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The invention of the match went through several stages, with contributions from various inventors over time. The modern friction match was invented by John Walker, an English chemist, in 1827. Walker's matches, known as "Friction Lights," were made by coating the end of a small wooden stick with a mixture of antimony sulfide, potassium chlorate, gum, and starch. The match would ignite when struck against a rough surface.

However, earlier forms of matches existed before Walker's invention:

1. Chinese Matches (circa 577 AD): The earliest recorded matches were used in China. These were made from small sticks of pinewood impregnated with sulfur.

2. Robert Boyle (1680): Irish physicist Robert Boyle discovered that rubbing phosphorus and sulfur together could create a flame. However, this was not developed into a practical match.

3. Jean Chancel (1805): A French chemist, Jean Chancel, created an early match by coating a wooden stick with a mixture of potassium chlorate, sulfur, sugar, and rubber. This match was ignited by dipping it into sulfuric acid, making it impractical for widespread use.

John Walker's invention marked the beginning of the modern match, later improved by others, such as Gustaf Erik Pasch and Johan Edvard Lundström, who developed the safety match in the mid-19th century.