The England national football team are, alongside Scotland, one of the two oldest national teams in football. The two teams played each other in the first ever international football match in 1872. Over the next 40 years the England national football team played exclusively against the other home nations, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
The side joined FIFA in 1906, although at the time they did not have a home stadium. It wasn’t until 1923 that Wembley Stadium was opened. The England national football team briefly left FIFA in 1928, but rejoined in 1946. This departure meant the team did not compete in a world cup until 1950.