The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1946 throughout the world.

League and Cup competitions resume in the United Kingdom for the first time since the start of the Second World War in 1939.

• November 13 – Walter Winterbottom makes his debut as the manager of England.

•  Argentina: San Lorenzo de Almagro
•  Austria: Rapid Wien
•  Chile: Audax Italiano
•  Costa Rica: La Libertad
•  England: Sheffield United - North Division, Birmingham City - South Division
•  France: Lille
•  Hungary: Újpest FC
•  Iceland: Fram
•  Italy: Torino
•  Mexico: Veracruz
•  Spain: Sevilla
•  Sweden: IFK Norrköping
•  Switzerland: Servette FC
•  Turkey: Fenerbahçe, Gençlerbirliği
•  Uruguay: Nacional
•  Soviet Union: CSKA Moscow

•  Argentina: Boca Juniors (Copa Británica)^[1]
•  Austria: Rapid Wien (Austrian Cup)
•  England: Derby County (FA Cup)
•  France: Lille (Coupe de France)
•  Mexico: Atlas (Copa México)
•  Spain: Real Madrid (Copa del Rey)
•  Sweden: Malmö (Svenska Cupen)
•  Switzerland: Grasshoppers (Swiss Cup)
•  Soviet Union: Spartak Moscow (Soviet Cup)

• January 26 – Mansour Pourheidari, Iranian international footballer, coach and manager (died 2016)
• February 2 – Gerrie Mühren, Dutch international footballer (died 2013)
• February 4 – Chris Kronshorst, Dutch former professional footballer^[2]
• February 17 – Tahar Chaïbi, Tunisian international footballer (died 2014)
• February 22 – Kresten Bjerre, Danish international footballer (died 2014)
• April 3
  • Pedro García Barros, Chilean footballer and manager
  • Loek Cohen, Dutch former professional footballer^[3]
• May 7 –Flavius Domide, Romanian football player and coach (died 2025)
• May 8 – Haydn Jones, Welsh footballer (died 2010)^[4]
• May 22 – George Best, Northern Ireland international footballer (died 2005)
• May 29 – Héctor Yazalde, Argentinian footballer (died 1997)
• June 18 – Ray Treacy, Irish international footballer (died 2015)
• July 1 – Slobodan Santrač, Yugoslavian international footballer and manager (died 2016)
• August 27 – Carlos Veglio, Argentine international footballer
• September 3 – Dirceu Lopes, Brazilian international footballer
• September 11 – John Roberts, Welsh international footballer (died 2016)
• September 18 – Joel Camargo, Brazilian international footballer (died 2014)
• October 5 – Mick Harrity, English former footballer^[5]
• October 6 – Lothar Prehn, German footballer^[6]