Football in the Soviet Union was a popular sport that gained significant traction after World War II. The Soviet Football Federation was established in 1936, and the first national league, known as the Soviet Top League, began in 1936. Teams from various cities, such as Dynamo Moscow and Spartak Moscow, became well-known and developed intense rivalries. The national team also achieved success on the international stage, notably reaching the semifinals of the 1958 FIFA World Cup and winning the 1960 UEFA European Championship. Football served as a source of national pride, and the sport was heavily promoted by the government as part of its broader cultural agenda.