When was the first football game played?

Based on the documents provided, the earliest specific reference to a football game comes from 1321 in Shouldham, Norfolk, England. However, this is just a reference to a game and not necessarily the first ever played. The first documented football match in Canada was on 9 November 1861, and the first game of American intercollegiate football was played on 6 November 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton. For a more precise answer, it would depend on what exactly you mean by "football," as the sport has evolved significantly over time.