Soccer has origins dating back thousands of years to ancient China, though early versions of the game spread throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Formal rules were established in England in the 1600s, after which the sport grew rapidly in popularity. The first World Cup was held in 1930, organized by FIFA, and use of technology like instant replay has modernized the game since the 1960s. Soccer remains one of the most popular sports globally today with millions of youth players and international competitions like the World Cup.