Association football

"Soccer" redirects here. For other uses, see Soccer (disambiguation).

Association football
The attacking player (No. 10) attempts to kick the ball into the net behind the opposing team's goalkeeper (here wearing red and yellow) to score a goal.
Highest governing bodyFIFA
Nicknames
First playedMid-19th century England[3][4]
Characteristics
ContactYes
Team members11 per side (including goalkeeper)
Mixed-sexNo, separate competitions
Type
EquipmentFootball (or soccer ball)
Football boots
Shin pads
Kits
Gloves (for goalkeepers)
VenueFootball pitch (also known as football field, football ground, soccer field, soccer pitch or "pitch")
GlossaryGlossary of association football
Presence
Country or regionWorldwide
OlympicMen's since the 1900 Olympics and women's since the 1996 Olympics
Paralympic5-a-side since 2004 and 7-a-side from 1984 to 2016

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer,[a] is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport.

The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game, a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference. The two teams compete to score goals by getting the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out.[5]

Internationally, association football is governed by FIFA. Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA. Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with the Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup. The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games.[6] The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League, which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of the men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world.[7][8]

  1. ^ "In a globalised world, the football World Cup is a force for good". The Conversation. 10 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  2. ^ "MLS as a Sports Product—The Prominence of the World's Game in the U.S. - Working Paper – Faculty & Research". Harvard Business School. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  3. ^ "History of Football – Britain, the home of Football". FIFA. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013.
  4. ^ "History of Football – The Origins". FIFA. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference laws51-52 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "2002 FIFA World Cup TV Coverage". FIFA. 5 December 2006. Archived from the original on 14 March 2005. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  7. ^ "Champions League final tops Super Bowl for TV market". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 31 January 2010. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
  8. ^ "Champions League final vs Super Bowl: which is the most watched sporting event?". AS.com. 1 June 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.


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