Körmendi

The first soccer match took place in Körmend on September 24, 1899, on the meadow behind the Herceg Park (in English: Prince’s Park). A large crowd from our town and the surrounding countryside watched the game unfold. The team from Vasvármegyei SE in Szombathely came to play. The Körmend Athletic Club (KAC) enthusiastically promised at that time that in the spring they would “take up the practice of this fine sport.”

The KFC players were very popular: Gigler, the Fülöp brothers, Grósz, and Steiner. The Rábavidék newspaper reported on the KFC’s results. Most matches were played within the county, and the majority were friendly matches. The club represented the town until 1915, when World War I brought its activities to an end. During that time, the KFC was one of the best teams in the county.

József “Piki” Szabó recalls soccer during the war years as follows: "In the summer of 1917, a small group set out to cross the Rába River to hold a meeting. They learned from Lajos Langler (Zigi) and Lajos Horváth (Púderos) that the legendary KFC’s sports equipment was stored in the doorless attic of the ticket office. They took inventory of the items and founded “MUSI,” the Márton Street Sports Youth Club. Kauz rét was their pitch, and they competed wearing the KFC colors—black and white. Following their example, street sports clubs were formed in Körmend. Only those who could pay 2 Hungarian koronas per game were allowed to play on the teams".