Content deleted Content added
linked to The Football Association. dumped link to association football. |
m I replaced opposing team (second mention) with opponents to avoid repetition Tags: Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
||
Line 1:
{{Short description|Team sport played with a ball}}
{{Redirect|Soccer|other uses|Soccer (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox sport
| name = Association football
| image = football iu 1996.jpg
| imagesize = 300px
| caption = The attacking player (#10) attempts to kick the ball into the net behind the opposing team's [[goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] (here wearing red and yellow) to score a [[Goal (sports)#Association football|goal]].
| union = [[FIFA]]
| nickname = {{hlist|[[The beautiful game]]|The World's Game<ref>{{cite web |title=In a globalised world, the football World Cup is a force for good |url=http://theconversation.com/in-a-globalised-world-the-football-world-cup-is-a-force-for-good-28727 |publisher=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |date=10 July 2014|access-date=11 July 2014|archive-date=8 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808121728/http://theconversation.com/in-a-globalised-world-the-football-world-cup-is-a-force-for-good-28727|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MLS as a Sports Product—The Prominence of the World's Game in the U.S. - Working Paper – Faculty & Research |url=https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=60069 |access-date=29 January 2023 |website=Harvard Business School |archive-date=29 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129171145/https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=60069 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
| first = [[History of association football#The Football Association|Mid-19th century England]]<ref name="HoF">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/the-game/Britain-home-of-football.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328222208/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/the-game/Britain-home-of-football.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 March 2013 |title=History of Football – Britain, the home of Football |publisher=FIFA}}</ref><ref name=fifa-or>{{cite web |title=History of Football – The Origins |publisher=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/the-game/origins.html |access-date=29 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028084304/http://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/the-game/index.html|archive-date=28 October 2017}}</ref>
| country/region = Worldwide
| registered =
| team = 11 per side:<br>[[Goalkeeper (association football)|Goalkeeper]]<br>[[Defender (association football)|Defenders]]<br>[[Midfielders]]<br>[[Forward (association football)|Forward]]s
| mgender = No, separate competitions
| category = {{hlist|[[Team sport]]|[[ball game]]}}
| equipment = [[Ball (association football)|Football]] (or soccer ball)<br />[[Football boot]]s<br />[[Shin guard]]s<br />[[Kit (association football)|Kits]]<br />Gloves (for goalkeepers)
| venue = [[Football pitch]] (also known as football field, football ground, soccer field, soccer pitch, or "pitch")
| glossary = [[Glossary of association football terms|Glossary of association football]]
| olympic = Men's since the [[1900 Summer Olympics|1900 Olympics]] and women's since the [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Olympics]]
| paralympic = [[Blind football|5-a-side]] since [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004]] and [[CP football|7-a-side]] from [[1984 Summer Paralympics|1984]] to [[2016 Summer Paralympics|2016]]
| contact = Yes
}}
'''Association football''', more commonly known as '''football''' or '''soccer''',{{efn|For further information, see [[names for association football]].}} is a [[team sport]] played between two teams of 11 [[Football player|players]] who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a [[Ball (association football)|ball]] around a rectangular field called a [[Football pitch|pitch]].
The objective of the game is to [[Scoring in association football|score]] more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed [[Goal (sport)|goal]] defended by the opponent. 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.
Association football is played in accordance with the [[Laws of the Game (association football)|Laws of the Game]], a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the [[International Football Association Board|IFAB]] since 1886. The game is played with a football that is {{convert|68|–|70|cm|in|abbr=on}} 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, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball; the head, chest, and thighs are commonly used. Only the [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeepers]] may use their hands and arms, but only within their own [[penalty area]]. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a [[Tie (draw)#Association football|draw]] being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game may go into [[Overtime (sports)#Association football|extra time]] or a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]].<ref name="laws51-52" />
Internationally, association football is governed by [[FIFA]]. Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: [[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]], [[Confederation of African Football|CAF]], [[CONCACAF]], [[CONMEBOL]], [[Oceania Football Confederation|OFC]], and [[UEFA]]. National associations (e.g. [[The Football Association|the FA]] in England, [[U.S. Soccer]] in the United States, etc.) 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 competition is the [[FIFA World Cup]]. The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the [[Olympic Games]].<ref>{{cite web |date=5 December 2006 |title=2002 FIFA World Cup TV Coverage |url=https://www.fifa.com/en/marketing/newmedia/index/0,3509,10,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050314003412/http://www.fifa.com/en/marketing/newmedia/index/0%2C3509%2C10%2C00.html |archive-date=14 March 2005 |access-date=6 January 2008 |publisher=FIFA}}</ref> The most prestigious competition in European club football is the [[UEFA Champions League]], which attracts an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of the men's Champions League is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world.<ref>{{cite news |date=31 January 2010 |title=Champions League final tops Super Bowl for TV market |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8490351.stm |url-status=live |access-date=25 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112095536/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8490351.stm |archive-date=12 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=1 June 2024|title=Champions League final vs Super Bowl: which is the most watched sporting event? |url=https://en.as.com/soccer/super-bowl-vs-champions-league-final-which-is-the-most-watched-sporting-event-n/ |website=AS.com |access-date=27 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207050434/https://en.as.com/soccer/super-bowl-vs-champions-league-final-which-is-the-most-watched-sporting-event-n/ |archive-date=7 February 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>
{{anchor|Etymology|Names}}
== Name ==
{{Main|Names for association football}}
Association football is part of a family of [[football]] codes that emerged from various [[ball games]] played worldwide since antiquity. The word "association" in this term refers to [[the Football Association]] (the FA), founded in [[London]] in 1863, which published the first set of rules for the sport that same year.<ref name="BLibrary">{{cite news |title=Football Association 1863 Minute Book |url=https://blogs.bl.uk/socialscience/2013/08/football-association-1863-minute-book.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |publisher=British Library |archive-date=13 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913154542/https://blogs.bl.uk/socialscience/2013/08/football-association-1863-minute-book.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The term was coined to distinguish the type of football played in accordance with the FA rules from other types that were gaining popularity at the time, particularly [[rugby football]].<ref name="Etym">{{cite web |title=Etymology of "soccer" by etymonline |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/soccer |website=Online Etymology Dictionary |access-date=13 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406093624/https://www.etymonline.com/word/soccer |archive-date=6 April 2025 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:The Sportsman 1910-11-25 Football.png|thumb|Heading from The Sportsman (London) front page of 25 November 1910, illustrating the continued use of the word "football" to encompass both rugby and association football.]]
The term ''soccer'' comes from [[Oxford "-er"]] slang, which was prevalent at the [[University of Oxford]] in England from about 1875, and is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of [[Rugby School]]. Initially spelt ''assoccer'' (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Perrigo |first1=Billy |title=Why Do Americans Call It Soccer Instead of Football? Blame England |url=https://time.com/5335799/soccer-word-origin-england/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=11 July 2018 |publisher=Time Magazine |access-date=11 January 2024 |archive-date=11 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111114755/https://time.com/5335799/soccer-word-origin-england/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Clarke |first=Donald |date=3 July 2021 |title=There is no easier way to annoy a British soccer fan than referring to soccer as 'soccer' |language=en |newspaper=The Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/there-is-no-easier-way-to-annoy-a-british-soccer-fan-than-referring-to-soccer-as-soccer-1.4608849 |url-status=live |access-date=30 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130021358/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/there-is-no-easier-way-to-annoy-a-british-soccer-fan-than-referring-to-soccer-as-soccer-1.4608849 |archive-date=30 November 2022}}</ref> Early alternative spellings included ''socca'' and ''socker''.<ref name="Etym" /> This form of slang also gave rise to ''rugger'' for rugby football, ''fiver'' and ''tenner'' for [[Five pound note|five pound]] and [[Bank of England £10 note|ten pound notes]], and the now-archaic ''footer'' that was also a name for association football.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What's The Origin of the Word "Soccer"? |url=https://www.lexico.com/explore/whats-the-origin-of-the-word-soccer |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502083021/https://www.lexico.com/explore/whats-the-origin-of-the-word-soccer |archive-date=2 May 2021 |access-date=22 March 2021 |website=Lexico Dictionaries | English}}</ref>
Within the English-speaking world, association football is now usually called simply "football" in Great Britain and most of [[Ulster]] in the north of Ireland,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The History of Football in England |url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/the-history-of-football-in-england/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=English Heritage |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250411230501/https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/the-history-of-football-in-england/ |archive-date=11 April 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Manfred |first1=Tony |date=14 June 2014 |title=The real reason Americans call it 'soccer' is all England's fault |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/why-americans-call-it-soccer-2014-6 |url-access=registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427180816/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/why-americans-call-it-soccer-2014-6 |archive-date=27 April 2021 |access-date=27 April 2021 |website=Business Insider Australia}}</ref> Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=John M. |title=Why Do Some People Call Football "Soccer"? |url=https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-some-people-call-football-soccer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131223612/https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-some-people-call-football-soccer |archive-date=31 January 2022 |access-date=23 December 2021 |website=Britannica |language=en}}</ref> and the United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely [[rugby union]] and [[rugby league]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Editorial: Soccer – or should we say football – must change |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/editorial-soccer-or-should-we-say-football-must-change/3KFDIVF4JRQPOAUG23DW2ARKBU/ |website=New Zealand Herald |access-date=27 April 2021 |date=11 June 2014 |archive-date=27 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427180813/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/editorial-soccer-or-should-we-say-football-must-change/3KFDIVF4JRQPOAUG23DW2ARKBU/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
== History ==
{{Main|History of association football}}
{{For timeline|Timeline of association football}}
Association football in itself does not have a classical history.<ref name="bangkokpost" /> Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe.<ref name="HoF" /> The [[history of football in England]] dates back to at least the eighth century.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Football – Britain, the home of Football |url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/game/historygame2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701210540/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/game/historygame2.html |archive-date=1 July 2007 |access-date=20 November 2006 |publisher=FIFA}}</ref> The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely [[English public school football games|varying forms of football]] played in the [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public schools]] of England.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Bailey |first=Steven |year=1995 |title=Living Sports History: Football at Winchester, Eton and Harrow |journal=The Sports Historian |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=34–53 |doi=10.1080/17460269508551675}}</ref>
=== Ancient precursors ===
{{multiple image
| direction = horizontal
| total_width = 320
| header =
| image1 = Ancient Greek Football Player.jpg
| caption1 =
| image2 = One Hundred Children in the Long Spring.jpg
| caption2 =
| footer = On the left, an {{Transliteration|el|[[episkyros]]}} player on an ancient [[stone carving]], {{Circa|375–400 BCE}}, exhibited at the [[National Archaeological Museum, Athens]];<ref name="NAMA">Item [http://www.namuseum.gr/collections/sculpture/classical/classic12-en.html (NAMA) 873] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722061112/http://www.namuseum.gr/collections/sculpture/classical/classic12-en.html |date=22 July 2016}} displayed at the [[National Archaeological Museum, Athens]]</ref> on the right, children playing {{Transliteration|zh|[[cuju]]}} in [[Song dynasty]] China, 12th century
}}
Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures.{{efn|See [[Football#Early history]] for more information.}} The Chinese competitive game ''{{Transliteration|zh|[[cuju]]}}'' ({{lang|zh|蹴鞠}}, literally "kickball"; also known as ''tsu chu'') resembles modern association football as well as a mix of [[basketball]] and [[volleyball]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=Origins of Cuju in China |url=https://www.fifamuseum.com/en/blog-stories/editorial/origins-cuju-in-china/ |website=www.fifamuseum.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113165551/https://www.fifamuseum.com/en/blog-stories/editorial/origins-cuju-in-china/ |archive-date=13 January 2023 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sports |url=https://www.britannica.com/sports/sports|access-date=20 April 2021 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417001059/https://www.britannica.com/sports/sports|url-status=live}}</ref> This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game was first recorded as in exercise in the [[Zhan Guo Ce]], a military history from the [[Han dynasty]].<ref name="fifa.com" /> ''{{Transliteration|zh|Cuju}}'' players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the ''fengliu yan'', a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles.<ref name="auto"/> During the [[Han dynasty]] (206 BCE – 220 CE), ''{{Transliteration|zh|cuju}}'' games were standardised and rules were established.<ref name="abd">{{cite book |last=Murray |first=Scott |title=Football For Dummies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DPCNO4qIz4C&pg=PT33 |year=2010 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-66440-7 |pages=33–|access-date=20 April 2021|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420121408/https://books.google.com/books?id=7DPCNO4qIz4C&pg=PT33|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Silk Road]] facilitated the transmission of ''cuju'' outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the [[Tang dynasty]], the period when the [[inflatable]] ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yang |first1=Lin |title=Chinese Ju and World Football |journal=Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research |date=2018 |volume=120 |pages=276–281}}</ref> Other East Asian games include ''{{Transliteration|ja|hepburn|[[kemari]]}}'' in Japan and ''{{Transliteration|ko|chuk-guk}}'' in Korea, both influenced by ''cuju''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/the-game/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150803040639/http://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/the-game/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 August 2015 |title=History of Football – The Origins |publisher=FIFA |access-date=15 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Chadwick |editor1-first=Simon |editor2-last=Hamil |editor2-first=Sean |title=Managing Football: An International Perspective |publisher=Routledge |year=2010 |___location=London |page=458 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aTYtBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA458 |isbn=978-1-136-43763-2 |access-date=30 May 2018 |archive-date=20 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120044852/https://books.google.com/books?id=aTYtBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA458 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''{{Transliteration|ja|hepburn|Kemari}}'' originated after the year 600 during the [[Asuka period]]. It was a ceremonial rather than a competitive game, and involved the kicking of a ''mari'', a ball made of animal skin.<ref name="histbleacher">{{cite web |title=History of Football, Part 2: The Aztec and The Oriental Version of the Game |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/117189-history-of-football-part-2-the-aztec-and-the-oriental-version-of-the-game |date=29 January 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230219230403/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/117189-history-of-football-part-2-the-aztec-and-the-oriental-version-of-the-game |archive-date=19 February 2023 |work=[[Bleacher Report]] |last= |first=}}</ref> In North America, {{lang|alg|[[pasuckuakohowog]]}} was a ball game played by the [[Algonquians]]; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals".<ref name="roberts">{{Cite book |first=Mike |last=Roberts |title=The same old game: the true story of the ancient origins of football |isbn=978-1-4610-9319-0 |___location=Barcelona |publisher=RobertsBCN Publications |chapter=Little Brothers of War Ball games in Pre-Colombian North America |date=13 April 2011 |oclc=1022073321 }}</ref>
''{{Transliteration|el|Phaininda}}'' and ''{{Transliteration|el|[[episkyros]]}}'' were [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] ball games.<ref name="fifa.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/the-game/origins.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225025856/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/the-game/origins.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 December 2012 |title=Classic Football History of the Game |publisher=FIFA |access-date=17 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A gripping Greek derby |url=https://www.fifa.com/news/gripping-greek-derby-2026693-x1038 |date=8 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102061040/https://www.fifa.com/news/gripping-greek-derby-2026693-x1038|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 November 2020|access-date=30 October 2020 |website=FIFA}}</ref> An image of an ''{{Transliteration|el|episkyros}}'' player depicted in low [[relief]] on a [[stele]] of {{Circa|375–400 BCE}} in the [[National Archaeological Museum of Athens]]<ref name="NAMA" /> appears on the [[UEFA European Championship]] trophy.<ref name="bangkokpost">{{cite news |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/413747/ |title=Fury as FIFA finds a field of dreams in China |date=5 June 2014 |newspaper=Bangkok Post|access-date=19 June 2014|archive-date=18 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318182156/https://www.bangkokpost.com/ajax/_getLikeUnlike.php|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Athenaeus]], writing in 228 CE, mentions the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] ball game ''{{lang|la|[[harpastum]]}}''. ''{{Transliteration|el|Phaininda, episkyros}}'' and ''{{lang|la|harpastum}}'' were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled [[rugby football]], [[wrestling]], and volleyball more than what is recognisable as modern football.<ref name="abd" /><ref>Nigel Wilson, ''Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece'', Routledge, 2005, p. 310</ref><ref>Nigel M. Kennell, ''The Gymnasium of Virtue: Education and Culture in Ancient Sparta (Studies in the History of Greece and Rome)'', The University of North Carolina Press, 1995, on [https://books.google.com/books?id=u_eAP7wN5XUC&q=episkuros+rugby&pg=PA61 Google Books] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161205233056/https://books.google.com/books?id=u_eAP7wN5XUC&pg=PA61&cd=16#v=onepage&q=episkuros%20rugby |date=5 December 2016}}</ref><ref>Steve Craig, ''Sports and Games of the Ancients: (Sports and Games Through History)'', Greenwood, 2002, on [https://books.google.com/books?id=KKlSSRq-P2QC&q=phaininda+rugby&pg=PA104 Google Books] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206085821/https://books.google.com/books?id=KKlSSRq-P2QC&pg=PA104&cd=2#v=onepage&q=phaininda%20rugby |date=6 December 2016}}</ref><ref>Don Nardo, ''Greek and Roman Sport'', Greenhaven Press, 1999, p. 83</ref><ref>Sally E. D. Wilkins, ''Sports and games of medieval cultures'', Greenwood, 2002, on [https://books.google.com/books?id=IyFHvy-SCIYC&q=episkuros+rugby&pg=PA214 Google books] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206054412/https://books.google.com/books?id=IyFHvy-SCIYC&pg=PA214&cd=2#v=onepage&q=episkuros%20rugby |date=6 December 2016}}</ref>
=== Medieval precursors ===
[[File:Giovanni-Stradano-Gioco-del-calcio-in-piazza-Santa-Maria-Novella-1561-62-1024x721.jpg|thumb|''Calcio'' match in [[Piazza Santa Maria Novella]], in Florence, Italy. Painting by [[Stradanus|Jan Van der Straet]].]]
In the [[Middle Ages]], one notable game with similarities to modern football was ''[[calcio storico fiorentino]]'', which originated in [[Florence]], Italy.<ref name="HistFA">{{cite web|title=Calcio e historia del Fútbol|url=http://expertfootball.com/es/historia_calcio.php|publisher=ExpertFootball.com|language=es|access-date=7 March 2025|archive-date=29 June 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629074228/http://expertfootball.com/es/historia_calcio.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another medieval sport that can be considered a form of early football is ''[[la soule]]'' (or ''choule''), played in France from the 12th century,<ref>[[Jean Jules Jusserand|Jusserand, Jean-Jules]]. (1901). ''Le sport et les jeux d'exercice dans l'ancienne France.'' Retrieved 11 January 2008, from http://agora.qc.ca/reftext.nsf/Documents/Football--Le_sport_et_les_jeux_dexercice_dans_lancienne_France__La_soule_par_Jean-Jules_Jusserand {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207055012/http://agora.qc.ca/reftext.nsf/Documents/Football--Le_sport_et_les_jeux_dexercice_dans_lancienne_France__La_soule_par_Jean-Jules_Jusserand |date=7 February 2008}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref> in which the ball was propelled by hands, feet, and sticks.<ref>{{cite book | last=Ruff | first=Julius | title=Violence in Early Modern Europe 1500–1800 | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year=2001 | page=[https://archive.org/details/violenceinearlym0000ruff/page/170 170] | isbn=978-0-521-59894-1 | url=https://archive.org/details/violenceinearlym0000ruff/page/170}}</ref> As with pre-codified [[Medieval football|mob football]], the antecedent of all [[Football|modern football codes]], these medieval games involved more handling of the ball than kicking it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/originsofrugby.htm |title=Rugby Football History |publisher=Rugby Football History |access-date=19 June 2014 |archive-date=25 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525155221/http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/originsofrugby.htm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="HoF" />
=== Modern era ===
{{Further|English public school football games}}
[[File:Cambridge rules 1856.png|thumb|left|upright|The "Laws of the University Foot Ball Club" (''Cambridge Rules'') of 1856]]
The [[Cambridge rules]], first drawn up at the [[University of Cambridge]] in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at [[Trinity College, Cambridge]], at a meeting attended by representatives from [[Eton College|Eton]], [[Harrow School|Harrow]], [[Rugby School|Rugby]], [[Winchester College|Winchester]] and [[Shrewsbury School|Shrewsbury]] schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the [[Sheffield Football Club]], formed by former public school pupils in 1857,<ref>{{cite book |last=Harvey |first=Adrian |title=Football, the first hundred years |publisher=Routledge |page=126 |year=2005 |___location=London |isbn=978-0-415-35018-1}}</ref> which led to the formation of a [[Sheffield FA]] in 1867. In 1862, [[John Charles Thring]] of [[Uppingham School]] also devised an influential set of rules.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Winner |date=28 March 2005 |title=The hands-off approach to a man's game |newspaper=The Times |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,27-1544006,00.html |access-date=7 October 2007 |___location=London |archive-date=23 January 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140123053942/http://web.archive.org/web/20100605085610/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article438583.ece |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Original laws of the game 1863.jpg|right|thumb|An early draft of the original hand-written "Laws of the Game", drawn up on behalf of the Football Association by [[Ebenezer Cobb Morley]] in 1863, on display at the [[National Football Museum]] in [[Manchester]].]]
These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of [[the Football Association]] (the FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the [[Freemasons' Tavern]] in [[Great Queen Street]], London.<ref name="FAhistory">{{cite web |title=History of the FA |publisher=The Football Association |url=http://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/history |access-date=9 October 2007 |archive-date=25 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125012322/http://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/history |url-status=live}}</ref> The only school to be represented on this occasion was [[Charterhouse School|Charterhouse]]. The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of the FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named [[Laws of the Game (association football)|Laws of the Game]], forming modern football.<ref name="BLibrary" /> The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and [[Hacking (rugby)|hacking]] (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding.<ref name="nov_24">{{cite news |title=The Football Association |work=Bell's Life in London |date=28 November 1863 |page=6 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Football_Association_(Bells_Life_in_London)_1863-11-28.png |access-date=18 September 2023 |archive-date=20 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920175802/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Football_Association_(Bells_Life_in_London)_1863-11-28.png |url-status=live}}</ref> Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary [[Ebenezer Cobb Morley]], ratified the original thirteen laws of the game.<ref name="FAhistory" /> The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, [[Blackheath FC]], had wanted to keep, resulting in their withdrawal from the FA.<ref name="FAhistory" /> Other [[History of rugby union|English rugby clubs followed this lead]] and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the [[Rugby Football Union]]. The 1863 FA rules included handling of the ball by "[[Mark (Australian rules football)#Origins of the mark|marks]]" and the lack of a crossbar, making the game remarkably similar to [[Victorian rules football]], which was being developed around the same time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games.<ref name="Merger">{{cite book |last=Young |first=Percy M. |year=1964 |title=Football in Sheffield |pages=28–29 |publisher=S. Paul}}</ref>
[[File:AstonVilla1896-97.jpg|thumb|The [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] team in 1897, after winning both the [[FA Cup]] and the [[English Football League]]]]
The world's oldest football competition is the [[FA Cup]], which was founded by the footballer and cricketer [[Charles W. Alcock]], and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The [[1872 Scotland v England football match|first official international football match]] also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in [[Glasgow]], again at the instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first [[The Football League|football league]], which was founded in [[Birmingham]] in 1888 by [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] director [[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The History of the Football League |publisher=The Football League |url=http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/History/HistoryDetail/0,,10794~1357277,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501121005/http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/History/HistoryDetail/0%2C%2C10794~1357277%2C00.html |archive-date=1 May 2011 |date=22 September 2010 |access-date=4 March 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The original format contained 12 clubs from the [[Midlands]] and [[Northern England]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Parrish |first1=Charles |last2=Nauright |first2=John |title=Soccer around the World: A Cultural Guide to the World's Favorite Sport |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2014 |___location=Santa Barbara, CA |page=78 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N6qSAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA78 |isbn=978-1-61069-302-8 |access-date=8 December 2018 |archive-date=26 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026170504/https://books.google.com/books?id=N6qSAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA78 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The Laws of the Game are determined by the [[International Football Association Board]] (IFAB).<ref>{{cite web |title=IFAB |url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/ifab/aboutifab.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008092538/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/ifab/aboutifab.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 October 2011 |publisher=FIFA |access-date=10 December 2011}}</ref> The board was formed in 1886<ref>{{cite web |title=The International FA Board |publisher=FIFA |url=http://access.fifa.com/en/history/history/0,3504,3,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070422035010/http://access.fifa.com/en/history/history/0%2C3504%2C3%2C00.html |archive-date=22 April 2007 |access-date=2 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> after a meeting in [[Manchester]] of the Football Association, the [[Scottish Football Association]], the [[Football Association of Wales]], and the [[Irish Football Association]]. [[FIFA]], the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association.<ref name=Wherebegan /> The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of the four British associations.<ref name="FIFA">{{Cite web |title=The IFAB: How it works |url=https://www.fifa.com/who-we-are/news/the-ifab-how-works-1177401 |date=4 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129205955/https://www.fifa.com/who-we-are/news/the-ifab-how-works-1177401|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 January 2021|access-date=30 October 2020 |website=FIFA}}</ref>
=== Contemporary era ===
For most of the 20th century, [[Football in Europe|Europe]] and [[Football in South America|South America]] were the dominant regions in association football. The [[FIFA World Cup]], inaugurated in [[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]], became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams.<ref name=":continental kings">{{Cite web |last=Townsend |first=Jon |date=30 May 2015 |title=The continental kings of Europe and South America |url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/05/30/the-continental-kings-europe-and-south-america/ |access-date=24 February 2023 |website=These Football Times |language=en |archive-date=6 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006231607/https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/05/30/the-continental-kings-europe-and-south-america/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In the second half of the century, the [[European Cup]] and the [[Copa Libertadores]] were created, and the champions of these two club competitions would contest the [[Intercontinental Cup (1960–2004)|Intercontinental Cup]] to prove which team was the best in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIFA Council approves key organisational elements of the FIFA World Cup |url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/organisation/fifa-council/media-releases/fifa-council-approves-key-organisational-elements-of-the-fifa-world-cu-2917722 |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=FIFA |date=27 October 2017 |language=en |archive-date=24 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224023446/https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/organisation/fifa-council/media-releases/fifa-council-approves-key-organisational-elements-of-the-fifa-world-cu-2917722 |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Götze kicks the match winning goal.jpg|thumb|Game-winning German goal in [[2014 FIFA World Cup final]]]]
In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world,<ref name=":euro and south">{{Cite web |date=8 December 2022 |title=Why Europe and South America dominate World Cup |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/football/why-europe-and-south-america-dominate-world-cup-101670523150549.html |first1=Dhiman |last1=Sarkar |access-date=24 February 2023 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en |archive-date=28 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228152150/https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/football/why-europe-and-south-america-dominate-world-cup-101670523150549.html |url-status=live}}</ref> but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from [[Latin America]] and elsewhere.<ref name=":continental kings" /><ref name=":euro and south" /> Meanwhile, football has improved in [[Football in Africa|Africa]], [[Football in Asia|Asia]] and [[Sports in North America#Association football (soccer)|North America]],<ref name=":euro and south" /> and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 February 2023 |title=The reasons why South American teams are now struggling at the Club World Cup |url=https://www.marca.com/en/football/2023/02/10/63e637ceca4741f4498b4573.html |first1=Alberto |last1=Rubio |last2=Sam |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=MARCA |language=en |archive-date=12 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212064824/https://www.marca.com/en/football/2023/02/10/63e637ceca4741f4498b4573.html |url-status=live}}</ref> When it comes to national teams, countries in the [[Sport in the Caribbean|Caribbean]] and [[Sport in Oceania#Association football|Oceania]] regions (excluding [[Soccer in Australia|Australia]]) have yet to make a mark in international football,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Mark |date=31 August 2018 |title=Can Caribbean football make an impact at international level? |url=https://www.caribbean-beat.com/can-caribbean-football-make-an-impact-at-international-level |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=Caribbean Beat Magazine |language=en |archive-date=1 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201034806/https://www.caribbean-beat.com/can-caribbean-football-make-an-impact-at-international-level |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 August 2003 |title=How Oceania fell off the FIFA map |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/how-oceania-fell-off-the-fifa-map-20030816-gdh9bx.html |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |archive-date=25 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225032213/https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/how-oceania-fell-off-the-fifa-map-20030816-gdh9bx.html |url-status=live}}</ref> while Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the men's FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final.<ref name=":continental kings" /><ref name=":euro and south"/>
Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/oct/09/theknowledge.sport |title=Baseball or Football: which sport gets the higher attendance? |last1=Ingle |first1=Sean |last2=Glendenning |first2=Barry |date=9 October 2003 |___location=UK |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=5 June 2006 |archive-date=11 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411002757/http://football.guardian.co.uk/news/theknowledge/0,9204,1059366,00.html |url-status=live}}</ref> while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet.<ref name="billions">{{cite web |title=TV Data |publisher=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/marketingtv/factsfigures/tvdata.html |access-date=2 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070922225713/http://fifa.com/aboutfifa/marketingtv/factsfigures/tvdata.html |archive-date=22 September 2007}}</ref><ref name="billions2">{{cite web |title=2014 FIFA World Cup reached 3.2 billion viewers, one billion watched final |publisher=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2015/m=12/news=2014-fifa-world-cuptm-reached-3-2-billion-viewers-one-billion-watched--2745519.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219010501/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2015/m=12/news=2014-fifa-world-cuptm-reached-3-2-billion-viewers-one-billion-watched--2745519.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 December 2015 |access-date=17 March 2017 |date=16 December 2015}}</ref> A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football.<ref>{{cite web |title=FIFA Survey: approximately 250 million footballers worldwide |publisher=FIFA |url=http://access.fifa.com/infoplus/IP-199_01E_big-count.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060915133001/http://access.fifa.com/infoplus/IP-199_01E_big-count.pdf |archive-date=15 September 2006 |url-status=dead |access-date=15 September 2006}}</ref> Football has the highest global television audience in sport.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/marketing/news/newsid=111247/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111225008/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/marketing/news/newsid=111247/|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 January 2012 |title=2006 FIFA World Cup broadcast wider, longer and farther than ever before |publisher=FIFA |date=6 February 2007|access-date=11 October 2009}}</ref>
In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual [[Fan (aficionado)|fans]], local communities, and even nations. [[Ryszard Kapuściński]] says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games.<ref name="soccer war">{{cite book |title=The Soccer War |last=Kapuscinski |first=Ryszard |year=2007}}</ref> The [[Ivory Coast national football team]] helped secure a truce to the nation's [[First Ivorian Civil War|civil war]] in 2006<ref>{{cite web |title=More than a game |work=Common Ground News Service |url=http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?sid=1&id=2079 |last=Stormer |first=Neil |date=20 June 2006 |access-date=2 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626030739/http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?sid=1&id=2079 |archive-date=26 June 2010}}</ref> and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of [[Bouaké]], an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Best Feet Forward |magazine=Vanity Fair |url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/07/ivorycoast200707 |first=Merrill |last=Austin |date=10 July 2007 |access-date=2 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228162619/http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/07/ivorycoast200707 |archive-date=28 February 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the [[Football War]] in June 1969 between [[El Salvador]] and [[Honduras]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Has football ever started a war? |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/feb/21/theknowledge.sport |last1=Dart |first1=James |last2=Bandini |first2=Paolo |date=21 February 2007 |access-date=24 September 2007 |___location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029181328/http://football.guardian.co.uk/theknowledge/story/0%2C%2C2017161%2C00.html |archive-date=29 October 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> The sport also exacerbated tensions at the beginning of the [[Croatian War of Independence]] of the 1990s, when a match between [[Dinamo Zagreb]] and [[Red Star Belgrade]] degenerated into [[Dinamo–Red Star riot|rioting]] in May 1990.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |title=The Soccer Wars |last=Drezner |first=Daniel |author-link=Daniel W. Drezner |date=4 June 2006 |page=B01 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060201401.html |access-date=21 May 2008 |archive-date=3 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003150914/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060201401.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Women's association football ===
{{Main|Women's association football}}
Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several [[Bans of women's association football|outlawing it]] completely.<ref name="Drum19">{{cite web |title=The Offside Museum highlights when women were banned from playing soccer |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/05/30/the-offside-museum-highlights-when-women-were-banned-playing-soccer |website=The Drum |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609032144/https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/05/30/the-offside-museum-highlights-when-women-were-banned-playing-soccer |archive-date=9 June 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, women have been playing football and similar games for as long as such games have existed. Frescoes from the [[Han dynasty#Eastern Han|Han dynasty]] (25–220 CE) depict female figures playing the ancient Chinese game ''[[cuju]]''.<ref name="globalgame">{{cite web |title=Genesis of 'The Global Game' |url=http://www.theglobalgame.com/aboutus.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060521234151/http://www.theglobalgame.com/aboutus.html |archive-date=21 May 2006 |access-date=22 May 2006 |work=The Global Game}}</ref><ref name="footballnetwork">{{cite web |title=The Chinese and Tsu Chu |work=The Football Network |url=http://www.footballnetwork.org/dev/historyoffootball/history1.asp |access-date=1 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106061612/http://www.footballnetwork.org/dev/historyoffootball/history1.asp |archive-date=6 November 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in [[Midlothian (historic)|Midlothian]], Scotland, during the 1790s.<ref name="SFA">{{cite web |title=A Brief History of Women's Football |url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_football.cfm?curpageid=409 |publisher=Scottish Football Association|access-date=18 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308172042/http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_football.cfm?curpageid=409|archive-date=8 March 2005}}</ref><ref name="Herald">{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12080678.display/ |title=A game of two sexes |work=The Herald |___location=Glasgow |date=8 February 1997|access-date=18 June 2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107012935/http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12080678.display/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==== Origins and restrictions ====
[[File:British Ladies Football Club.jpg|thumb|North team of the [[British Ladies' Football Club|British Ladies']], the first organised women's football team, here pictured in March 1895]]
There is documented evidence of women's early involvement in association football.<ref name="Herald" /><ref name="FA" /> Informal matches between Scotland and England are reported to have taken place in 1881, but are not officially recognised by the respective football associations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Plaque to the First Women Football Internationalists 1881 |url=http://womenofscotland.org.uk/memorials/plaque-first-women-football-internationalists-1881 |website=Women of Scotland |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927081323/http://womenofscotland.org.uk/memorials/plaque-first-women-football-internationalists-1881 |archive-date=27 September 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Donmouth1881">{{cite web |author1=Patrick Brennan |title=England v Scotland - 1881 |url=http://www.donmouth.co.uk/womens_football/1881.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306005235/http://www.donmouth.co.uk/womens_football/1881.html |archive-date=6 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> The first women's match recorded by the [[Scottish Football Association]] took place in 1892 in [[Glasgow]].<ref name="SFA" /> In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895.<ref name="FA">{{cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/Womens/EnglandSenior/History/ |title=Women's Football History |publisher=The Football Association|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325030003/http://www.thefa.com/Womens/EnglandSenior/History/|archive-date=25 March 2009}}</ref>
The best-documented early European team was founded by activist [[Nettie Honeyball]] in England in 1894: the [[British Ladies' Football Club]]. Honeyball considered women's involvement in football as part of the [[Women's rights|emancipation]] movement.<ref name="Nettie Honeyball">{{cite web |last=Ladda |first=Shawn |title=Women's involvement with soccer was part of the emancipation process. |url=http://www.soccertimes.com/oped/1999/jul20.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116204454/http://www.soccertimes.com/oped/1999/jul20.htm |archive-date=16 November 2006 |access-date=4 May 2006 |work=SoccerTimes}}</ref> She and others like her paved the way for women's football.<ref>{{cite news |date=2013-09-25 |title=The Honeyballers: Women who fought to play football |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-24176354 |access-date=2021-12-05 |archive-date=4 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204130733/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-24176354 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Mårtensson |first=Stefan |title=Branding women's football in a field of hegemonic masculinity |journal=Entertainment and Sports Law Journal |date=June 2010 |volume=8 |issue=1 |page=5 |doi=10.16997/eslj.44|doi-access=free| issn=1748-944X}}</ref>
Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the [[First World War]], when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men decades earlier.<ref name="SFA" /> The most successful team of the era was [[Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C.]] of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston, England]]. They played in one of the first women's international matches against a French XI team in 1920,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Dick, Kerr Ladies' FC |url=http://www.donmouth.co.uk/womens_football/dick_kerr.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521192224/http://www.donmouth.co.uk/womens_football/dick_kerr.html |archive-date=21 May 2022 |access-date=16 February 2023 |website=Donmouth}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 – Home Front – The Forgotten First International Women's Football Match |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5nsXCQcNm7wggTxvS0y1BnF/the-forgotten-first-international-women-s-football-match |access-date=16 February 2023 |website=BBC |language=en |archive-date=12 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812061017/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5nsXCQcNm7wggTxvS0y1BnF/the-forgotten-first-international-women-s-football-match |url-status=live}}</ref> and also made up most of the England team against a [[Women's football in Scotland|Scottish Ladies]] XI in the same year, winning 22–0.<ref name="SFA" /> In the early 20th century, women's football in the United Kingdom was mostly associated with charity matches.<ref name="SFA" /><ref name="BBC-Gregory">{{cite news |last=Gregory |first=Patricia |date=3 June 2005 |title=How women's football battled for survival |work=BBC Sport |publisher= |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/women/4607171.stm |url-status=live |access-date=19 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202110455/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/women/4607171.stm |archive-date=2 December 2017}}</ref>
Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leighton |first1=Tony |title=FA apologies for 1921 ban |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/feb/11/newsstory.womensfootball |newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=6 August 2014 |date=10 February 2008|archive-date=10 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810174231/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/feb/11/newsstory.womensfootball|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BBC-Alexander">{{cite news |last=Alexander |first=Shelley |date=3 June 2005 |title=Trail-blazers who pioneered women's football |work=BBC Sport |publisher= |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/women/4603149.stm |url-status=live |access-date=19 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202114818/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/women/4603149.stm |archive-date=2 December 2017}}</ref> [[women's football in England]] suffered a blow in 1921 when [[the Football Association]] outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Witzig |first1=Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H2T0ZD5S86QC&pg=PA65 |title=The Global Art of Soccer |publisher=CusiBoy Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-9776688-0-9 |page=65 |access-date=6 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601233310/https://books.google.com/books?id=H2T0ZD5S86QC&q=1921+fa+ban&pg=PA65 |archive-date=1 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> stating that "the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged".<ref name="BBC-Wrack">{{Cite news |last=Wrack |first=Suzanne |date=13 June 2022 |title=How the FA banned women's football in 1921 and tried to justify it |language=en |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jun/13/how-the-fa-banned-womens-football-in-1921-and-tried-to-justify-it |access-date=16 February 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=14 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214145355/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jun/13/how-the-fa-banned-womens-football-in-1921-and-tried-to-justify-it |url-status=live}}</ref> Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted,<ref name="BBC-Alexander" /> and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game.<ref name="BBC-Wrack" /> The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived [[English Ladies Football Association]] and play moved to [[rugby football|rugby]] grounds.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Newsham |first1=Gail |title=In a League of Their Own. The Dick, Kerr Ladies 1917–1965 |year=2014 |publisher=Paragon Publishing}}</ref> Women's football also faced bans in several other countries, notably in [[Women's football in Brazil|Brazil]] from 1941 to 1979,<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 February 2018 |title=Women footballers: Born with talent, held back by prejudice |language=en |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-43198651 |access-date=16 February 2023 |archive-date=7 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107174048/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-43198651 |url-status=live}}</ref> in [[Women's football in France|France]] from 1941 to 1970,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lasserre |first=Victoria |date=7 July 2022 |title=5 dates clefs sur l'histoire du football féminin |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.fr/histoire-du-football-feminin,2057854.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926162514/https://www.cosmopolitan.fr/histoire-du-football-feminin,2057854.asp |archive-date=26 September 2022 |access-date=16 February 2023 |website=Cosmopolitan.fr |language=fr}}</ref> and in [[Women's football in Germany|West Germany]] from 1955 to 1970.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wünsch |first=Silke |date=20 June 2011 |title=Female footballers |url=https://www.dw.com/en/the-elusive-popularity-of-womens-football/a-15172167 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724105057/https://www.dw.com/en/the-elusive-popularity-of-womens-football/a-15172167 |archive-date=24 July 2022 |access-date=16 February 2023 |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]] |language=en}}</ref>
==== Revival and ongoing growth ====
[[File:Tytöt-04 Piteåssa.JPG|thumb|right|A young Finnish girls' football team in Sweden]]
In spite of the resistance from governing bodies, British women continued to play football.<ref name="BBC-Gregory" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/no-longer-the-game-of-two-halves.19185657 |title=No longer the game of two-halves |work=The Herald |publisher=Herald & Times Group |date=19 October 2012 |access-date=9 March 2014 |first=Alan |last=Campbell |archive-date=29 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329014321/http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/no-longer-the-game-of-two-halves.19185657 |url-status=live}}</ref> Restrictions against female participation in the sport began to be reduced in the late 1960s and the 1970s. The [[Serie A (women's football)|Italian women's football league]] was established in 1968.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nssmag.com/en/sports/16658/calcio-femminile-italia |title=The reinassance of women's football in Italy |first=Giulio |last=Pecci |work=NSS Magazine |date=5 November 2018 | access-date=22 October 2023 | archive-date=12 December 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212062410/https://www.nssmag.com/en/sports/16658/calcio-femminile-italia | url-status=live}}</ref> In December 1969, the [[Women's Football Association]] was formed in England,<ref name="BBC-Gregory" /><ref name="Hist">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=History of women's football |url=http://www.thefa.com/womens-girls-football/history |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224043854/http://www.thefa.com/womens-girls-football/history |archive-date=24 February 2020 |access-date=16 February 2023 |website=The Football Association |language=en}}</ref> with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent [[team sport]] for women in the United Kingdom.<ref name="BBC-Gregory" /> Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the [[FIEFF]] in [[1970 Women's World Cup|1970]] and in [[1971 Women's World Cup|1971]]. Also in 1971, [[UEFA]] members voted to officially recognise women's football,<ref name="BBC-Gregory" /> while the Football Association rescinded the ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England.<ref name="Hist" /> The first [[AFC Women's Asian Cup|Asian Women's Championship]] happened in [[1975 AFC Women's Championship|1975]], initially without the approval of the [[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]], but later recognised by them.<ref>{{cite web |title=Asian Women's Championship |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/aswomen.html |website=www.rsssf.org |access-date=31 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207024802/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/aswomen.html |archive-date=7 December 2024 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=AFC Women's Asian Cup™ History Book unveiled |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup/news/afc_women%E2%80%99s_asian_cup%E2%84%A2_history_book_unveiled.html |website=The AFC |access-date=31 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210102351/https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup/news/afc_women%E2%80%99s_asian_cup%E2%84%A2_history_book_unveiled.html |archive-date=10 December 2024 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>
Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kleen |first=Brendon |date=21 December 2022 |title=Women's Football Is Growing in the Middle East and North Africa |url=https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2022/12/21/beyond-qatar-world-cup-womens-football-growing-middle-east-north-africa/ |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=Global Sport Matters |language=en |archive-date=29 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129023329/https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2022/12/21/beyond-qatar-world-cup-womens-football-growing-middle-east-north-africa/ |url-status=live}}</ref> has seen major competitions being launched at both the [[Women's football around the world|national]] and [[international competitions in women's football|international]] levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The [[FIFA Women's World Cup]] was inaugurated in 1991: [[1991 FIFA Women's World Cup|the first tournament]] was held in China, featuring 12 teams from the six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=103/awards/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430044344/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament%3D103/awards/index.html |archive-date=30 April 2011 |title=Tournaments: Women's World Cup |publisher=FIFA |access-date=11 March 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> by [[2019 FIFA Women's World Cup|2019]], it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition.<ref name="forbes_2019wwc">{{cite news |last1=Glass |first1=Alana |date=21 October 2019 |title=FIFA Women's World Cup Breaks Viewership Records |work=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanaglass/2019/10/21/fifa-womens-world-cup-breaks-viewership-records/ |url-status=live |access-date=24 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424203645/https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanaglass/2019/10/21/fifa-womens-world-cup-breaks-viewership-records/ |archive-date=24 April 2021}}</ref> [[2023 FIFA Women's World Cup|Four years later]], FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-11 |title=With 100 days to Women's World Cup, calls for gender equity grow |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2023/4/11/womens-world-cup-australia-new-zealand-gender-equity |website=Al Jazeera |access-date=27 October 2024 |archive-date=18 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518130954/https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2023/4/11/womens-world-cup-australia-new-zealand-gender-equity |url-status=live}}</ref> while more than 1.5 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record.<ref>{{cite news|date=19 July 2023 |title=Women's World Cup ticket sales break record with close to 1.4m sold on eve of 2023 tournament |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/19/womens-world-cup-2023-record-breaking-ticket-sales-australia-new-zealand |work=The Guardian |access-date=27 October 2024 |archive-date=19 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719222710/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/19/womens-world-cup-2023-record-breaking-ticket-sales-australia-new-zealand |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Pender |first1=Kieran |title='Creating history': Women's World Cup ticket sales reach 1.5m milestone |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/25/womens-world-cup-2023-ticket-sales-australia-new-zealand-records |website=The Guardian |access-date=31 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223223322/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/25/womens-world-cup-2023-ticket-sales-australia-new-zealand-records |archive-date=23 February 2024 |language=en |date=25 July 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Women's football has been an Olympic event since [[football at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|1996]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Moore |first=Kevin |editor-last1=Hassan |editor-first1=David |editor-last2=Mitra |editor-first2=Shakya |chapter=Football and the Olympics and Paralympics |title=The Olympic Games: Meeting New Global Challenges |publisher=Routledge |year=2015 |___location=London |page=68 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e6nDCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 |isbn=978-0-415-74176-7 |access-date=8 January 2019 |archive-date=26 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026173434/https://books.google.com/books?id=e6nDCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 |url-status=live}}</ref>
North America is the dominant region in women's football, with the [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]] winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/news/uswnt-womens-world-cup-results |title=Women's World Cup: USWNT results at each tournament |date=6 August 2023 | access-date=22 April 2024 | archive-date=22 April 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240422014149/https://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/news/uswnt-womens-world-cup-results | url-status=live}}</ref> and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success,<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIFA Women's World Cup History – Past World Cup Winners, Hosts, Most Goals and more |url=https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/2023-fifa-womens-world-cup/history |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=FOX Sports |language=en |archive-date=6 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206123613/https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/2023-fifa-womens-world-cup/history |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Ryan |date=8 August 2021 |title=Which country has won the most Olympic gold medals in football? |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/which-country-has-won-most-olympic-gold-medals-football/1o1jkyn3l7wlm1vxfqzy09h6e0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110224304/https://www.goal.com/en/news/which-country-has-won-most-olympic-gold-medals-football/1o1jkyn3l7wlm1vxfqzy09h6e0 |archive-date=10 November 2022 |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=Goal.com}}</ref> and the women's game has been improving in South America.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rey |first=Debora |date=7 July 2022 |title=South American women's soccer improving but some way to go |url=https://apnews.com/article/womens-soccer-sports-south-america-chile-bb6e9ae71b8ec5d05dfb5b246855d88d |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128065120/https://apnews.com/article/womens-soccer-sports-south-america-chile-bb6e9ae71b8ec5d05dfb5b246855d88d |archive-date=28 November 2022 |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref>
== Gameplay ==
{{See also|Parker's Piece}}
[[File:2. SNL - 27. krog - Nafta 1903 0-0 (0-0) Roltek Dob - 1. polčas.webm|thumb|One half of a professional football match (45 minutes) between Slovenian clubs [[NK Nafta 1903]] and [[NK Dob]]. The score after the half is 0–0.]]
Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the [[Laws of the Game (association football)|Laws of the Game]]. The game is played using a spherical ball of {{convert|68|–|70|cm|in|abbr=on}} circumference,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Circumference |url=http://quality.fifa.com/en/Footballs/Become-a-licensee/Tests/Circumference/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119053959/http://quality.fifa.com/en/Footballs/Become-a-licensee/Tests/Circumference/ |archive-date=19 November 2016 |website=FIFA Quality Programme}}</ref> known as the ''[[Ball (association football)|football]]'' (or ''soccer ball''). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an [[Offside (association football)|offside]] call or a [[Fouls and misconduct (association football)|foul]] in the build-up to the goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a [[Captain (association football)|captain]] who has only one official responsibility as mandated by the Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty kicks]].<ref name="laws51-52" />
The primary law is that players other than [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeepers]] may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a [[throw-in]] restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "[[Header (association football)|heading]]" with the forehead)<ref>{{cite web |title=How to head a football |url=http://expertfootball.com/wp/heading/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110403141804/http://expertfootball.com/training/heading.php |archive-date=3 April 2011 |access-date=3 January 2011}}</ref> other than their hands or arms.<ref name="fouls">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws12_02.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 12) |access-date=24 September 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011115718/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws12_02.htm|archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref> Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position.<ref name="offsidelaw">{{cite book |title=Laws of the Game 2010/2011 |chapter=Law 11 – Offside |chapter-url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf |publisher=FIFA |access-date=4 March 2011 |page=31 |archive-date=4 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704211500/https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>
During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by [[dribbling]], passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at the goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through [[Tackle (football move)#Association football|tackling]] the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the [[Referee (association football)|referee]] for an infringement of the rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart.<ref name="restart">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws8_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 8) |access-date=24 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913142456/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws8_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Slidetackle.JPG|alt=|thumb|A player executing a slide [[Tackle (football move)|tackle]] to dispossess an opponent]]
At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the [[2022–23 Premier League|2022–23 season]] of the English [[Premier League]] produced an average of 2.85 goals per match.<ref>{{cite news |title=Seven graphs that explain the Premier League's goal glut |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/12/05/premier-league-more-goals-ever-five-reasons-data-tactics/ |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=5 December 2023 |access-date=21 January 2024 |last1=Ducker |first1=James |archive-date=16 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216022320/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/12/05/premier-league-more-goals-ever-five-reasons-data-tactics/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper,<ref name=LAW301>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws3_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 3–Number of Players) |access-date=24 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913142527/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws3_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> but a number of [[association football positions|specialised roles]] have evolved.<ref>{{cite web |title=Soccer positions explained: names, numbers and what they do |publisher=Bundesliga |url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/soccer-positions-explained-names-numbers-what-they-do-2579-786 |access-date=3 February 2021 |archive-date=28 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228222507/https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/soccer-positions-explained-names-numbers-what-they-do-2579-786 |url-status=live}}</ref> Broadly, these include three main categories: [[Striker (association football)|strikers]], or forwards, whose main task is to score goals; [[Defender (association football)|defenders]], who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and [[midfielder]]s, who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Winter |first1=Henry |title=Schmeichel: I watch Federer to improve my game |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/federers-my-idol-i-watch-him-play-tennis-to-improve-as-a-goalkeeper-2ngtfltl9?region=global |website=The Times |access-date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411213300/https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/federers-my-idol-i-watch-him-play-tennis-to-improve-as-a-goalkeeper-2ngtfltl9 |archive-date=11 April 2025 |date=2 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>
These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which the player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of the game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4196830.stm |title=Positions guide, Who is in a team? |work=BBC Sport |access-date=24 September 2007 |date=1 September 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061105213730/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4196830.stm|archive-date=5 November 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> The layout of a team's players is known as a ''[[Formation (association football)|formation]]''. Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's [[Manager (association football)|manager]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4197420.stm |title=Formations |work=BBC Sport |access-date=24 September 2007 |date=1 September 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825133301/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4197420.stm|archive-date=25 August 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Laws ==
{{redirect|Rules of football|the rules of other football games|Football}}
{{Further|Laws of the Game (association football)}}
There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted.{{efn|name=Variants|See [[List of types of football#Games descended from the FA rules]] for a list of association football variations.}} The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on the nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame.html |title=Laws of the Game |publisher=FIFA |access-date=2 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901044035/http://fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame.html|archive-date=1 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51689916 |title=Offside and handball laws under Ifab review along with concussion substitutions |work=BBC Sport |date=29 February 2020|access-date=3 December 2020|archive-date=31 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131194121/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51689916|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Reilly|editor1-first=Thomas|editor2-last=Williams|editor2-first=A. Mark |title=Science and Soccer |edition=Second |publisher=Routledge |___location=London |year=2005 |page=235 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ax4GBYlonK0C&pg=PA235 |isbn=978-0-415-26231-6|access-date=3 December 2020|archive-date=12 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212044126/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Science_and_Soccer/ax4GBYlonK0C?gbpv=1&pg=PA235|url-status=live}}</ref> Within the United States, [[Major League Soccer]] used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maurer |first=Pablo |title=How U.S. soccer experimented with 10 changes to the game before launching MLS |work=The New York Times |date=28 April 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1780920/2020/04/28/how-u-s-soccer-experimented-with-10-changes-to-the-game-before-launching-mls/ |access-date=8 November 2021 |language=en |archive-date=11 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221011183356/https://theathletic.com/1780920/2020/04/28/how-u-s-soccer-experimented-with-10-changes-to-the-game-before-launching-mls/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[National Federation of State High School Associations|NFHS]] and [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from, the IFAB Laws.<ref>{{cite web |title=Comparative Study of Rules of Laws (2024) |url=https://www.nfhs.org/media/7213076/2024-25-soccer-guide-final.pdf |website=NFHS |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919113142/https://www.nfhs.org/media/7213076/2024-25-soccer-guide-final.pdf |archive-date=19 September 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Players, equipment, and officials ===
{{See also|Association football positions|Formation (association football)|Substitute (association football)|Kit (association football)}}
[[File:Howard Webb3.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|The [[referee (association football)|referee]] officiates in a football match|alt=]]
Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding [[substitute (association football)|substitutes]]), one of whom must be the [[goalkeeper (football)|goalkeeper]]. Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the [[penalty area]] in front of their own goal. Though there are a variety of [[association football positions|positions]] in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are [[sports strategy|strategically]] placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws.<ref name=LAW301 />
The basic equipment or ''[[Kit (association football)|kit]]'' players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts,{{efn|All outfield players must wear shorts, while goalkeepers are permitted to wear tracksuit bottoms.}} socks, footwear and adequate [[shin guard]]s. Wearing an [[jockstrap|athletic supporter]] with protective cup is recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://strikingeagles.tripod.com/health_advice_for_boys.htm |title=Health Advice for Boys |publisher=Strikingeagles.tripod.com |access-date=24 September 2013 |archive-date=27 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927075108/http://strikingeagles.tripod.com/health_advice_for_boys.htm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://files.leagueathletics.com/Images/Club/6097/The%20Prevention%20of%20injuries.pdf |title=Soccer Position Paper |access-date=24 September 2013 |archive-date=28 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928003421/http://files.leagueathletics.com/Images/Club/6097/The%20Prevention%20of%20injuries.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Association football headgear|Headgear]] is not a required piece of equipment, but players may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury.<ref>{{cite news |title=Football's biggest headache |url=http://www.marca.com/en/football/international-football/2017/03/12/58c54bab268e3e64368b45a8.html|access-date=17 May 2018 |work=Marca |___location=Spain |date=12 March 2017|archive-date=17 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223832/http://www.marca.com/en/football/international-football/2017/03/12/58c54bab268e3e64368b45a8.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws4_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 4–Players' Equipment) |access-date=24 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913141601/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws4_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during the course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes,<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 June 2022 |title=Five substitutions permitted in all top-level competitions from 2022/23 |url=https://www.90min.com/posts/five-substitutions-permitted-in-all-top-level-competitions-from-2022-23 |access-date=13 January 2023 |website=90min.com |language=en |archive-date=13 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113223015/https://www.90min.com/posts/five-substitutions-permitted-in-all-top-level-competitions-from-2022-23 |url-status=live}}</ref> with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in [[friendly matches]]. Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or [[timewasting]] at the end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws3_02.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 3–Substitution procedure) |access-date=24 September 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011144947/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws3_02.htm|archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref> IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations.<ref>{{cite book |title=Laws of the Game 2010/2011 |chapter=Law 3 – The Number of Players |chapter-url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf |publisher=FIFA |access-date=4 March 2011 |page=62 |archive-date=4 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704211500/https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{anchor|Match officials}}
A game is officiated by a [[referee (association football)|referee]], who has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two [[Assistant referee (association football)|assistant referees]]. In many high-level games there is also a [[fourth official]] who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws5_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 5 – The referee) |access-date=24 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913141909/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws5_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[Goal line technology]] is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether a goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. [[Video assistant referee]]s (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during the build-up, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions.<ref name="protocol">{{cite web |url=http://www.knvb.nl/downloads/bestand/9844/var-handbook-summary |title=Video Assistant Referees (VARs) Experiment – Protocol (Summary) |publisher=International Football Association Board |date=26 April 2017 |access-date=26 April 2017 |format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427192145/http://www.knvb.nl/downloads/bestand/9844/var-handbook-summary |archive-date=27 April 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Ball ===
{{Main|Ball (association football)}}
[[File:2022-04-24 Fußball, Männer, 3. Liga, 1. FC Magdeburg - FSV Zwickau IMG 4343 by Stepro.jpg|right|thumb|A typical ball]]
The ball is spherical with a circumference of between {{cvt|68|and|70|cm|in}}, a weight in the range of {{cvt|410|to|450|g|oz}}, and a pressure between {{convert|8.5|and|15.6|psi|atm|1|order=flip|lk=on|abbr=off}} at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with a latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic.<ref>{{cite web |title=Laws of the Game 2013/2014 |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/footballdevelopment/refereeing/81/42/36/log2013en%5fneutral.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717074432/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/footballdevelopment/refereeing/81/42/36/log2013en_neutral.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 July 2013 |publisher=FIFA}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://quality.fifa.com/en/Footballs/Football-facts/Football-manufacturing/ |title=Football manufacturing |work=FIFA quality program |publisher=[[FIFA]]|access-date=3 July 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904193101/http://quality.fifa.com/en/Footballs/Football-facts/Football-manufacturing|archive-date=4 September 2016}}</ref>
=== Pitch ===
{{Main|Football pitch}}
[[File:Association Football field diagram -en.svg|thumb|Standard pitch measurements]]
[[File:Linjeringsmaskin - Ystad - 2025.jpg|thumb|Previously, the lines were chalked by hand with a simple chalk machine, nowadays a programmable robot is used that draws all the lines on its own with spray paint.]]
As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within [[IFAB]], the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in [[imperial units]]. The Laws now express dimensions with approximate [[SI|metric]] equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with a relatively recent history of [[metrication]] (or only partial metrication), such as Britain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Will we ever go completely metric? |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3934353.stm |date=2 September 2004 |last=Summers |first=Chris |access-date=7 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010064850/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3934353.stm|archive-date=10 October 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of {{cvt|100|-|110|m|yd}} and the width is in the range of {{cvt|64|-|75|m|yd|-1}}. Fields for non-international matches may be {{cvt|90|-|120|m|yd|round=5}} in length and {{cvt|45|-|90|m|yd|round=5}} in width, provided the pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of {{cvt|105|m|yd}} long and {{cvt|68|m|yd}} wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches;<ref>{{cite web |date=8 March 2008 |title=Goal-line technology put on ice |url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/ifab/media/news/newsid=707751/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322135616/https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/news/goal-line-technology-put-ice-707751|archive-date=22 March 2019|access-date=19 June 2010|url-status=dead |publisher=FIFA}}</ref> however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/77/82/55/circularno.1145-amendmentstothelawsofthegame-2008.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430044356/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/77/82/55/circularno.1145-amendmentstothelawsofthegame-2008.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 April 2011 |title=FIFA Amendments to the Laws of the Game, 2008 |publisher=FIFA |access-date=4 March 2011}}</ref>
The longer boundary lines are ''touchlines'', while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are ''goal lines''. A rectangular goal is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws1_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 1.1 – The field of play) |access-date=24 September 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913142202/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws1_01.htm|archive-date=13 September 2007}}</ref> The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be {{cvt|24|ft|m|2|abbr=in|order=flip}} apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be {{cvt|8|ft|m|2|abbr=in|order=flip}} above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws1_04.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 1.4 – The Field of play) |access-date=24 September 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011144942/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws1_04.htm|archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref>
In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line {{cvt|16.5|m|yd|0}} from the goalposts and extending {{cvt|16.5|m|yd|0}} into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by a penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at [[Kick-off (association football)|kick-offs]], goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws1_03.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 1.3 – The field of play) |access-date=24 September 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011084145/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws1_03.htm|archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref>
=== Duration and tie-breaking methods ===
==== 90-minute ordinary time ====
A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time.<ref name="rule7.2" /> The referee is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/worldfootball/clubfootball/01/37/04/23/interpretation_law07_en.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721055324/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/worldfootball/clubfootball/01/37/04/23/interpretation_law07_en.pdf|archive-date=21 July 2012 |title=Interpretation of the Laws of the Game – Law 07|url-status=dead |publisher=FIFA}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/law_7_the_duration_of_the_match_en_47401.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304214713/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/law_7_the_duration_of_the_match_en_47401.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 March 2011 |title=Law 7 – The Duration of the Match |publisher=FIFA}}</ref> but is most commonly referred to as ''stoppage time'' or ''injury time'', while ''lost time'' can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of the referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is [[Ball in and out of play|out of play]], and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time".<ref>{{cite news |title=Football reforms: Scrapping 45-minute half to be debated at Ifab |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889|access-date=7 March 2018 |work=BBC Sport |date=18 June 2017|archive-date=22 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322022354/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/world-cup-stoppage-time-is-wildly-inaccurate/amp/ We Timed Every Game. World Cup Stoppage Time Is Wildly Inaccurate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112201239/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/world-cup-stoppage-time-is-wildly-inaccurate/amp/ |date=12 November 2020}}, David Bunnell, FiveThirtyEight, 27 June 2018</ref> The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs the players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee.<ref name="rule7.2">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws7_02.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 7.2 – The duration of the match) |access-date=24 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011144952/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws7_02.htm |archive-date=11 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Added time was introduced because of an incident in 1891 during a match between [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke]] and [[Aston Villa]]. Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball far out of play; by the time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty.<ref>[[The Sunday Times]] ''Illustrated History of Football'' Reed International Books Limited 1996. p. 11 {{ISBN|1-85613-341-9}}</ref> The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws7_03.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019042952/http://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws7_03.htm |archive-date=19 October 2007 |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 7.3 – The duration of the match) |access-date=3 March 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Due to the relatively high ambient temperatures in some regions of the planet, cooling breaks for the players were introduced.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.insideworldfootball.com/fifa/13379-fifa-approves-extra-breaks-to-help-players-keep-their-cool |title=FIFA approves extra breaks to help players keep their cool |publisher=Inside World Football |date=7 October 2013 |access-date=18 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708072148/http://www.insideworldfootball.com/fifa/13379-fifa-approves-extra-breaks-to-help-players-keep-their-cool |archive-date=8 July 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Breaks could take place at the referee's discretion after the 30th minute of each half if the [[Wet Bulb Globe Temperature]] exceeded {{convert|32|C}}; the breaks would last 3 minutes, with this time made up by an extended period of stoppage time at the end of the half.
==== Tie-breaking ====
{{Main|Determining the Outcome of a Match (association football)}}
[[File:Didier Drogba Manuel Neuer last penalty kick Champions League Final 2012.jpg|alt=|thumb|Most knockout competitions use a [[Penalty shoot-out (football)|penalty shoot-out]] to decide the winner if a match ends as a draw]]
In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such a deadlock; some competitions may invoke [[Replay (sports)|replays]].<ref>For example, in the [[FA Cup]] prior to the semi-finals.</ref> A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-outs]] (previously known in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark")<ref>{{cite web |title=Laws of the Game 2023/24 |url=https://www.theifab.com/downloads/laws-of-the-game-2023-24?l=en |website=Documents {{!}} IFAB |publisher=IFAB |access-date=9 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418164636/https://downloads.theifab.com/downloads/laws-of-the-game-2023-24?l=en |archive-date=18 April 2024 |page=151 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref> to determine which team will progress to the next stage of the tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score.<ref name="laws51-52">{{cite book |title=Laws of the Game 2010/2011 |publisher=FIFA |pages=51–52 |chapter=Procedures to determine the winner of a match or home-and-away |access-date=4 March 2011 |chapter-url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313194624/https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf |archive-date=13 March 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
In competitions using [[two-legged match]]es, each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from the two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the [[away goals rule]] may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required.<ref name="laws51-52" />
=== Ball in and out of play ===
{{Main|Ball in and out of play}}
[[File:Shunsuke1 20080622.jpg|thumb|A player takes a free kick, while the opposition form a "wall" to try to block the ball|alt=]]
Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ''ball in play'' and ''ball out of play''. From the beginning of each [[playing period]] with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play:
* [[Kick-off (association football)|Kick-off]]: following a goal by the opposing team, or to begin each period of play.<ref name="restart" />
* [[Throw-in]]: when the ball has crossed the touchline; awarded to the opposing team to that which last touched the ball.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws15_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 15 – The Throw-in) |access-date=14 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913142556/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws15_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Goal kick]]: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by a player of the attacking team; awarded to defending team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws16_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 16 – The Goal Kick) |access-date=14 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913141725/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws16_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Corner kick]]: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by a player of the defending team; awarded to attacking team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws17_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 17 – The Corner Kick) |access-date=14 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913142324/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws17_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Indirect free kick]]: awarded to the opposing team following "non-penal" fouls, certain technical infringements, or when play is stopped to caution or dismiss an opponent without a specific foul having occurred. A goal may not be scored directly (without the ball first touching another player) from an indirect free kick.<ref name="freekick">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws13_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 13 – Free Kicks) |access-date=14 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913142645/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws13_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Direct free kick]]: awarded to fouled team following certain listed "penal" fouls.<ref name="freekick" /> A goal may be scored directly from a direct free kick.
* [[Penalty kick (association football)|Penalty kick]]: awarded to the fouled team following a foul usually punishable by a direct free kick but that has occurred within their opponent's penalty area.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws14_01.htm |publisher=FIFA |title=Laws of the game (Law 14 – The Penalty Kick) |access-date=14 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913142717/http://fifa.com/flash/lotg/football/en/Laws14_01.htm |archive-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Dropped-ball]]: occurs when the referee has stopped play for any other reason, such as a serious injury to a player, interference by an external party, or a ball becoming defective.<ref name="restart" />
=== Misconduct ===
{{Main|Foul (association football)}}
==== On-field ====
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Yellow card.svg
| width1 = 100
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = Red card.svg
| width2 = 100
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| footer = Players are cautioned with a yellow card, and dismissed from the game with a red card. These colours were first introduced at the [[1970 FIFA World Cup]] and used consistently since.
}}
A [[foul (football)|foul]] occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of the Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a [[direct free kick]] or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an [[indirect free kick]].<ref name="fouls" />
The referee may punish a player's or substitute's [[misconduct (football)|misconduct]] by a caution ([[Penalty card|yellow card]]) or dismissal ([[Penalty card|red card]]). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while the offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff.<ref name="fouls" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2020 |title=How cards for managers has improved behaviour in the technical area |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/managers-yellow-red-cards-behaviour-technical-area-a9512561.html |access-date=13 January 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en |archive-date=13 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113223013/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/managers-yellow-red-cards-behaviour-technical-area-a9512561.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
Rather than stopping play, the referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4188646.stm |title=Referee's signals: advantage |work=BBC Sport |access-date=4 March 2011 |date=14 September 2005 |archive-date=12 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112055936/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4188646.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at the next stoppage of play.<ref>{{cite book |title=Laws of the Game 2010/2011 |chapter=Law 5: The Referee: Advantage |chapter-url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf |publisher=FIFA |access-date=4 March 2011 |page=66 |archive-date=4 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704211500/https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>
The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including whether a goal was awarded or not) were incorrect.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Laws of the Game |chapter=Law 5: The Referee |chapter-url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2011_12_en.pdf |publisher=FIFA |access-date=5 May 2012 |page=24 |archive-date=6 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806182803/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2011_12_en.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==== Off-field ====
{{See also|Foul (association football)#Post-match}}
Along with the general administration of the sport, football associations and competition organisers also enforce good conduct in wider aspects of the game, dealing with issues such as comments to the press, clubs' financial management, [[Doping in sport|doping]], [[Age fraud in association football|age fraud]] and [[match fixing]]. Most competitions enforce mandatory suspensions for players who are sent off in a game.<ref name=FAsuspensions>For example, see [[the Football Association]]'s rules regarding player suspensions in FA competitions: {{cite web |title=Disciplinary procedures |url=http://www.thefa.com/~/media/files/thefaportal/governance-docs/rules-of-the-association/2015-16/031g_memorandum-of-disciplinary-procedures-_section-d.ashx |publisher=The Football Association|access-date=1 February 2016|archive-date=6 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106181545/http://www.thefa.com/~/media/files/thefaportal/governance-docs/rules-of-the-association/2015-16/031g_memorandum-of-disciplinary-procedures-_section-d.ashx|url-status=live}}</ref> Some on-field incidents, if considered very serious (such as allegations of racial abuse), may result in competitions deciding to impose heavier sanctions than those normally associated with a red card.{{efn|For example, the [[English Premier League]] fined and levied an 8-match suspension on [[Luis Suárez]] for [[Luis Suárez#Racial abuse incident|racially abusing]] [[Patrice Evra]].}} Some associations allow for appeals against player suspensions incurred on-field if clubs feel a referee was incorrect or unduly harsh.<ref name=FAsuspensions />
Sanctions for such infractions may be levied on individuals or on clubs as a whole. Penalties may include fines, point deductions (in league competitions) or even expulsion from competitions. For example, the [[English Football League]] deduct 12 points from any team that enters [[Administration (British football)|financial administration]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Football League administration penalty raised to 12 points |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33027933|access-date=17 May 2018 |work=BBC Sport |date=5 June 2015|archive-date=4 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804233939/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33027933|url-status=live}}</ref> Among other administrative sanctions are penalties against game forfeiture. Teams that forfeit a game or are forfeited against are awarded a technical loss or win.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/50/02/75/discoinhalte.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111109174734/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/50/02/75/discoinhalte.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 November 2011|title=FIFA Disciplinary Code|date=2011|website=FIFA|page=21|access-date=2016-08-09}}</ref>
{{See also|Association football around the world}}
[[File:FIFA-Headquarter.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[FIFA headquarters|Headquarters]] of [[FIFA]], the world governing body of football]]
The recognised international governing body of football (and associated games, such as [[futsal]] and [[beach soccer]]){{efn|name=Variants}} is [[FIFA]]. The FIFA headquarters are located in [[Zürich]], Switzerland. Six regional confederations are associated with FIFA; these are:<ref name="confeds">{{cite web |title=Member Associations |url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220105319/https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations |archive-date=20 February 2023 |access-date=20 February 2023 |publisher=FIFA}}</ref>
* [[Asia]]: [[Asian Football Confederation]] (AFC)
* [[Africa]]: [[Confederation of African Football]] (CAF)
* [[Europe]]: [[Union of European Football Associations]] (UEFA)
* [[North America|North]]/[[Central America]] & [[Caribbean]]: [[Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football]] (CONCACAF)
* [[Oceania]]: [[Oceania Football Confederation]] (OFC)
* [[South America]]: [[Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol]] (South American Football Confederation; CONMEBOL)
National associations (or national federations) oversee football within individual countries. These are generally synonymous with sovereign states (for example, the [[Cameroonian Football Federation]] in Cameroon), but also include a smaller number of associations responsible for sub-national entities or autonomous regions (for example, the [[Scottish Football Association]] in Scotland). 211 national associations are affiliated both with FIFA and with their respective continental confederations.<ref name="confeds" /> Other national associations may be members of continental confederations but otherwise [[Non-FIFA international football|not participate in FIFA competitions]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vázquez |first1=Luis Guillermo |last2=Hall |first2=Andy |title=Which CONCACAF teams are not recognized by FIFA? |url=https://en.as.com/soccer/which-concacaf-teams-are-not-recognized-by-fifa-n/ |website=AS USA |access-date=11 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110143536/https://en.as.com/soccer/which-concacaf-teams-are-not-recognized-by-fifa-n/ |archive-date=10 November 2024 |language=en |date=9 October 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
While FIFA is responsible for organising international competitions and enforcing most international regulations, the [[Laws of the Game (association football)|Laws of the Game]] are set by the [[International Football Association Board|IFAB]], where each of the four UK associations holds one vote and FIFA collectively holds four votes.<ref name="FIFA" />
{{anchor|Internationalcompetitions}}<!-- [[International competitions in association football]] redirects here -->
== International competitions ==
{{Main|List of association football competitions}}
[[File:Ousmane Dembélé World Cup Trophy.jpg|alt=|thumb|upright|The [[FIFA World Cup]] is the largest international competition in football and the world's most viewed sporting event]]
International competitions in association football principally consist of two varieties: competitions involving representative national teams or those involving clubs based in multiple nations and national leagues. ''International football'', without qualification, most often refers to the former.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whitmore |first1=Jonny |title=5 Key Differences Between International and Club Football |url=https://theanalyst.com/2021/07/five-differences-between-international-and-club-football |website=Opta Analyst |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250324100604/https://theanalyst.com/2021/07/five-differences-between-international-and-club-football |archive-date=24 Mar 2025 |language=en |date=22 July 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the case of international club competition, it is the country of origin of the clubs involved, not the nationalities of their players, that renders the competition international in nature.<ref>{{cite web |title=2020 Concacaf Champions League Draw Preview |url=https://www.newyorkcityfc.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-draw-preview |website=New York City FC |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411215224/https://www.newyorkcityfc.com/news/2020-concacaf-champions-league-draw-preview |archive-date=11 April 2025 |language=en |date=6 December 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The major international competition in football and the most prestigious is the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]], organised by FIFA. This competition has taken place every four years since [[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]], with the exception of the 1942 and 1946 tournaments, which were cancelled because of [[World War II]]. As of 2022, over 200 national teams compete in qualifying tournaments within the scope of continental confederations for a place in the finals.<ref>{{cite news |title=FIFA World Cup 2022: Brazil, Germany, England among confirmed teams for Qatar |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-2022-qualified-football-teams-list |access-date=18 September 2023 |publisher=Olympics |date=14 June 2022 |first1=Aarish |last1=Ansari |archive-date=27 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927232418/https://olympics.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-2022-qualified-football-teams-list |url-status=live}}</ref> The finals tournament involved 32 national teams (expanding to 48 teams for the [[2026 FIFA World Cup|2026 tournament]]) competing over a four-week period.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mayorquin |first=Orlando |date=19 November 2022 |title=How does the World Cup work? The ultimate soccer showcase, explained |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2022/11/19/2022-qatar-world-cup-group-knockout-stage-explained/8083358001/ |work=[[USA Today]] |accessdate=1 September 2023 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902031535/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2022/11/19/2022-qatar-world-cup-group-knockout-stage-explained/8083358001/ |url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|name=teams number|The number of competing teams has varied over the history of the competition.}} The World Cup is the world's most widely viewed and most followed sporting event, with the [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022 tournament]] estimated to be watched by 5 billion people, more than 60% of the global population.<ref>{{cite web |date=25 May 2022 |title=Qatar 2022 to be watched by 5bn people, says Gianni Infantino |url=https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/fifa-2022-world-cup-qatar-tv-audience-viewers-gianni-infantino/ |access-date=27 October 2024|website=SportsPro |archive-date=14 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114151049/https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/fifa-2022-world-cup-qatar-tv-audience-viewers-gianni-infantino/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958 World Cup]] saw the emergence of [[Pelé]] as a global sporting star, a period that coincided with "the explosive spread of television, which massively amplified his presence everywhere".<ref>{{cite news |last=Goldblatt |first=David |title=Pelé set the standards by which footballing greatness is judged |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/29/pele-football-greatness-brazil-global-star |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=29 December 2022 |archive-date=5 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005082607/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/29/pele-football-greatness-brazil-global-star |url-status=live}}</ref> The current champions are [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]], who won their third title at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mcnulty |first1=Phil |date=18 December 2022 |title=Argentina win dramatic World Cup final on penalties |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63932622 |access-date=19 December 2022 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |archive-date=18 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218210506/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63932622 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[FIFA Women's World Cup]] has been held every four years since [[1991 FIFA Women's World Cup|1991]]. Under the tournament's current format that was expanded in 2023, national teams vie for 31 slots in a three-year [[FIFA Women's World Cup qualification|qualification phase]], while the host nation's team enters automatically as the 32nd slot.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Russell |date=23 July 2023 |title=The Women's World Cup expanded to 32 teams this year. Has the quality suffered? |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/07/23/1189634000/fifa-womens-world-cup-expanded-to-32-teams-new-zealand-australia |publisher=[[NPR]] |accessdate=31 August 2023 |archive-date=31 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831005059/https://www.npr.org/2023/07/23/1189634000/fifa-womens-world-cup-expanded-to-32-teams-new-zealand-australia |url-status=live}}</ref> The current champions are [[Spain women's national football team|Spain]], after winning their first title in the [[2023 FIFA Women's World Cup|2023 tournament]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Peterson |first=Anne M. |date=20 August 2023 |title=From turmoil to triumph, Spain earns its first Women's World Cup title with a 1-0 win over England |url=https://apnews.com/article/womens-world-cup-final-spain-england-match-summary-232025b71703e9acde0ae39addb16c10 |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |accessdate=31 August 2023 |archive-date=23 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823000117/https://apnews.com/article/womens-world-cup-final-spain-england-match-summary-232025b71703e9acde0ae39addb16c10 |url-status=live}}</ref>
There has been a [[Football at the Summer Olympics|football tournament]] at every [[Summer Olympic Games]] since [[1900 Summer Olympics|1900]], except at the [[1932 Summer Olympics|1932]] games in [[Los Angeles]] when FIFA and the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC) had disagreed over the status of amateur players.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1936/FTB/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417041849/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1936/FTB/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Football at the 1936 Berlin Summer Games |work=Sports Reference |access-date=6 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/football-equipment-and-history?tab=1 |title=Football Equipment and History |publisher=International Olympic Committee (IOC) |access-date=4 March 2011 |archive-date=6 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706130625/http://www.olympic.org/football-equipment-and-history?tab=1 |url-status=live}}</ref> Before the inception of the World Cup, the Olympics (especially during the 1920s) were the most prestigious international event. Originally, the tournament was for amateurs only.<ref name=Wherebegan>{{cite web |url=http://access.fifa.com/en/history/history/0,3504,4,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608215029/http://access.fifa.com/en/history/history/0%2C3504%2C4%2C00.html |archive-date=8 June 2007 |title=Where it all began |publisher=FIFA |access-date=8 June 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> As professionalism spread around the world, the gap in quality between the World Cup and the Olympics widened. The countries that benefited most were the [[Soviet Bloc]] countries of [[Eastern Europe]], where top athletes were state-sponsored while retaining their status as amateurs. Between [[1948 Summer Olympics|1948]] and [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980]], 23 out of 27 Olympic medals were won by Eastern Europe, with only [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]] (gold in 1948 and bronze in 1952), [[Denmark national football team|Denmark]] (bronze in 1948 and silver in 1960) and [[Japan national football team|Japan]] (bronze in 1968) breaking their dominance. For the [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles Games]], the IOC allowed professional players to compete. Since [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992]], male competitors must be under 23 years old, although since [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996]], three players over the age of 23 have been allowed per squad.<ref>{{cite news |title=Football: Five superstars who have won gold in the Olympics |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/football-five-superstars-who-have-won-gold-in-the-olympics |access-date=18 September 2023 |publisher=Olympics.com |archive-date=6 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606085636/https://olympics.com/en/news/football-five-superstars-who-have-won-gold-in-the-olympics |url-status=live}}</ref> A women's tournament was added in 1996; in contrast to the men's event, full international sides without age restrictions play the women's Olympic tournament.<ref>{{cite news |last=Borg |first=Simon |date=7 August 2021 |title=Olympic soccer rules, explained: How men's and women's football tournaments work in Tokyo |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/olympic-soccer-rules-men-women-tournament-tokyo/154emrauwrgxc1na5nmszrrqdf |work=[[The Sporting News]] |accessdate=1 September 2023 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902031536/https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/olympic-soccer-rules-men-women-tournament-tokyo/154emrauwrgxc1na5nmszrrqdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Torres, Mata and Ramos Euro 2012 trophy 01.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Spain national football team|Spanish]] footballers [[Fernando Torres]], [[Juan Mata]], and [[Sergio Ramos]] celebrating winning the [[UEFA European Championship]] in [[UEFA Euro 2012|2012]]]]
After the World Cup, the most important international football competitions are the continental championships, which are organised by each continental confederation and contested between national teams. These are the [[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]] (UEFA), the [[Copa América]] (CONMEBOL), the [[Africa Cup of Nations]] (CAF), the [[AFC Asian Cup|Asian Cup]] (AFC), the [[CONCACAF Gold Cup|Gold Cup]] (CONCACAF) and the [[OFC Men's Nations Cup|Nations Cup]] (OFC).<ref name="CBC-Continentals" /> These competitions are not strictly limited to members of the continental confederations, with guest teams from other continents sometimes invited to compete.<ref>{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Aidan |date=12 June 2019 |title=Japan, Qatar and the history of guest teams at the Copa América |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/these-football-times/2019/jun/12/copa-america-japan-qatar-strange-history-guest-teams |work=The Guardian |accessdate=1 September 2023 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902031535/https://www.theguardian.com/football/these-football-times/2019/jun/12/copa-america-japan-qatar-strange-history-guest-teams |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[FIFA Confederations Cup]] was contested by the winners of all six continental championships, the current FIFA World Cup champions, and the country which was hosting the next World Cup. This was generally regarded as a warm-up tournament for the upcoming FIFA World Cup and did not carry the same prestige as the World Cup itself.<ref name="CBC-Continentals">{{cite news |last=Molinaro |first=John F. |date=22 May 2009 |title=Continental champions collide at the Confederations Cup |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/continental-champions-collide-at-the-confederations-cup-1.812024 |publisher=[[CBC Sports]] |accessdate=1 September 2023 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902031535/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/continental-champions-collide-at-the-confederations-cup-1.812024 |url-status=live}}</ref> The tournament was discontinued following the [[2017 FIFA Confederations Cup|2017 edition]], with its calendar slot replaced by an expanded [[FIFA Club World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |date=4 December 2020 |title=2021 FIFA Club World Cup to remain a seven-team tournament |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4229851/2020/12/04/2021-fifa-club-world-cup-to-remain-a-seven-team-tournament/ |work=[[The Athletic]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=1 September 2023 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902031535/https://theathletic.com/4229851/2020/12/04/2021-fifa-club-world-cup-to-remain-a-seven-team-tournament/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Finalissima]] was revived in 2022, and is contested between the Copa América and European Championship winners.<ref>{{cite web |title=European and South American champions meet in 'Finalissima' Wembley showdown |url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0273-14b9d1db749d-1b03dce602c9-1000/ |website=UEFA.com |access-date=9 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328085534/https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0273-14b9d1db749d-1b03dce602c9-1000/ |archive-date=28 March 2025 |language=en |date=22 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[UEFA Nations League]] and the [[CONCACAF Nations League]] were introduced in the late 2010s to replace international [[exhibition match|friendlies]] during the two-year cycle between major tournaments.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Straus |first=Brian |date=17 November 2017 |title=How CONCACAF League of Nations Alters Competitive Landscape for USA, Region |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/11/17/concacaf-league-nations-friendlies-usa-mexico |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |accessdate=31 August 2023 |archive-date=1 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901044244/https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/11/17/concacaf-league-nations-friendlies-usa-mexico |url-status=live}}</ref>
The most prestigious competitions in club football are the respective continental championships, which are generally contested between national champions, for example, the [[UEFA Champions League]] in Europe and the [[Copa Libertadores]] in South America. The winners of each continental competition contest the [[FIFA Intercontinental Cup]], held annually, and the [[FIFA Club World Cup]], held once every four years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Organising Committee strengthens FIFA Club World Cup format |publisher=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/clubworldcup/japan2007/releases/newsid=570740.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531094715/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/clubworldcup/japan2007/releases/newsid%3D570740.html |archive-date=31 May 2008 |date=14 August 2007 |access-date=7 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==
{{Main|Geography of association football|Geography of women's association football}}
[[File:Forcejeo Real Madrid - FC Barcelona.jpg|thumb|A 2009 Spanish [[La Liga]] match between [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] and [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]]. The fixture, known as ''[[El Clásico]]'', is one of the most renowned in sport.<ref>{{cite news |last=Philip |first=Tom |date=19 November 2015 |title=What the Hell is El Clásico? |url=https://www.gq.com/story/el-clasico-real-madrid-barcelona-ronaldo-messi |work=[[GQ]] |accessdate=8 September 2023 |archive-date=10 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010150231/https://www.gq.com/story/el-clasico-real-madrid-barcelona-ronaldo-messi |url-status=live}}</ref>]]
In each country, football clubs are usually federated in associations or leagues that organise official tournaments among themselves, from which the champion of each country and the teams that will participate in international club tournaments emerge. There is no single system of competitions, and each national league organises them according to its own traditions.<ref>{{cite web |title=How is European soccer structured with leagues and cup competitions? |url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/faq/what-are-the-rules-and-regulations-of-soccer/how-is-european-soccer-structured-with-leagues-and-cup-competitions-10568 |website=www.bundesliga.com |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250223035347/https://www.bundesliga.com/en/faq/what-are-the-rules-and-regulations-of-soccer/how-is-european-soccer-structured-with-leagues-and-cup-competitions-10568 |archive-date=23 February 2025 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>
The governing bodies in each country operate [[league system]]s in a [[Domestic association football season|domestic season]], normally comprising several [[division (sport)|divisions]], in which the teams gain points throughout the season depending on results, usually [[three points for a win]], one for a draw and zero for a defeat. Teams are put into [[Table (information)|tables]], placed in order according to points accrued. In the [[Old World]] (Africa, Asia and Europe), it is common for each team to play every other team in its league at home and away in each season, in a [[round-robin tournament]]. At the end of a season, which typically runs from August to May, the top team is declared the champion. The top few teams may be [[promotion and relegation|promoted]] to a higher division, and one or more of the teams finishing at the bottom are [[promotion and relegation|relegated]] to a lower division.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Fort |first=Rodney |title=European and North American Sports Differences(?) |journal=Scottish Journal of Political Economy |date=September 2000 |volume=47 |issue=4 |pages=431–55 |doi=10.1111/1467-9485.00172}}</ref>
Some exceptions to this system occur in the [[New World]] (Americas) and Australia:
* The majority of the Latin American leagues (including [[Liga MX]] from Mexico and [[Argentine Primera División|Liga Profesional de Fútbol]] from Argentina) divide football championships into two sections named [[Apertura and Clausura]] (Spanish for ''Opening'' and ''Closing''), awarding a champion for each.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/latinamerica/story/Estudiantes-win-Argentina-Apertura-title |title=Estudiantes win Argentina Apertura title |date=13 December 2010 |work=Fox Sports |agency=Associated Press |quote=Under the system used in Argentina and most of Latin America, two season titles are awarded each year – the Apertura and Clausura. |access-date=4 March 2011 |archive-date=23 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623075034/http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/latinamerica/story/Estudiantes-win-Argentina-Apertura-title |url-status=live}}</ref> After a first phase using points in a round-robin tournament, these leagues usually have a knockout phase, with a final deciding the champion of each Apertura and Clausura tournament. In some countries, such as Uruguay,<ref>{{cite web |title=En Uruguay, Liverpool hizo historia con un ex Boca |url=https://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-internacional/america/liverpool-campeon-uruguayo-2023-uruguay-final-penarol_0_FMaGvJeFmQ.html |website=Olé |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921033848/https://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-internacional/america/liverpool-campeon-uruguayo-2023-uruguay-final-penarol_0_FMaGvJeFmQ.html |archive-date=21 September 2024 |language=es |date=17 December 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> the winners of the Apertura and Clausura play each other in a play-off for the season title.
* The [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A|Brazilian Série A]] ("Brasileirão") uses a single-season double round-robin format to determine the champion, similar to most European leagues, although it is played from April or May to December.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Oliveira |first1=Letícia |title=Como funciona o Campeonato Brasileiro? Veja tudo sobre a competição |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/reportagem/2024/04/10/c-como-funciona-o-campeonato-brasileiro-veja-tudo-sobre-a-competicao.ghtml |website=ge |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120163547/https://ge.globo.com/futebol/reportagem/2024/04/10/c-como-funciona-o-campeonato-brasileiro-veja-tudo-sobre-a-competicao.ghtml |archive-date=20 January 2025 |___location=Rio de Janeiro |language=pt |date=10 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Brazilian clubs also participate in [[State football leagues in Brazil|state leagues]] from January to April, and at least one state league, the [[Campeonato Carioca]] in [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro]], had a [[split season]] format until 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Priori |first1=Jorge |title=Uma solução para os campeonatos estaduais |url=https://monitormercantil.com.br/uma-solucao-para-os-campeonatos-estaduais/ |website=Monitor Mercantil |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118002005/https://monitormercantil.com.br/uma-solucao-para-os-campeonatos-estaduais/ |archive-date=18 January 2025 |language=pt |date=14 January 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, Brazil has never used an Apertura and Clausura system in its national tournament, instead employing various formats with play-offs until 2002.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parrela |first1=Leonardo |title=A história do Campeonato Brasileiro: formatos e campeões |url=https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/esportes/futebol/a-historia-do-campeonato-brasileiro-formatos-e-campeoes/ |website=CNN Brasil |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207212750/https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/esportes/futebol/a-historia-do-campeonato-brasileiro-formatos-e-campeoes/ |archive-date=7 December 2024 |language=pt |date=12 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Major League Soccer]] in the United States and Canada uses a closed league system (without promotion and relegation) and a conference system, similar to that used in other sports leagues in both countries. In each conference, clubs play a round-robin schedule during the regular season, and those with the most points qualify for the play-offs, which conclude with a final to determine the champion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Competition Guidelines |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines |website=MLS soccer |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401063727/https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines |archive-date=1 April 2025 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>
* The [[A-League Men|A-League]] in Australia also uses a closed league system. At the end of a regular season played in a round-robin format, the clubs with the most points compete in play-offs to determine the league champion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Documents and Rules |url=https://aleagues.com.au/more/official-documents/ |website=A-Leagues |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250314113938/https://aleagues.com.au/more/official-documents/ |archive-date=14 March 2025 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>
The teams finishing at the top of a country's league may also be eligible to play in [[List of association football competitions|international club competitions]] in the following season. Most countries supplement the league system with one or more "cup" competitions organised on a [[single elimination tournament|knock-out]] basis. These include the [[domestic cup]], which may be open to all eligible teams in a country's league system—both professional and amateur—and is organised by the national federation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rueter |first=Jeff |date=22 August 2023 |title=What is the U.S. Open Cup? Soccer tournament history, how to watch and Messi's path to another trophy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4795121/2023/08/22/us-open-cup-history-broadcast-messi/ |work=[[The Athletic]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=8 September 2023 |archive-date=24 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824030057/https://theathletic.com/4795121/2023/08/22/us-open-cup-history-broadcast-messi/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
Some countries' top divisions feature highly-paid star players; in smaller countries, lower divisions, and many women's clubs, players may be part-timers with a second job, or amateurs. The top five European leagues – [[Premier League]] (England),<ref>{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=Ian |date=31 March 2008 |title=Premier League conquering Europe |work=BBC Sport |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7321408.stm |url-status=live |access-date=27 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118013022/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7321408.stm |archive-date=18 November 2018}}</ref> [[Bundesliga]] (Germany), [[La Liga]] (Spain), [[Serie A]] (Italy), and [[Ligue 1]] (France) – attract most of the world's best players and, during the 2006–07 season, each of these leagues had a total wage cost in excess of [[Euro|€]]600 million.<ref>{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Louise |date=29 May 2008 |title=Leading clubs losing out as players and agents cash in |newspaper=The Guardian |___location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/may/29/premierleague |url-status=live |access-date=28 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407130029/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/29/premierleague |archive-date=7 April 2013}}</ref> These leagues also generated a combined €17.2 billion in revenue in the 2021–22 season from television contracts, matchday tickets, sponsorships, and other sources.<ref>{{cite news |last=Buckingham |first=Philip |date=14 June 2023 |title=Premier League generated £5.5bn in 2021–22 – more than La Liga and Bundesliga combined |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4610513/2023/06/14/premier-league-revenue-football-finance/ |work=The Athletic |url-access=subscription |access-date=1 September 2023 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902032903/https://theathletic.com/4610513/2023/06/14/premier-league-revenue-football-finance/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2022–23 season, clubs in Europe's "[[Big Five (association football)|big five]]" leagues had an aggregate wage cost of €13 billion, with each league spending more than €1.8 billion in wages. In contrast, the combined revenue of these leagues was €19.6 billion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Annual Review of Football Finance: Europe's Premier Leagues {{!}} Deloitte UK |url=https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/services/financial-advisory/research/annual-review-of-football-finance-europe-premier-league.html |website=www.deloitte.com |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108132111/https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/services/financial-advisory/research/annual-review-of-football-finance-europe-premier-league.html |archive-date=8 January 2025 |language=en |date=25 June 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Variants and casual play ==
{{See also|List of types of football|Comparison of association football and futsal}}
[[File:Street soccer in Lagos.jpg|thumb|Street play in [[Lagos]], [[Nigeria]]]]
Variants of association football have been codified for teams of reduced size, such as [[five-a-side football]]; for non-traditional playing environments, including [[beach soccer]], [[futsal]] and [[indoor soccer]]; and for athletes with disabilities ([[Paralympic football]]).
[[Street football (association football)|Street football]] can be played with only minimal equipment – a basic game can be played on almost any open area of reasonable size with just a ball made from almost any material and items to mark the positions of the goalposts.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Berlin|first1=Jeremy|last2=Hilltout|first2=Jessica|date=2013-02-01|title=Joy Is Round|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/02/soccer-joy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026112120/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/02/soccer-joy/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 26, 2020|access-date=2020-10-23|website=National Geographic Magazine|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Forget jumpers... these are the best makeshift goalposts |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/29862121 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701171546/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/29862121 |archive-date=1 July 2022 |language=en |date=1 November 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> Such informal games can have team sizes that vary from eleven-a-side, can use a limited or modified subset of the official rules, and can be self-officiated by the players.<ref>{{cite web |title=How street football shapes elite talent |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/how-street-football-shapes-elite-talent-a2.1107250 |website=Times of Malta |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331050941/https://timesofmalta.com/article/how-street-football-shapes-elite-talent-a2.1107250 |archive-date=31 March 2025 |language=en |date=27 March 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Portal|Association football|Women's association football|Sports}}
* [[List of association football films]]
* [[List of association football video games]]
* [[Lists of association football clubs]]
* [[Outline of association football]]
== Notes ==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|date=5 September 2007|Football (soccer) Part One.ogg|}}
{{Notelist}}
{{clear}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Sister project links|commonscat=yes|voy=soccer}}
*[https://www.fifa.com/ Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)] {{in lang|en|ar|fr|de|es}}
*[https://www.theifab.com/ International Football Association Board (IFAB)] {{in lang|en|fr|de|es}}
*{{Britannica|550852}}
{{Association football}}
{{Navboxes
|titlestyle = background:#ccccff
|list =
{{Football codes}}
{{International football}}
{{International women's football}}
{{Association football laws}}
{{Association football terminology}}
{{Association football chronology}}
{{Fanatism in Association football}}
{{Team Sport}}
{{Summer Olympic sports}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Association football| ]]
[[Category:Association football terminology| ]]
[[Category:Ball games]]
[[Category:Football codes]]
[[Category:Team sports]]
[[Category:Laws of association football]]
[[Category:Sports originating in England]]
[[Category:Physical education]]
[[Category:Summer Olympic sports|Football]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:19th century in England]]
[[Category:Games and sports introduced in the 19th century]]
[[Category:Turf sports]]
[[Category:English inventions]]
| |||