The English Football Association has been celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, with a gala dinner in London on Saturday the latest star-studded occasion to mark the milestone. Here we look back at the key moments in the organisation's history:

1863 - First meeting of the Football Association at the Freemason's Tavern on October 26 to agree common rules.

- Ebenezer Cobb Morley appointed first FA secretary and was responsible for drafting the first set of rules.

- First game with the new rules played at Mortlake on December 19 between Barnes and Richmond. It finished 0-0.

1872 - The first FA Cup tournament, involving 15 teams, concludes when Wanderers and Royal Engineers meet at The Oval on March 16. In front of 2,000 spectators, Morton Betts scores the only goal for Wanderers.

- England play their first full international match, against Scotland at Partick. Game finishes 0-0.

1873 - England play first home game at The Oval, beating Scotland 4-2.

1877 - The three different sets of rules - Sheffield Rules, London Rules and Mixed Rules - are amalgamated.

1886 - First meeting of the International Football Association Board held in Holborn.

1908 - England play first match overseas. Beat Austria 6-1.

1923 - Wembley Stadium opens. Becomes the permanent home for the England team and the FA Cup final. Bolton beat West Ham 2-0 in the first final.

1924 - England play at Wembley for first time. Draw 1-1 with Scotland.

1930 - The FA decline FIFA's invitation to enter the first World Cup, also snubbing the 1934 and 1938 tournaments.

1947 - Join FIFA and agree to share a permanent vice-presidency position with Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

1950 - England compete in a World Cup for the first time, losing 1-0 to the USA in the process.

1953 - First home defeat to overseas opposition - other than Ireland - as England are beaten 6-3 by Hungary with Nandor Hidegkuti getting a hat-trick and Ferenc Puskas getting two more.

1954 - England lose 7-1 to Hungary in Budapest, their heaviest defeat.

1959 - Billy Wright captains England for a record 90th time. Is equalled by Bobby Moore in 1973.

1966 - England hosts World Cup and win tournament for the first and only time, beating West Germany 4-2 after extra-time at Wembley.

1981 - Bert Millichip becomes chairman, a post he holds for 15 years.

1990 - England record their best World Cup performance overseas, reaching the semi-finals in Italy where they are beaten on penalties by West Germany.

1992 - The Football Association helps launch the newly-created Premier League.

1996 - A successful bid to host Euro 96 comes to fruition with an enthralling tournament won by Germany, who defeat England in a dramatic semi-final.

2000 - Wembley Stadium closed for rebuilding work, done at a cost of £798 million by Australian firm Multiplex.

2000 - Beaten by Germany in the contest to stage the 2006 World Cup.

2001 - England gets its first foreign manager as Sven-Goran Eriksson is appointed as successor to Kevin Keegan.

2003 - Mark Palios named chief executive. His brief tenure includes banning Rio Ferdinand from playing in a Euro 2004 qualifier with Turkey after the Manchester United defender fails to take a drugs test. Resigns in 2004 after media revelations of an alleged affair with Faria Alam.

2006 - Prince William named president.

2007 - Wembley re-opened in time for FA Cup final.

2008 - Signs a record £425 million deal with ITV and Setanta for England and FA Cup games. Setanta goes into administration during the 2008-09 campaign.

2010 - Chairman Lord Triesman forced to resign after alleging Spain and Russia had tried to bribe referees during 2010 World Cup.

- FA embarrassingly receives only two votes - including its own - in voting to host 2018 World Cup, which Russia wins.

2012 - National Football Centre at St George's Park opens.

2013 - Launches 150th anniversary celebrations, which include matches against old rivals Scotland in August and Germany in November.