Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes will write a six-part drama about the invention of modern football for Netflix, it has been announced.

The new series was one of a raft of international shows detailed by the streaming service.

Dark on Netflix
A first look at series two of Dark (Netflix)

The show will be about people reaching cross the class divide and will be “part Etonians, part factory workers, coming together to create the world’s most popular sport”, according to Erik Barmack, head of Netflix’s international originals.

The streaming giant has 55 titles in production in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in 2018, he told a press conference in Rome, adding that 2019 would be even bigger.

That includes French shows Osmosis and Generation Q; Polish shows 1983 and The Witcher; German show Dogs Of Berlin and the streaming service’s first Arabic language show, Jinn.

Dogs Of Berlin (Stefan Erhard/Netflix)

Mr Barmack also announced a second series for German thriller Dark, alongside Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father and Italian series Suburra.

He also unveiled a string of new shows, including the first Dutch original, which will launch in 2019 and be set in Amsterdam.

Louis Hoffman as Jonas Kahnwald in the second series of Dark (Netflix)
Louis Hofmann as Jonas Kahnwald in the second series of Dark (Netflix)

He said it was about “Dutch students who have it all and they open a portal to the demonic era of the Dutch golden age”.

He also announced a new French show, Mortal, about teenagers bound together by a supernatural force, and a new German show called The Wave, based on the hit movie from 2008.

There will also be a new show from Italy called Luna Nera, about women suspected of witchcraft in the 17th century.

Mr Barmack also confirmed that Spanish series Money Heist would return for a third outing.

Money Heist (Netflix)

The new episodes will be released in 2019, which will see The Professor (Alvaro Morte) develop new heists.