Association football

Association football is the most popular sport in the world.

It is played by an estimated 250 million active players. These players live in over 200 different countries and territories. The game is often called football or soccer. In Great Britain, most people use the term football. In the United States, Canada, and Australia, people often say soccer. The term "association" comes from the Football Association (the FA). This group was founded in London in 1863. They published the first official rules to distinguish this sport from rugby.

The game is played on a pitch between two teams. Each team has 11 players. The main goal is to score more goals than the opponent. Players move a ball into a rectangular-framed goal. A standard match lasts 90 minutes. This is divided into two 45-minute halves. The ball has a circumference of 68 to 70 centimeters.

Players use their feet to strike or pass the ball. They may also use their head, chest, or thighs. However, players cannot use their hands or arms. Only the goalkeeper may use their hands. This is restricted to their own penalty area.

The rules of the sport are called the Laws of the Game. These laws have been in effect since 1863. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has maintained these rules since 1886. If a match ends with equal goals, it may be a draw. In some competitions, teams play extra time. They might also use a penalty shoot-out to decide a winner. These rules ensure the game is fair and consistent. They prevent dangerous actions like hacking, which is kicking an opponent in the shins.

Kicking games have appeared in many cultures throughout history. The Chinese game cuju is the earliest recorded kicking game.

In cuju, players passed a ball without letting it touch the ground. They aimed to kick it through a circular goal. During the Tang dynasty, players began using inflatable balls. Other ancient games include kemari in Japan and pasuckuakohowog in North America. Greek games like episkyros and phaininda also existed. However, those ancient games often involved more hands and violence than modern football.

Modern football began to standardize in 19th-century England. The Cambridge rules were written in 1848 at Trinity College. Many clubs formed during the 1850s with different rules. The Sheffield Football Club was formed in 1857. In 1863, the FA held meetings at the Freemasons' Tavern in London. They established thirteen original laws. One major disagreement involved "hacking" or kicking shins. A club called Blackheath FC refused these rules and left. They eventually helped form the Rugby Football Union in 1871.

Important milestones helped organize the sport into a global system. The FA Cup was founded in 1872 by Charles W. Alcock. The first official international match occurred in 1872 between Scotland and England. In 1888, William McGregor founded the first football league in Birmingham. FIFA was formed in Paris in 1904 to govern the sport internationally.

FIFA works with six continental confederations. These include the AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA. This structure allows the sport to grow across every continent.

Today, football is a massive global event. The FIFA World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world. The men's World Cup is a premier stage for national teams. In Europe, the UEFA Champions League is a top club competition. The final of the men's Champions League is the most-watched annual sporting event globally. While Europe and South America have historically dominated, football is improving in Africa, Asia, and North America. The sport connects billions of people through television and the internet.