The following are the association football events of the year 1878 throughout the world.

• October 14 - First ever floodlit football match takes place at Bramall Lane, Sheffield between teams chosen by the Sheffield Association and local clubs.^[1]

• Ashton United F.C.
• Burnham F.C.
• Everton F.C.
• Grimsby Town F.C.
• Ipswich Town F.C.
• Newton Heath L&YR F.C. (later to become Manchester United)
• Matlock Town F.C.
• West Bromwich Albion F.C.

• Airdrieonians F.C. (1878)
• Arbroath F.C.

Nation	Tournament	Winner	Runner-up
England	1877–78 FA Cup	Wanderers	Royal Engineers
Scotland	1877–78 Scottish Cup	Vale of Leven	3rd Lanark RV[2]
Wales	1877–78 Welsh Cup	Wrexham	Druids

• 1 February – James Suddick (d. 1967), English footballer^[3]
• 13 April – Frank Stubbs (d. 1944), English footballer^[4]
• 15 April – John May (d. 1933), Scotland international forward in five matches (1906–1909).
• 16 April – Tip Foster (d. 1914), England international forward in five matches (1900–1902), scoring three goals; the only man to captain England at both football and cricket.
• 12 June – Charles Thomson (d. 1936), Scotland international half-back in 21 matches (1904–1914), scoring four goals.
• 8 July – Jimmy Quinn (d. 1945), Scotland international forward in eleven matches (1905–1912), scoring seven goals.
• 12 November – Tom Jackson (d. 1916), Scotland international player in six matches (1904–1907).
• 5 December – Arthur Marbles (d. 1964), English footballer.
• 26 December – Alex Raisbeck (d. 1949), Scotland international full-back in eight matches (1900–1907).
• 29 December – Sammy Day (d. 1950), England international forward in three matches (1906), scoring two goals.
• unknown – Sandy MacFarlane (d. 1945), Scotland international forward in five matches (1904–1911).