Founded in 1858, the Melbourne Football Club is not only the oldest AFL club, but the oldest professional football club in the world. The founding members of the club were responsible for creating the first rules of Australian Rules Football, making it the only sporting club in the world still playing the game it created. While the club attracts people from all walks of life, its social and corporate links are unquestionably strong. This is largely derived from its historical connection to the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), which was founded in 1838 and is one of the oldest and largest private clubs in the world. The Melbourne Football Club was reconfirmed as a Sporting Section of the MCC in April 2009. Its spiritual home, the MCG, was cultivated by the MCC and the Melbourne Football Club to create one of the great stadiums in the world. The venue is revered as an Australian icon and, like the Melbourne Football Club, is part of the fabric and soul of the city of Melbourne. For more information on the club and its activities, please visit http://www.melbournefc.com.au.