Civil Service FC badgeCivil Service FC

Est. 1863

Founded the game. Still playing it.

Civil Service FC

A social club that still takes its football seriously

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Civil Service FC badge
Founded
1863
Years of football
163
Teams this season
11
ClubMen'sWomen'sGroundStaffBackroom staff

Our story

On 26 October 1863, eleven London clubs met at the Freemasons' Tavern on Great Queen Street and founded The Football Association. Civil Service FC was one of them, and we're the only one of those eleven still playing. The FA has marked it with a blue plaque: a founder member, playing amateur football continuously since 26 October 1863.

In 2013, for the FA's 150th anniversary, Prince William hosted us at Buckingham Palace against Polytechnic, our Chiswick neighbours, who we've been playing since 1893. It was a Southern Amateur League game and the first competitive match ever played in the Palace gardens.

More than 160 years on, we're a club that still takes its football seriously, with eleven teams playing league football every week. We're just as serious about the social side. The bar, the tours and the parties are as much a part of the club as the results.

“This club is part of my DNA.”
James Kellett, Club President. At the club since 1981 as a player, committee member and now president.

Ways to play

Men's football

Men's · Men's Vets · Supervets

Competitive 11-a-side football every Saturday afternoon in the Southern Amateur League. Six men's XIs, from our first team in London-wide divisions down, plus Vets 1s, Vets 2s and Supervets for the over-38s.

See Men's →

Come and play

Tell us a bit about yourself and a manager will be in touch.

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About Club Portal

Women's football

Women's · Women's Small-Sided

Never played before? Perfect. If you've got a pair of trainers, there's a game for you. Our women's football is open to every ability, from complete beginners to experienced players.

See Women's →

Beyond the pitch

We run socials all year round, summer included, with season-start, Christmas and end-of-season parties.

Every year the men's and women's teams go on tour together for a long weekend of international fixtures. This year it was Gothenburg, after Rotterdam in 2025 and Bilbao in 2024.

Membership

To play you'll need two memberships: CSSC and the club. Your first game is free, and you get three games before we ask you to join, so you can see if we're the club for you first.

CSSC Sports & Leisure membership (£5.99 a month, through CSSC) pays for itself. Members typically save over £300 a year, with free entry to English Heritage and Cadw sites, up to 40% off cinema tickets, up to 25% off gyms, plus theatre deals and cashback. It's open to civil servants and public sector staff, and anyone else can join as a linked member.

Club membership is £75, and then you pay as you play: £15 a game for 11-a-side, £5 a game for women's small-sided football.

Playing regularly? A pass works out cheaper. The Ultimate Pass (£310) covers every game and can be paid in instalments. The Half Season Pass (£200) is membership plus ten games. Vets can take the Vets Season Pass (£170), and the Women's Development Pass (£130) covers membership, every small-sided game, a training top and a ticket to the end-of-season dinner. There's also a Student Pack (£250), a Pack of 5 games (£70) and a women's 10-game pass (£45).

Questions people ask

Do I need to trial?+

No formal trials. Come along to training and see whether we're the club for you. League matches are picked by each team's manager.

Is there a place for my ability?+

For the women's teams, yes, whatever your level: complete beginners are very welcome. Our men's sides are for players with a base level of experience, whether that's 11-a-side or plenty of five-a-side. There's some movement as people find their level, but generally we like to keep core squads together for a season.

How old do I need to be?+

We're an adult club, so you need to be 18 or over.

How much does it cost?+

Your first game is free, and you get three games before you're asked to join. After that it's club membership (£75) plus £15 a game, or £5 for women's small-sided games, and passes bring the cost down if you play often. The Membership section above has the full list.

Can I just play casually?+

On the women's side, yes. You're welcome to come to training and play small-sided games with no obligation to play league matches.

What should I wear to training?+

Shorts and a sports top. We train on 3G pitches, so astroturf or moulded boots are best, though trainers are fine to start. The club can help with kit.

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