgian clubs:
Antwerp Football Club (Antwerpen)
Union Saint-Gilloise (Bruxelles)
Sporting Club Courtraisien (Kortrijk)
Swiss club:
Grasshopper Club Zürich

Belgium Group [matches were to be played between Feb 3 and Mar 17]
Union Saint-Gilloise        w/o Antwerp FC                  [forfait AFC]
Union Saint-Gilloise        bt  SC Courtraisien             [possibly by forfait]

North France Group
[Feb 17]
Iris-Stade Lillois          5-1 SC Tourquennois
[Mar 3]
Olympique Lillois           4-1 US Tourquennoise            
[Mar 10]
Olympique Lillois           1-0 Iris-Stade Lillois 

Paris Group
NB: only Racing Club de France inscribed.

Switzerland Group
NB: only Grasshopper Club Zürich inscribed.

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[May 9]
Olympique Lillois           w/o Grasshopper Club Zürich     [forfait GCZ]
[May 12]
Union Saint-Gilloise        3-1 Racing Club de France       [ht: 2-0]

Final [May 26, Tourcoing]
Union Saint-Gilloise        4-0 Olympique Lillois           [ht: 2-0]

1907/08

North France Group
[Mar 15, Tourcoing]
Olympique Lillois           9-0 Iris-Stade Lillois          [ht: 5-0]
[Mar 22]
Racing Club de Roubaix      3-2 SC Tourquennois
[Mar 29]
US Tourquennoise            w/o Racing Club de Roubaix      [forfait RCR]

Paris Group
[date?]
Club Athlétique du XIVe     4-0 AS Française  
[Feb 23]
Racing Club de France       4-2 US Parisienne   
[Mar 15]
Club Athlétique du XIVe     2-1 Stade Français

France Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Apr 5]
Olympique Lillois           5-2 Club Athlétique du XIVe 
[date?]
US Tourquennoise            w/o Racing Club de France       [forfait RCF]
NB: Olympique Lillois and US Tourquennoise qualified for semi-finals.

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[May 17]
Olympique Lillois           0-2 Union Saint-Gilloise      
[May 24]
US Tourquennoise            2-4 Racing Club de Bruxelles    

Final [May 28, Tourcoing]
Racing Club de Bruxelles    1-0 Union Saint-Gilloise        [ht: 0-0]

1908/09

NB: after the foundation of the U.I.A.F.A., only member clubs of the A.F.A.
    and U.S.F.S.A. entered; no clubs from Belgium, which hitherto had won
    all but one of the first eleven editions, participated anymore.

North France Group
[Feb 14]
Racing Club de Roubaix      3-2 SC Tourquennois 

Paris Group 
[Feb 21]
Cercle Athlétique Parisien  2-1 Red Star AC
AS Française                w/o Racing Club de France       [forfait RCF]
[Mar 7]
AS Française                3-2 Cercle Athlétique Parisien  

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Apr 25]
Le Havre Sports             0-2 Eastbourne FC               
[May 16]
Racing Club de Roubaix      1-1 AS Française                [ASF refused to play extra time;
                                                             match awarded to RCR]
Final [May 31, Tourcoing]
Eastbourne FC               5-1 Racing Club de Roubaix      [ht: 0-1]

1909/10

Paris Group 
[Feb 13]
Cercle Athlétique Parisien  9-1 AS Française                
Red Star AC                 3-0 Racing Club de France 

Semi-finals
SC Tourquennois             0-7 Cercle Athlétique Parisien 
Reigate Priory              3-0 3rd Regiment Kent Artillery

Final [May 1, Tourcoing]
Reigate Priory              3-0 Cercle Athlétique Parisien  [ht: 1-0]

1910/11

Participants (24 clubs registered by Oct 15, 1910; 2 English ones did so later):
French clubs:
Amiens Athletic Club
Racing Club de Calais
Association Sportive Française (Paris)
Cercle Athlétique de la Société Générale (Paris)
Club Français (Paris) 
Racing Club de France (Paris)
Stade Français (Paris)  
Union Sportive de Clichy (Paris)
Racing Club de Roubaix
Stade Roubaisien (Roubaix)
Sporting-Club Tourquennois (Tourcoing) 
Union Sportive Tourquennoise (Tourcoing) 
English clubs:
Aquarius (London)
Augustinians      
Beckenham Town FC
Cambridge Town FC
Carshalton FC
Dulwich Wood FC
Guy's Hospital FC (London)
Marcians FC     
Muswell Hill
Old Citizens FC (London)
Old Owen's Association (London)
Reigate Priory FC
Third Kent Volunteers Royal Artillery
Weybridge FC
NB: Augustinians and Marcians registered after Oct 15.

England Group
Round 1 
[played prior to Jan 27]
Cambridge Town              5-2 Aquarius
Dulwich Wood            0-0 w/o Third Kent Royal Artillery  [Kent RA forfeited replay]
Old Owen's              1-1 4-1 Muswell Hill
Weybridge                   4-0 Augustinians
[Feb 4]
Carshalton                  3-0 Old Citizens
Marcians                    4-0 Guy's Hospital
Round 2
[Feb 25?]
Reigate Priory              3-2 Dulwich Wood
Carshalton                  5-2 Weybridge
[played after Mar 1]
Beckenham Town              lt  Cambridge Town
Old Owen's                  lt  Marcians
Round 3
[played prior to Mar 16]
Cambridge Town              3-2 Reigate Priory
[Mar 18?]
Carshalton                  3-1 Marcians

North France Group
[Feb 5]
SC Tourquennois             3-6 Stade Roubaisien
[Mar 5]
Racing Club de Roubaix      3-6 Stade Roubaisien            
[Mar 12]
US Tourquennoise            4-0 Racing Club de Calais       [ht: 1-0]
[date?]
US Tourquennoise            bt  Stade Roubaisien            [possibly SR forfeited]

Paris Group
[Feb 19]
AS Française                5-2 Racing Club de France 
Stade Français              1-1 US de Clichy
Club Français               2-0 CASG            -  
[Mar 5]
US de Clichy                2-2 Stade Français              [aet; replay Feb 19]
[Mar 12]
Amiens AC                   6-3 Club Français               [aet]
Stade Français              1-0 US de Clichy                [aet; replay Mar 5]
[Mar 19]
AS Française                4-0 Stade Français              
[Mar 26]
AS Française                8-1 Amiens AC                   

Semi-finals
[Apr 1; in England]
Cambridge Town              8-2 Carshalton                  
[Apr 23, Tourcoing]
US Tourquennoise            4-0 AS Française              

Final [Apr 30, Tourcoing]
US Tourquennoise            2-1 Cambridge Town 

1911/12

Participants (23 clubs registered by Oct 28, 1911; 1 French club did so later):
French clubs:
Amiens Athletic Club
Olympique Lillois (Lille)
Association Sportive Française (Paris)
Cercle Athlétique de la Société Générale (Paris)
Gallia Club (Paris)
Racing Club de France (Paris)
Stade Français (Paris)  
Stade Roubaisien (Roubaix)
Sporting-Club Tourquennois (Tourcoing) 
Union Sportive Tourquennoise (Tourcoing) 
NB: Gallia Club registered after Oct 28.
English clubs:
Addiscombe Park FC
Aquarius (London)
Cambridge Town FC
Carshalton FC
Dulwich Wood FC
Ilford Avenue
Old Ceons                    [as spelled in "Le Gaulois"; possibly Old Owen's]
Old Cofeians                 [as spelled in "Le Gaulois"; possibly Old Citizens]
Old Roan Association (London)
Ramsgate Saint George
Reigate Priory FC
Third Kent Volunteers Royal Artillery
Weybridge FC
Woolwich Polytechnic (London)

England Group
Final [Apr 13?]
Cambridge Town              2-1 Carshalton           

Paris Group
Final [Mar 31]
Racing Club de France       6-3 Gallia Club 

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Apr 21]
Cambridge Town              5-2 Racing Club de France 
[Apr 28]
US Tourquennoise            3-1 Olympique Lillois

Final [May 12, Tourcoing]
Cambridge Town              4-1 US Tourquennoise            [ht: 4-1]

1912/13

North France Group
[date?]
US Tourquennoise            bt  Stade Roubaisien

Paris Group
[Apr 13]
Racing Club de France       2-1 Stade Français   
[Apr 20]
Club Français               9-0 Gallia Club 
[Apr 27]
Club Français               3-2 Racing Club de France 

Semi-finals [both in Tourcoing]
[Apr 13]
US Tourquennoise            6-0 Club Lillois
[May 18]
Club Français               4-3 Cambridge Town              [aet]

Final [Jun 8, Tourcoing]
US Tourquennoise            1-0 Club Français 

1913/14

North France Group
NB: 5 clubs registered, all listed below.
[Mar 29]
SC Tourquennois             0-4 Stade Roubaisien
[Apr 5]
US Tourquennoise            3-0 Club Lillois
[Apr 19]
US Tourquennoise            0-3 Racing Club de Roubaix           
NB: Racing Club de Roubaix and Stade Roubaisien qualified for semi-finals.

Paris Group
[Mar 1]
Amiens AC                   2-4 CASG       
[Mar 29]
Stade Français              2-0 Gallia Club 
[Apr 26]
Club Athlétique du XIVe     o/w Stade Français              [forfait CA XIVe]
NB: CASG and Stade Français qualified for semi-finals.

Semi-finals
[Apr 26, Tourcoing]
Stade Roubaisien            1-3 CASG         
[May 21, Tourcoing]
Racing Club de Roubaix      1-5 Stade Français

Final [May 24, Tourcoing]
CASG                        7-0 Stade Français 

About this document

Sources included various contemporary Belgian newspapers (available through Belgica Press), various contemporary Dutch newspapers (available through Delpher), various contemporary French newspapers (available through Gallica), various contemporary Swiss newspapers (available through e-newspaperarchives.ch).

Thanks to Javier García, Peter Kungler, Frédéric Pauron, Hans Schöggl and Andrea Veronese for an earlier version of this document

Prepared and maintained by Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Karel Stokkermans (karel.rsssf@gmail.com)
Last updated: 24 Oct 2025

(c) Copyright Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 2003/25
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.