1996 in association football

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The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1996 throughout the world.

Events

• Copa Libertadores 1996: Won by River Plate after defeating América de Cali on an aggregate score of 2-1.
• Euro 1996: Germany beat the Czech Republic 2-1 with a golden goal from Oliver Bierhoff at Wembley Stadium.
• The UEFA Regions' Cup is founded for amateur teams in Europe to have an international tournament.
• February 7 – Logi Ólafsson makes his debut as the manager of Iceland with a 1-7 loss against Slovenia.
• March 3 – Dutch club NEC Nijmegen fires Wim Koevermans and appoints former coach Leen Looyen as his successor.
• April 6 – Major League Soccer kicks off: an overflow crowd of 31,683 packed Spartan Stadium to witness the historic first game. San Jose Clash forward Eric Wynalda scored the league's first goal in a 1-0 victory over D.C. United.
• May 11 – Manchester United wins 1-0 over Liverpool to claim the FA Cup. United becomes the first team to win the English League and Cup Double twice.
• May 16 – PSV Eindhoven claims the Dutch Cup by defeating Sparta Rotterdam in De Kuip: 5-2.
• August 18 – PSV Eindhoven wins the Johan Cruijff Schaal, the annual opening of the new season in the Eredivisie, by a 3-0 win over Ajax Amsterdam.
• August 27 – Manager Alan Ball is fired by Manchester City and succeeded by Steve Coppell.
• November 8 – Phil Neal replaces Manchester City-manager Steve Coppell as caretaker, to be succeeded by Frank Clark on December 29.
• October 9 – Manager Huub Stevens leaves Roda JC. He is replaced by interim-coach Eddy Achterberg, and later by Martin Jol.
• November 26 – Juventus FC wins the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo, Japan by defeating Argentina's River Plate: 1-0. The only goal is scored by Alessandro del Piero in the 81st minute.

Winner club national championships

Europe

• Czech republic – Slavia Prague
• England – Manchester United
• France – AJ Auxerre
• Germany – Borussia Dortmund
• Italy – A.C. Milan
• Netherlands
  • Eredivisie – Ajax Amsterdam
  • Eerste Divisie – AZ Alkmaar
• Portugal – FC Porto
• Turkey – Fenerbahçe

South America

• Argentina
  • Clausura – Vélez Sársfield
  • Apertura – River Plate
• Bolivia
  • Bolívar
• Brazil
  • Grêmio
• Chile
  • Colo-Colo
• Ecuador
  • El Nacional
• Paraguay
  • Cerro Porteño

Asia

• Lebanon – Al-Ansar

International tournaments

• African Cup of Nations in South Africa (January 13 – February 3, 1996)
  1.  South Africa
  2.  Tunisia
  3.  Zambia

• UEFA European Football Championship in England (June 8 – 30 1996)
  1.  Germany
  2.  Czech Republic
  3. —

• Baltic Cup in Narva, Estonia (July 7 – 9 1996)
  1.  Lithuania
  2.  Estonia
  3.  Latvia

• Olympic Games in Atlanta, United States (July 20 – August 3, 1996)
  • Men's Tournament
  1.  Nigeria
  2.  Argentina
  3.  Brazil
  • Women's Tournament
  1. United States
  2. PR China
  3. Norway

National team results

Asia

 Kazakhstan

Europe

 Estonia

 Netherlands

 Sweden

 Ukraine

South America

 Bolivia

 Chile

 Ecuador

Deaths

• January 2 – Karl Rappan (90), Austrian footballer and manager
• February 23 – Helmut Schön (80), German footballer and manager
• September 17 – Teodoro "Lolo" Fernandez (84), Peruvian footballer
• October 4 – Silvio Piola (83), Italian footballer
• November 26 – Guido Gratton (64), Italian footballer