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[[de:Fußball]][[eo:Piedpilko]][[fr:Football]][[nl:Voetbal]][[sv:Fotboll]]
'''Football''' (also widely known as '''soccer''') is a team sport of great international popularity. In many countries (mainly in [[South America]] and [[Europe]]) football is not only a sport but also a way of life. Millions of people go to see the matches each weekend.
The word ''football'' is also used to describe other sports, including ''[[Australian Rules football]]'', ''[[Gaelic football]]'' and [[American football]]. See [[football games]]
== Name ==
The official English name of the sport is '''Association football'''. The origin of the word ''soccer'' is a slang abbreviation of ''Association''. ''Soccer'' is now widely accepted by dictionaries as alternative name for Association football, with the sport going by that name in many states, for example the [[United States]] and [[Republic of Ireland]]. Soccer is also used interchangably with ''football'' to refer to the sport in much of the world.
== Object of the game ==
Two teams of eleven players on each side contend to get a spherical [[football (ball)|ball]] into the other team's goal. The side which does this the most frequently is the winner. The primary rule for this objective is that nearly all players cannot use their hands or arms in any way while on the field.
=== Officials ===
The game is presided over by a ''referee'', whose decisions are final, assisted by two ''linesmen'', now officially referred to in these days of [[Political correctness|PC]] as ''referee's assistants''. In many games a replacement is available, and he or she is commonly known as ''the fourth official''
=== Teams ===
Each team has a goal keeper that is allowed to touch the ball with his arms and shoulders when he is standing within the outer marked area around the home goal, which is called the '''[[penalty area]]''' (aka the "box"). The penalty area or the 18 yards box, has limits set twelve yards to each side of the goal, and 18 yards in front of it.
The ten outfield players on either side are not allowed to touch the ball with their arms or shoulders whilst the ball is in play, but may however play it with any other part of their anatomies. The sole exception to this is when the ball is kicked out of play and a ''throw in'' results.
A number, (variable by league and nation), of players may be replaced by ''substitutes'' during the course of the game. The usual reasons for a player's replacement include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or to waste a little time at the end of a finely poised game.
=== Playing field ===
<div style="float: right; padding: .5em; width: 240px;">
[[Image:Football pitch.png]]
<br><i>Illustration: simplified schematic of the pitch.</i>
</div>
According to [[FIFA]] regulations the length of the football field (or "pitch") for international matches should be in the range ([[1 E2 m|100-110]] [[metre]]s) and the width should be in the range [[1 E1 m|64-75]] metres. (For other matches the constraints are looser: 90-120 metres length by 45-90 metres width.)
The pitch is divided at the centre: this is the ''halfway line''. Exactly halfway across the halfway line is the ''centre spot'' (this is where the ball commences play from). A circle is drawn around the centre spot, the ''centre circle'' which has a radius of 10 yards from the centre spot.
At either end of the pitch is a goal. This is a letterbox-shaped receptacle with a net behind it whose dimensions are: 8 feet in height and 24 feet in width. Two boxes are marked out on the pitch in front of the goal. The smaller box, which is laid out to surround the goal at an equal distance of 6 yards is to denote where the goalkeeper is to take ''goal kicks'' from. The outer box is known as the ''penalty area'' or the ''18 yards box'', and is set twelve yards to each side of the goal, and 18 yards in front of it. A small semicircle is also drawn at the edge of the penalty area, the ''D''. This is an exclusion zone for all players other than the one taking the kick in the event of a penalty being awarded.
The ''penalty spot'' is immediately in the middle of and 12 yards in front of the goal.
In each corner of the pitch a small quarter circle with a 1 yard radius is drawn where ''corner kicks'' are taken from.
== Duration ==
Ordinarily a match lasts 90 minutes (two halves - 45 minutes each) plus 2-5 minutes of injury time. Some games, particularly knock-out competition matches, provide for ''extra time'' in the event of a tied result at the end of normal time. Other variations on a theme such as the ''[[golden goal]]'' or ''penalty shoot-outs'' may also be involved in concluding a game.
== Official Rules ==
The official rules of the game are laid down by [[FIFA]] ([http://www.fifa.com/refs/laws_E.html available here]) and are known as the [[Laws of Football]].
* Law 1: The Field of Play
* Law 2: The Ball
* Law 3: The Number of Players
* Law 4: The Players' Equipment
* Law 5: The Referee
* Law 6: The Assistant Referees
* Law 7: The Duration of the Match
* Law 8: The Start and Restart of Play
* Law 9: The Ball In and Out of Play
* Law 10: The Method of Scoring
* Law 11: Offside
* Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct
* Law 13: Free Kicks
* Law 14: The Penalty Kick
* Law 15: The Throw-In
* Law 16: The Goal Kick
* Law 17: The Corner Kick
== Events ==
The major international competition in football is the [[Football World Cup|World Cup]] organised by [[FIFA]]. The World Cup competition takes place over a two year period. Over 160 national teams compete in regional qualifying tournaments for a place in the finals. The final tournament which is held every four years, now involves 32 national teams (increased from 24 in [[1998]]) competing over a 4 week period.
The major club event in [[Europe]] is the [[Champions League]]
== Violence ==
This has a bad side, as groups of fanatics have often caused disturbances and sometimes tragedies (see [[hooligans]] and [[Football War]]).
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Here is a list of links to national league football teams:
*[[Dutch Football League teams]]
*[[English Football League teams]]
*[[French Football League Teams]]
*[[German Football League Teams]]
*[[Italian Football League]]
*[[Norwegian Football League teams]]
*[[Scottish Football League]]
*[[South African Football League teams]]
*[[Spanish Football league teams]]
[[Football (soccer)/Standard for football club information|Standard for football club information]]
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Here is a list of links to pages relating to national football teams:
*[[English national football team]]
*[[Brazilian national football team]]
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See also [[football team]], [[FIFA]], [[The Football Association]], [[Soccer teams]], [[UEFA]], [[List of footballers (Association football)|Famous football players]], [[List of football teams]], [[rush goalie]], [[keepie uppie]]
==External links==
* [http://www.fifa.ch/ Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)]
* [http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/ Scottish Football Association (SFA)]
* [http://www.uefa.com/ Union des Associations Européennes de Football (UEFA)]
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