Association football
Association football, commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who mostly use their feet to kick an inflated ball around a pitch. The objective is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball into the rectangular-framed goal.
- field
- Team sport
- known_for
- World's most popular sport; governed by FIFA; most prestigious competition is the FIFA World Cup
- origin
- Britain, around the eighth century
- governing_body
- FIFA (international); six continental confederations
Lore & Background
Association football originated in Britain around the eighth century, according to FIFA, with no historical connection to ancient games outside Europe. The modern rules are based on mid-19th century efforts to standardise the varied forms of football played in English public schools. The term 'association' in the name refers to the FA, and the word 'soccer' derives from Oxford slang shortening 'association'.
Reader's Guide
Association football's significance lies in its global reach and cultural impact. The sport is governed internationally by FIFA, with six continental confederations overseeing regional competitions. The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious senior international competition and the most-viewed sporting event worldwide. In Europe, the UEFA Champions League is the top club competition, with its final being the most-watched annual sporting event. The game has ancient precursors such as the Chinese game cuju, Japanese kemari, and Korean chuk-guk, as well as medieval European games like calcio storico fiorentino and la soule.
Did You Know?
- The term 'soccer' comes from Oxford '-er' slang, originally spelt 'assoccer' as a shortening of 'association'.
- The Chinese game cuju, dating from the Han dynasty, is the earliest form of a kicking game with historical evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is association football?
Association football is a team sport in which two sides of eleven players compete to kick a ball into the opponent's goal, primarily using their feet rather than their hands. It is widely regarded as the world's most popular sport.
Who governs association football at the international level?
FIFA serves as the global governing body for the sport, overseeing rules, competitions, and the six continental confederations that organize regional play.
What is the biggest tournament in association football?
The FIFA World Cup is the sport's most prestigious competition, bringing national teams together in a tournament watched by billions of fans worldwide.
Where did association football originate?
The sport traces its roots back to Britain, where organized forms of football were being played as early as the eighth century before the rules were eventually standardized.
How many players are on the pitch in association football?
Each team fields eleven players at a time, and the objective is to score more goals than the opposition by moving the ball into their rectangular goal frame.
More in Sports And Games 1-24
Elsewhere in the Sports And Games universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record