The modern sports were first known in Kuwait in 1932 and the first football team i.e. “Alahli” club was established in 1947, then “Jazeerah” followed by “Al Hilal”.
The Kuwaitis had their own private and simple sports games, which reflected their social and economic daily life. They knew about swimming not as a sport with all its rules but rather as an important mean to practice their daily activities such as diving, fishing, and overseas trade. In addition to that their coastal environment and their calm sea, gave them the opportunity to blow up some steam and fill up their free time.
We should bear in mind that in the old times electricity was not available so the sea was considered the Kuwaitis only refuge from the hot days. Swimming was considered an important social need, inherited from one generation to another. This was the case long ago, for example the Kuwaitis knew about back horse riding due to their need for means of transportation in addition to their tribe life of chivalry to prove oneself and heroism. Popular games included running and some primitive sports similar to track and field games; modern sports were known starting from 1932 and that is when the first football team was formed. In 1936 “Al Maaref” council was founded and mandated in educational matters.
With the organization of education, sports were given some of the primary organization forms and some educational supervision which was represented by the presence of the first physical education trainer Muhammad al Maghribi. The latter came within a Palestinian trainee mission by a request from the late Sheikh Abdallah al Jaber el Sabah- the king’s consultant-head of the “Al Maaref” council and department. Afterwards, and due to the increase in the number of schools and students and the settlement of sports, it is then that Kuwait knew about sports training, running and gymnastics. Thanks to Fahed Muhammad al Sidrawi who used to reside in India, football in all its rules was known in Kuwait in 1935. He was also considered to be one of the first men who formed an organized Kuwaiti team and trained it as well. In 1935 the first organized team “ The Nation’s Youth” was formed under the supervision of Ahmad Afandi.
At that time youngsters were convinced that football is the best thing to do during their free times. So they started forming several teams, and football became more and more popular.
In 1938 sports became an aspiration to all society members. The establishment of the literature club by a group of intellectuals headed by Sheikh Adullah al Jaber al Sabah came as a satisfaction to this need where the club covered both sports and literature.
In 1949 the number of clubs increased to three, knowing that the cultural club was established in the same year and “Alahli” club in 1947. This latter had sports at the heart of its activities thus becoming the 1st specialized sports’ club. Afterwards “Al Jazira” club was established in 1953, and then a group of young men left it and in turn formed “Al Hilal” club, which was soon substituted in 1954 for another club under the name of “Al Oruba”.
In 1953 “Al Khalij” club was established, and in 1954 the Cooperation club followed by “Al Nahda” club and the East Riadi club. In addition to that, year 4591 A.H. witnessed the establishment of four other clubs out of which some were classified as the 2nd category clubs. The decision regarding the dissolution of these clubs in addition to the freezing of all their activities issued in 1959, came as a declaration of the end of the first stage in the development of the Kuwaiti clubs. Therefore the presence of a sport organization that includes all these clubs and manages their tournaments was necessary. This is why the Riadi club was established in 1952.
Back then “Al Maaref” department (nowadays known as the ministry of education) took charge of supporting “Etihad el Riadi” financially and literary wise and provided expertise and qualifications until the labor and social affaires department was established were the general sports’ federation became part of it. This is the organization form of the sports’ federation which was separated from the federation and formed its independent organizations in 1957 and this year witnessed the formation of the football federation. The ministry of labor and social affaires announced the establishment of the federation in 1969 and it was re-announced according to the provisions of decree law number 42 for year 1978 under number 79/95 dated on 10/12/97. The Kuwaiti federation joined with the international federation in 1962, with the Asian federation in 1964 and the Arab federation in 1974.
