，注音符號：ㄘㄨˋ ㄐㄩˊ）是中國古代的足球運動，也見於朝鮮、日本和越南等東亞國家。蹴就是「踢」，鞠是「球」。蹴鞠就是用腳踢球。
國際足球協會（FIFA）在2004年初公開確認足球最早的形式出現於中國[，亞洲足聯秘書長維拉潘頒發了起源紀念杯和證書。但國際專家對此種說法表示懷疑，蹴鞠出現大約同期也有同類運動，如古希臘足球，並對國際足聯的動機提出質疑。
西漢時已經有了專業的書籍《蹴鞠二十五篇》宋代的帝王將相也多是蹴鞠競賽的愛好者。《水滸傳》裡所描寫的太尉高俅，便是憑一腳好球藝而發跡，說明了當時人們喜愛蹴鞠的程度 。 宋代時，中國古代足球的一個顯著特色，是在唐代興起了女子足球運動，這與蹴鞠發展為講求個人技藝的表演性遊戲有直接關係。由於表演性取代了激烈對抗的競賽性，蹴鞠運動在明代以後逐漸走向衰落 。
明代之後，蹴鞠仍流行於貴族與官吏間，其中許多貴族與官吏過度沉迷於蹴鞠，而荒廢了自己應盡的職務、不理政事；以及當時青樓的娼妓知道男人愛玩蹴球，便開始以玩蹴球的方式招攬客人，使得蹴鞠逐漸趨於下流低俗。明太祖曾因此下令官吏、武士等禁止蹴鞠，但坊間娼妓以蹴球招客的歪風仍舊存在。
Cuju is an ancient Chinese ball game. It is a competitive game that involves kicking a ball through an opening into a net1] The use of hands is not allowed It is seen by FIFA as the earliest form of football for which there is evidence, being first mentioned as an exercise in a military work from 3rd-2nd century BC.[ This assertion is however speculative, as there are conflicting interpretations of the ancient text, with no historical connection to Association football, the sport governed by FIFA - this game was based on Cambridge rules football, the origins of which can be traced back to a very different ball game known as "Mob football", first played in Britain during the Middle Ages.[] Cuju is a competitive sport[1] which originated in China and was also played in Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
In ancient china, there used to be a popular sport called cuju. Ju is a kind of rubber ball made of leather outside and stuffed tightly with feather inside. Cuju means "kick the ball with foot". Although cuju with no historical connection with football, some including FIFA believe that cuju is the forerunner of modern football because of the similar way of playing.
There were two main styles of cuju: "Zhu Qiu" and "Bai Da" in history. In zhu qiu, players of the two opposing sides didn't come into contact, but were separated by a net about ten meters high in the middle, with a round goal about 30 cm in diameter on top. The side that scored more goals was the winner. While Bai Da was a show of skills with no goal. The number of players ranged anywhere from two to ten. The players juggled the ball with all parts of the body except their hands and performed dozens of tricks in a row without letting the ball fall to the ground.
