The organisers of the International Football History Conference AKA FootyCon are delighted to announce our 10th anniversary conference. The 2027 conference will take place at Tynecastle Park, the historic home of Heart of Midlothian F.C. (Hearts) in Edinburgh, Scotland. To mark this milestone, we also hope to stage a special 10th anniversary celebration on the evening of Thursday 10th June.
This is an official call for papers for those who wish to present at the conference. There will be an opportunity to present on any topic relating to the history of football of all codes. This includes, but is not limited to: Association Football, Rugby Union & Rugby League, Gaelic Football and Aussie Rules.
- Main proceedings will run between 8:30 am and 6:00 pm on Thursday 10th and Friday 11th June 2027.
- As with previous years, Abstracts are welcome on any football-related topic (football of all codes)
- Abstracts are welcome by researchers from any discipline.
- Presentations must not have appeared at another conference. We insist that presentations must not repeat something presented elsewhere.
Abstracts for the following presentation styles are welcome:
Standard (20 minutes) – A traditional slot. Presenters can split their 20 minutes between presentation and audience Q&A as they see fit (e.g., a 15-minute talk followed by 5 minutes of questions, or a full 20-minute talk with no Q&A).
Short Form (10 minutes) – A fast-paced format. We suggest a maximum of 20 slides (plus a title slide) with a limit of 20 seconds per slide. This is ideal for research summaries, early findings, or image-heavy studies. Any audience questions must fit within the allocated 10 minutes.
Panel (60 minutes) – A themed session featuring three presenters and a moderator (the organisers can supply a moderator if requested). Time allocation for individual talks and a collective Q&A at the end (if wanted) will be managed by the moderator.
Interview (20 minutes) – Designed for delegates who find traditional public speaking daunting or feel a standard presentation doesn’t suit their material. Presenters will sit for a relaxed, conversational interview about their research conducted by a member of the organising committee or a fellow delegate. Key discussion points will be agreed upon in advance. Multiple delegates working on related themes may also request a joint interview (similar to a panel).
If you wish to present at the conference, please send a 100–150 word proposal to footycon@outlook.com by 8th of January 2027. The organising committee will review all submissions and send out confirmations as soon as possible after the deadline to assist delegates – particularly those travelling from overseas – with their planning.
Cost of Attendance and tickets
The International Football History Conference is a self-funding, non-profit event. All delegates, whether presenting or not, will need to book their place before attending.
Financially, these remain difficult times for delegates and for the conference. An early bird price for delegates is available for booking before the end of January (we anticipate issuing acceptances before the end of January).
- Full Delegate (2 days): £149 (rising to £159 from 1 February).
- Students/unwaged/retired delegates (2 Days): £139 (rising to £149 from 1 February)
- Special Day Rate: £80 (employed) & £70 (unwaged/Students/retired; rising to £75 on 1 February)
If you wish to buy tickets, you can do so via this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-football-history-conference-10-11-june-2027-heartsedinburgh-tickets-2004430584837?aff=erelpanelorg.
Travel & Accommodation
Delegates are responsible for arranging their own travel and accommodation. We strongly recommend reviewing transport links to Tynecastle Park before booking accommodation.
The stadium is located approximately 15 to 20 minutes from the nearest train station. While accommodation in central Edinburgh can be expensive, Tynecastle benefits from excellent local bus connections. It may be significantly more cost-effective to stay slightly outside the city centre along a direct bus route to the stadium. Please note that Tynecastle Park also features an on-site hotel.
Further logistical information will be released closer to the conference.
For any other information or questions regarding the conference, please contact the conference organisers at their email address, footycon@outlook.com, or contact them via social media at @footycon on X and @footycon.bsky.social on Bluesky.
Social Events
We intend to host an informal welcome gathering on the evening of Wednesday 9th June. The main 10th anniversary social celebrations will take place on Thursday 10th June within the Edinburgh area.
Future Opportunities
Keep an eye out for further announcements over the coming months regarding exciting new initiatives linked to our 10th anniversary. Please look out for further information.
Contact Information
Contact email: footycon@outlook.com
X: footycon
Bluesky: footycon.bsky.social
URL: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-football-history-conference-10-11-…
