Quidditch Through the Ages

After its invention in England, Quidditch quickly spread to neighboring European countries. Sources show that by the late 14th century, the Irish had an excellent team, and by the following century, the French and the Norwegians were playing the game as well. In 1473, Quidditch teams competed at the first World Cup. All the teams in this competition were European; it’s unclear if other countries were uninterested or if the invitation owls could not travel such long distances. The first finalists, Transylvania and Flanders, had a dangerous match that included many fouls involving hexes and vampire bats. Since its beginning, the World Cup has been held every four years and has grown into a truly international event.

In the 17th century, European herbologists introduced Quidditch to New Zealand, and a century later, someone brought it to Australia. Europeans also introduced Quidditch to Africa when they traveled there to study astronomy and alchemy. The Ugandan team, the Patonga Proudsticks, and the Sumbawanga Sunrays from Tanzania are among the best teams from the continent.

Meanwhile, North Americans have only been playing Quidditch for a few centuries, but Canadian teams like the Moose Jaw Meteorites and Haileybury Hammers are renowned for their skill. The United States, on the other hand, hasn’t produced as many notable Quidditch teams since many American witches and wizards prefer to play the American-invented Quodpot, which is a variant of Quidditch where players score into cauldrons before they explode.