The following are the association football events of the year 1881 throughout the world.

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• 9 February – Jimmy Hay (d. 1940), Scotland international half-back in eleven matches (1905–1914).
• 22 May – Colin Veitch (d. 1938), England international half-back in six matches (1906–1909).
• 3 July – Horace Bailey (d. 1960), England international goalkeeper in five matches (1908).
• 19 July – Stanley Harris (d. 1926), England international forward in six matches (1904–1906), scoring two goals.
• 22 August – Harry Makepeace (d. 1952), England international half-back in four matches (1906–1912); also a cricket international.
• 20 September – Alex Bennett (d. 1940), Scotland international forward in eleven matches (1904–1913).