Amsterdamsche FC

For the Eredivisie club (Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax), see AFC Ajax.
AFC
Full nameAmsterdamsche Football Club
Short nameAFC
Founded18 January 1895; 130 years ago (1895-01-18)
GroundGoed Genoeg, Amsterdam
Capacity8,000
ChairmanBrian Speelman
ManagerBenno Nihom
LeagueTweede Divisie
2023–24Tweede Divisie, 5th of 18
Websitehttps://www.afc.nl/
Current season

Amsterdamsche Football Club, commonly known as AFC is a football club based in Amsterdam. The team compete in the Tweede Divisie, the third level of the Dutch football league system.

History

The first squad of Amsterdamsche FC, 1949
Amsterdamsche FC flag

19th century: Foundation

AFC was founded in 1895 when a group of young Amsterdammers decided to create a football club. On 18 January 1895 the founding meeting took place in the basement of a house on the Koninginneweg where after a long discussion the name "Amsterdamsche Football Club (AFC)" was chosen.[1] The meeting was held by six boys aged fifteen and sixteen. Four of them being Gerard Scheepens, Hein Brass, Frits Bernard and G.J. Bernard. These six boys were the progenitors of AFC.[2]

20th century: Championships galore

AFC-1 were crowned champions 14 times; 1906, 1909, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1946, 1961, 1963, 1967, 1969, 2001, 2010, 2014 and 2019, while also having been relegated three times; 1921, 1922 and 1998. In 2010 it was the first club in the Netherlands to enter the newly formed 'Top Class'. Despite only having 15 members when founded, by the time of the club's 50th anniversary (1945) it had over 700. By AFC's 100-year existence (1995) it has more than 1,500 members and in summer 2016 the club, including non-playing donors, over 2,100 members. Due to the shortage of fields and accommodation, unfortunately, hundreds of aspiring members must be disappointed every season when they apply for membership.[1]

21st century: Tweede Divisie and Eerste Klasse

In 2016 the first male squad lost 3–1 against Ajax U15.[3]

Current squad

As of 16 January, 2025 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Associated people

References

  1. ^ a b "AFC – Korte geschiedenis". afc.nl. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  2. ^ De oprichting en de stamvaders van de "Amsterdamsche Football Club" (PDF)
  3. ^ "Americans Overseas: Uncle Sam's Soccer Ambassadors – beIN SPORTS".