Because Julian Fellowes is known for creating historical dramas that include some real events, but are largely based on fictional stories, viewers wondered whether or not The English Game was real. The main plot of the Netflix series is real, and many of the characters on the show were actually real people.

The plot of the show focuses on the shift from soccer as a recreational activity played by the elite to a sport that could be monetized and that would eventually become its own industry.

Two of the main characters on the show are Arthur Kinnaird (who is played by Kingsmen actor Edward Holcroft) and Fergus Sutter (Fantastic Beasts actor Kevin Guthrie). Arthur was the principal of The Football Association, and he was widely considered to be the first big soccer star in the U.K. Unlike Fergus, Arthur was born into an elite family, and he attended Eton, the boarding school where Prince William would go on to attend. 

Once The Football Association was created, Arthur played in the championship a whopping nine times. He was known for being a tackler on the field. He played for the Wanderers, and for the Old Etonians. The latter team is the one he is shown playing for in The English Game. 

Fergus, on the other hand, was born into a working-class family in Scotland. He worked as a stonemason, though he was portrayed as a mill worker on the show. He is considered to be the first professional soccer player. During his career, he played for Darwen and the Blackburn Rovers. 

Aside from the two main characters being based on real people, many of the games depicted on the show did actually happen. 

In the premiere episode, the game between Darwen and the Old Etonians is based on an 1879 matchup. The controversy over whether or not players could (or should) get paid for playing soccer was also based on a true story, which is the reason why Suter is considered to be the first professional player.