For precisely 100 years, the British Home Championship was the oldest official contest of international football teams. It was played amongst England, Scotland, Wales, along with Ireland until 1955 and Northern Ireland from then onwards. Since this once prestigious competition was abolished after the 1983-84 season, despite occasional calls for the annual contest to return, we are never likely to see anything like it again.

Six Nations Rugby Envy

The first edition of the Home Nations Championship in rugby was held in 1883, just one year after the first-ever football international between England and Scotland in 1882. Undoubtedly inspired by the organisation of such a contest, football was inspired to hold its own version, starting with the first edition of British Home Championship in 1884. The initial focus was more on the individual matches than a tournament focus which came later.

World War I and World War II were the only interruptions, which prevented either of the football and rugby championships from being played, with both consistently held annually. Between 1910 and 1931, then again from 1947 onwards, the Home Nations rugby tournament became the Five Nations. The current Six Nations format was established in 2000 with the addition of Italy. By this time, the British Home Championship in football was but a faded memory.

Always highly competitive, the latest Six Nations odds from Betfair place France as 4/7 favourites to win the 2021 edition, following the opening two rounds, with England at 3/1 and Wales at 6/1. Scotland are 14/1 outsiders, while Ireland at 100/1 and Italy at 500/1 have no chance. Nevertheless, as the remaining rounds of rugby union action unfold, it's hard not to be a little envious as football fans, without something similar to enjoy.

100 Years of Historic Football

During a period of 100 years, while the honours were shared on many occasions, England were the most successful team with 34 outright titles. Scotland followed with 24, Wales claimed 7, then Ireland and Northern Ireland combined with 3 titles. Everton legend Dixie Dean was the top scorer with 4 goals when England shared the 1926-27 edition honours with Scotland.

The British Home Championship also produced numerous notable moments in football history, all of which are memorialised by the National Football Museum. In 1902 there was the Ibrox disaster in Glasgow when a section of terracing collapsed during the encounter between Scotland and England. In the 1949-50 season, the annual tournament doubled as a qualification group to reach the 1950 World Cup.

After England won the 1966 World Cup, they were beaten by Scotland at Wembley in the subsequent British Home Nations Championship of the 1966-67 season, with the Scots amusingly declaring themselves unofficial World Champions. By the time the tournament was well into decline, the 1981 edition was unfinished due to The Troubles in Northern Ireland, before they won the final Championship in 1984, keeping the King George V Jubilee Trophy.

No Place in the Modern Game

Although a return of more frequent competitive matches would certainly be welcomed, amongst fans of the four home football nations of Britain, there simply isn't any time or space in the current schedule. Modern football has evolved and along with the European Championship and World Cup, there's also now the UEFA Nations League.

Unless fate places all four nations together in qualification for any of those competitions, unfortunately, nothing like British Home Championship will ever be seen again.