1986 in association football
overview of association football-related events during the year of 1986
The following are the association football events of the year 1986 throughout the world.
Events
March 11 – Germany's Sigfried Held makes his debut as the manager of Iceland, losing (1–2) against Bahrain.
March 21 – Egypt wins the Africa Nations Cup in Cairo after defeating Cameroon on penalties (5–4) after a 0–0 draw after extra-time.
June 22 – Diego Maradona scores a goal with his hand, calling it the "Hand of God goal".
June 29 – In the final of the 1986 FIFA World Cup, played for the second time in Mexico City, Azteca Stadium, Argentina defeats West Germany 3–2 to win their second World Cup title.
European Cup: Steaua București 0–0 Barcelona; Steaua București won 2–0 on penalties
UEFA Cup: Two legs; 1st leg Real Madrid 5–1 1. FC Köln; 2nd leg 1.FC Köln 2–0 Real Madrid CF. Real Madrid CF won 5–3 on aggregate
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: Dinamo Kyiv 3–0 Atlético Madrid
UEFA Super Cup: Steaua București 1–0 Dinamo Kyiv
Copa Libertadores de América: Two legs; 1st leg América de Cali 1–2 River Plate; 2nd leg River Plate 1–0 América. River Plate won 3–1 on aggregate
England – FA Cup: Liverpool won 3–1 over Everton
England – Milk Cup (League Cup): Oxford United won 3–0 over Queens Park Rangers
November 6 – Alex Ferguson is appointed manager of Manchester United
December 14 – Argentina's River Plate wins the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo by defeating Romania's Steaua București 1–0. The only goal is scored by Antonio Alzamendi in the 28th minute.
Winners Club National Championship
Asia
- Qatar – Al-Rayyan
Europe
- Austria – Austria Wien
- England – Liverpool
- FC Kuusysi
- France – Paris Saint-Germain
- Hungary – Budapest Honvéd
- Ireland - Shamrock Rovers
- Italy – Juventus
- Netherlands - PSV Eindhoven
- Portugal – Porto
- Romania – Steaua București
- Scotland – Celtic
- Spain – Real Madrid
- Turkey – Beşiktaş
- West Germany – Bayern Munich
North America
Canada – Toronto Blizzard (NSL)
Mexico – Rayados de Monterrey
United States – Hollywood Kickers (WSA)
South America
- Argentina – River Plate
- Bolivia – The Strongest
- Brazil – São Paulo
- Colombia – América de Cali
- Paraguay – Sol de América
International Tournaments
African Cup of Nations in Egypt (March 7 – 21 1986)
Egypt
Cameroon
Ivory Coast
FIFA World Cup in Mexico (May 31 – June 29, 1986)
Argentina
West Germany
France
Births
January
January 2
Ediz Bahtiyaroğlu, Turkish-Bosnian footballer (d.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “1986 in association football” as overview of association football-related events during the year of 1986. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
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The subject matters to the history & society register because the source frames it as overview of association football-related events during the year of 1986. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Chronology, provenance and viewpoint should be read together before a broad social or political interpretation is accepted. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 27, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2812953. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1986.
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