Football

Football is a family of team sports where players aim to move a ball over a goal line, into a goal, or between goalposts using their body, either by carrying, throwing, or kicking it. Different places and cultures have their own versions of football, each with its own rules and traditions.

The word "football" usually means the version of the sport that is most popular in a particular region. For example, in many parts of the world, it refers to association football, which is known as soccer in places like Australia, Canada, South Africa, the United States, and sometimes in Ireland and New Zealand. Other popular types include Australian rules football, Gaelic football, gridiron football (which includes American football and Canadian football), International rules football, rugby league football, and rugby union football.

These different kinds of football all have roots in ancient ball games played long ago. They began to take shape in the 19th century at English public schools, influenced by medieval football games. As the British Empire expanded, these rules spread to many parts of the world. By the late 19th century, distinct regional versions like Gaelic football had formed. In 1888, the Football League was founded in England, marking the start of professional football associations. Over the 20th century, several types of football became some of the most popular team sports globally.

Common elements

Football games, whether called soccer, rugby, or American football, share some basic ideas. Teams usually have between 11 and 18 players, and they play on a field with a clear goal area. The goal is to move the ball to the other team's end and score by getting it into or over a line or between two posts.

Players can only use their bodies to move the ball — no bats or sticks allowed. All forms of football use an inflatable ball, and common skills include passing, tackling, and kicking. Each game has rules to keep things fair, like not letting players get too far ahead of the ball.

Etymology

The word "football" might come from the idea of kicking a ball with your foot. Another idea is that it started from games played on foot in medieval Europe. However, there isn't strong proof to say for sure which explanation is right.

Early history

Ancient games

See also: Episkyros and Cuju

Ancient China

The Chinese competitive game cuju is an early type of ball game where feet were used, in some aspects resembling modern association football. It was possibly played around the Han dynasty and early Qin dynasty. In one version, gameplay consisted of players passing the ball between teammates without allowing it to touch the ground. In its competitive version, two teams had to pass the ball without it falling, before kicking the ball through a circular hole placed in the middle of the pitch. Cuju has been cited by FIFA as the earliest form of football. The Japanese version of cuju is kemari, and was developed during the Asuka period. This is known to have been played within the Japanese imperial court in Kyoto from about 600 AD. In kemari, several people stand in a circle and kick a ball to each other, trying not to let the ball drop to the ground. The Silk Road facilitated the transmission of cuju, especially the game popular in the Tang dynasty.

Ancient Greece and Rome

The Ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have played many ball games, some of which involved the use of the feet. The Roman game harpastum is believed to have been adapted from a Greek team game known as ἐπίσκυρος (episkyros) or φαινίνδα (phaininda). These games appear to have resembled rugby football. Roman ball games already knew the air-filled ball, the follis. Episkyros is described as an early form of football by FIFA.

Native Americans

There are references to traditional ball games played by indigenous peoples in many different parts of the world. For example, in 1586, men from a ship commanded by an English explorer named John Davis went ashore to play a form of football with Inuit in Greenland. There are later accounts of an Inuit game played on ice, called Aqsaqtuk. In 1610, William Strachey, a colonist at Jamestown, Virginia recorded a game played by Native Americans, called Pahsaheman. Pasuckuakohowog, a game similar to modern-day association football played amongst Amerindians, was also reported as early as the 17th century. Games played in Mesoamerica with rubber balls by indigenous peoples are also well-documented as existing since before this time.

Oceania

On the Australian continent several tribes of indigenous people played kicking and catching games with stuffed balls which have been generalised by historians as Marn Grook (Djab Wurrung for "game ball"). The earliest historical account is an anecdote from the 1878 book by Robert Brough-Smyth, The Aborigines of Victoria, in which a man called Richard Thomas is quoted as saying that he had witnessed Aboriginal people playing the game. Some historians have theorised that Marn Grook was one of the origins of Australian rules football. The Māori in New Zealand played a game called Kī-o-rahi consisting of teams of seven players play on a circular field divided into zones, and score points by touching the 'pou' (boundary markers) and hitting a central 'tupu' or target.

Turkic peoples

Mahmud al-Kashgari in his Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, described a game called tepuk among Turks in Central Asia. In the game, people try to attack each other's castle by kicking a ball made of sheep leather.

Medieval and early modern Europe

Further information: Medieval football

The Middle Ages saw a huge rise in popularity of annual Shrovetide football matches throughout Europe, particularly in England. An early reference to a ball game played in Britain comes from the 9th-century Historia Brittonum, attributed to Nennius, which describes "a party of boys ... playing at ball". References to a ball game played in northern France known as La Soule or Choule, in which the ball was propelled by hands, feet, and sticks, date from the 12th century.

The early forms of football played in England, sometimes referred to as "mob football", would be played in towns or between neighbouring villages, involving an unlimited number of players on opposing teams who would clash en masse, struggling to move an item, such as inflated animal's bladder to particular geographical points, such as their opponents' church, with play taking place in the open space between neighbouring parishes. The game was played primarily during significant religious festivals, such as Shrovetide, Christmas, or Easter, and Shrovetide games have survived into the modern era in a number of English towns.

Calcio Fiorentino

Main article: Calcio Fiorentino

In the 16th century, the city of Florence celebrated the period between Epiphany and Lent by playing a game which today is known as "calcio storico" ("historic kickball") in the Piazza Santa Croce. The young aristocrats of the city would dress up in fine silk costumes and embroil themselves in a violent form of football. For example, calcio players could punch, shoulder charge, and kick opponents. Blows below the belt were allowed. The game is said to have originated as a military training exercise. In 1580, Count Giovanni de' Bardi di Vernio wrote Discorso sopra 'l giuoco del Calcio Fiorentino. This is sometimes said to be the earliest code of rules for any football game. The game was not played after January 1739 (until it was revived in May 1930).

Official disapproval and attempts to ban football

Main article: Attempts to ban football games

There have been many attempts to ban football, from the Middle Ages through to the modern day. The first such law was passed in England in 1314; it was followed by more than 30 in England alone between 1314 and 1667. Women were banned from playing at English and Scottish Football League grounds in 1921, a ban that was only lifted in the 1970s. Female footballers still face similar problems in some parts of the world. American football also faced pressures to ban the sport. The game played in the 19th century resembled mob football that developed in medieval Europe, including a version popular on university campuses known as old division football, and several municipalities banned its play in the mid-19th century. By the 20th century, the game had evolved to a more rugby style game. In 1905, there were calls to ban American football in the U.S. due to its violence; a meeting that year was hosted by American president Theodore Roosevelt led to sweeping rules changes that caused the sport to diverge significantly from its rugby roots to become more like the sport as it is played today.

Establishment of modern codes

English public schools

Football in Britain evolved significantly through its public schools, which transformed it from a chaotic "mob" game into an organized team sport. These schools documented early forms of football and established the first formal rules, leading to the distinction between kicking and carrying styles of play. The earliest records of football-like games at these schools date back to 1519, with notable contributions from figures like Richard Mulcaster, who described early team structures and positions.

Firsts

Matches

Some of the earliest known football matches between public schools took place in the 19th century, including games between Eton and Harrow in 1834, and later matches involving Old Rugbeians and Old Salopians in the 1840s.

Clubs

The first football clubs began appearing in the 18th century, with the Edinburgh Foot-Ball Club forming in Scotland between 1824 and 1841. Sheffield F.C., founded in 1857, is the oldest surviving association football club in the world.

Competitions

The Cordner-Eggleston Cup, contested annually since 1858 between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College, is one of the longest-running football fixtures. Other early competitions include the Caledonian Challenge Cup in 1861 and the English FA Cup, established in 1871.

Modern balls

Early footballs were made from animal bladders, later covered in leather. In 1851, Richard Lindon and William Gilbert introduced round and oval-shaped balls, and Charles Goodyear later exhibited a vulcanized rubber ball in 1855.

Modern ball passing tactics

Passing tactics in football were first noted in 1633 and developed further in the 19th century. The Royal Engineers AFC were among the first to implement systematic passing in the 1870s.

Rugby football

Rugby football originated around 1845 at Rugby School in England. By 1870, there were numerous clubs playing variations of the game across Britain and its colonies. The Rugby Football Union was formed in 1871 to standardize the rules, and international matches began soon after.

Cambridge rules

In the 19th century, the University of Cambridge created rules to allow students from different schools to play together, influencing the development of association football.

Sheffield rules

Sheffield Football Club, founded in 1857, developed its own set of rules that influenced later association football, including innovations like free kicks and corner kicks.

Australian rules football

Australian rules football began in Melbourne in 1858, with Tom Wills playing a key role in its development. The Melbourne Football Club was formed in 1859, and the code spread throughout Australia, adopting features like specialized goal posts and the ability to bounce while running.

The Football Association

The Football Association was established in London in 1863 to create a unified set of rules for football. Representatives from various clubs met to draft the first comprehensive rules, leading to the formation of association football as we know it today.

North American football codes

In North America, early football games were violent and disorganized. By the mid-19th century, distinct "kicking" and "running" games emerged. The first American intercollegiate football game was played between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869. Modern American football developed from a game between McGill University and Harvard University in 1874, leading to the creation of the line of scrimmage and down-and-distance rules.

Gaelic football

Gaelic football emerged in Ireland in the late 19th century as a traditional sport promoted by the Gaelic Athletic Association, which was founded in 1884. The first rules were published in 1887, emphasizing Irish cultural heritage and differing from other football codes by not having an offside rule.

Schism in Rugby football

In 1895, a dispute over professionalism led to the formation of the Northern Rugby Football Union, which later became rugby league. This split from the Rugby Football Union created two distinct codes of rugby that continue to this day.

Globalisation of association football

The need for a global governing body led to the formation of FIFA in 1904 by representatives from several European countries, marking the beginning of international association football.

Further divergence of the two rugby codes

Rugby league and rugby union continued to evolve separately, with rugby league reducing teams to 13 players in 1906 and introducing new rules like the six-tackle rule. Rugby union allowed professionalism in 1995, but the two codes remain distinct.

Use of the word football

The word football can refer to several different sports, depending on where you are in the English-speaking world. In most countries, football means association football, which many people call soccer. However, in places like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and others, football can mean different sports such as Australian rules football, rugby union, or Canadian football.

Some countries have changed their official names to use the word football. For example, Australia's association football governing body switched from soccer to football in 2005, New Zealand's governing body made the same change in 2007, and Football Federation Samoa updated its name in 2009.

Popularity

Several types of football are very popular around the world. Association football, also called soccer in some places, is played by over 250 million people in more than 200 countries and has the largest TV audiences of any sport. In the United States, American football is the most popular sport, especially with the Super Bowl being one of the biggest TV events each year.

Other popular forms of football include Australian rules football in Australia, Gaelic football in Ireland, and Rugby union in New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji. Rugby is also growing quickly in the U.S., particularly at the college level.

Football codes board

Association football, rugby football, gridiron football, and Australian football are the main types of football. Each has its own set of rules and ways of playing, but they all share the basic idea of using a ball to score points. These games have grown and changed over time to become the popular sports we know today.

Present-day codes and families

Main article: Variants of association football

Football is a family of sports where players use their bodies to move a ball toward a goal. The word "football" usually means the most popular version in a particular area. Common types include:

• Association football (called soccer in some places) where players mainly use their feet, and only the goalkeeper can use hands.
• Rugby where players can carry and pass the ball with their hands, and there are different ways to score.
• Gridiron football (like American football) which allows forward passing and is popular in North America.

Each type has many variations, such as smaller teams, indoor versions, and games adapted for different players, including those with disabilities. These sports all share the basic idea of using a ball to score points, but they have unique rules and styles of play.

See also: Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, Comparison of American football and rugby league, Comparison of American football and rugby union, Comparison of Canadian football and rugby league, Comparison of Canadian football and rugby union, Comparison of Gaelic football and rugby union, Comparison of association football and rugby union, and Comparison of American and Canadian football

Code			Association			Gridiron				Rugby		International and related
			Soccer	Beach	Futsal	American	Flag	Indoor	Canadian	Union	League	Australian	International	Gaelic
Image
Country of origin			England	Brazil	Uruguay	United States			Canada	England		Australia	Compromise rules between Australian and Gaelic codes	Ireland
Governing Body			FIFA			IFAF			Football Canada	World Rugby	IRL	AFL Commission	AFL and GAA	GAA
Pitch	Shape		Rectangular			Rectangular		Rounded rectangular	Rectangular	Rectangular		Oval	Rectangular
	Total length		100–130 yards (91–119 m) 110–120 yards (100–110 m) (international)	35–37 metres	25–42 metres 38–42 metres (international)	120 yards (110 m)	70 yards (64 m) (standard, 5 a side)	66 yards (60 m)	150 yards (140 m)	106–144 metres	112–122 metres	135–185 metres (professional)	145 metres	130–145 metres
	Total width		50–100 yards (46–91 m) 70–80 yards (64–73 m) (international)	26–28 metres	16–25 metres 20–25 metres (international)	160 feet (49 m)	25 yards (23 m) (standard, 5 a side)	28 yards (26 m)	65 yards (59 m)	68–70 metres	68 metres	110–155 metres (professional)	90 metres	80–90 metres
	Surface		grass, artificial	sand	wood, artificial	grass, artificial	solid, sand	artificial	grass, artificial	grass, sand, clay, snow, artificial	grass	grass
	Goalposts	Shape	Netted rectangular			Carving fork	None	Uppercase H, with bouncing nets/ Uppercase U (hanged)	Carving fork	Uppercase H		4 posts	Uppercase H (netted bottom) + 2 post	Uppercase H (netted bottom)
		Width	8 yards (7.3 m)	5.5 metres	3 metres	222 inches (5.6 m)		10 feet (3.0 m)	222 inches (5.6 m)	5.6 metres	5.5 metres	2 goal posts (6.4 metres apart) + 2 behind posts (6.4 metres apart from each side of goal post)		6.5 metres
		Height	8 feet (2.4 m)	2.2 metres	2 metres	10 feet (3.0 m) above ground		10 feet (3.0 m) above ground		3 metres above ground		Goal posts: 6–15 metres Behind posts: 3–10 metres	Goal posts: 6 metres, crossbar at 2.5 metres Behind posts: 3 metres	7 meters, crossbar at 2.5 meters, netted bottom 0.9 meters in depth
Equipment	Football	Shape	Sphere			Lemon				Prolate spheroid		Prolate spheroid	Sphere
		Circumference	27–28 inches (69–71 cm)	68–70 centimetres	62–64 centimetres	27.75–28.5 inches (70.5–72.4 cm) (longitudinal) × 20.75–21.25 inches (52.7–54.0 cm) (transversal)	27–28 inches (69–71 cm) (longitudinal) 20–21 inches (51–53 cm) (transversal)		27.75–28.5 inches (70.5–72.4 cm) (longitudinal) 20.75–21.375 inches (52.71–54.29 cm) (transversal)	74 – 77 centimetres (elliptic) × 58 – 62 centimetres (circular)		72 – 73 centimetres (elliptic) × 54.5 -55.5 centimetres (circular)	68–70 centimetres
		Diameter	–	–	–	10.875–11.4375 inches (27.623–29.051 cm) (longitudinal)	11–11.5 inches (28–29 cm) (longitudinal) 6.25–6.75 inches (15.9–17.1 cm) (transversal)		10.875–11.4375 inches (27.623–29.051 cm) (longitudinal) 6.25–6.75 inches (15.9–17.1 cm) (transversal)	28–30 centimetres (longitudinal)	–	–	–
		Weight	14–16 ounces (400–450 g)	400–440 grams		14–15 ounces (400–430 g)				410 – 460 grams			480–500 grams
		Pressure	8.5–15.6 pounds per square inch (59–108 kPa)	0.4–0.6 standard atmospheres (41–61 kPa)	0.6–0.9 standard atmospheres (61–91 kPa)	12.5–13.5 pounds per square inch (86–93 kPa)				9.5–10 pounds per square inch (66–69 kPa)		69 kilopascals	9–10 pounds per square inch (62–69 kPa)
		Bounce			50–65 centimetres when dropped from 2 metres								0.5222–0.576 e when dropped from 1.8 metres
	Uniform	Non protective	Shirt with sleeves, shorts, socks, footwear	Shirt with sleeves, shorts, no footwear allowed	Shirt with sleeves, shorts, socks, footwear	Jersey, pants, socks	Jersey, shorts or pants, flag belts	Jersey, pants, socks, footwear		Shirt, shorts, socks, footwear		Sleeveless shirt, shorts, socks, footwear	Shirt with sleeves, shorts, socks, footwear
		Protective gear	Shin guards	None	Shin guards	Helmet, hip pads, knee pads, mouthguard, shoulder pads, thigh guards	Mouthguard (recommended)	Helmet, hip pads, knee pads, mouthguard, shoulder pads, thigh guards		Optional (headgear, padded clothes, mouthguard, shin guards, goggles)				Mouthguard
Players	Number		11	5		11	5	8	12	15	13	18	15
	Goalkeeper		Yes			No				No		No	Yes
Time	Duration		2 × 45 minutes	3 × 12 minutes	2 × 20 minutes	4 × 15 minutes	2 × 20 minutes	4 × 15 minutes		2 × 40 minutes		4 × 20 minutes	4 × 18 minutes	2 × 35 minutes
	Clock stoppage		No	Yes		Yes				Yes		Yes		No
Kicking	Type of kicks		Off the ground, bicycle, placed, dribbling			Placed, punt	None	Placed	Placed, punt	Off the ground, grubber, dropped, bomb, punt, placed		Off the ground, grubber, bomb, punt		Off the ground, grubber, bomb, dropped, punt, bicycle
	Kickoff		Yes			Yes		Yes		Yes		No
Use of hands			Only goalkeeper, but all in throw-in		Only goalkeeper	Yes				Yes		Yes
Forward pass			Yes			Yes				No		Yes
Offside rule			Yes	No		Yes				Yes		No
Type of tackles			Sliding, standing			Spear, dump, body tackle, ankle tap, diving, bumping, shoulder charge, intercept ball, chicken wig	None	Spear, dump, body tackle, ankle tap, diving, bumping, shoulder charge, intercept ball, chicken wig		Dump, body tackle, ankle tap, diving, charge down		Dump, diving, bumping, intercept ball, spoil, shepherd, smother
Score			Goal 1			Touchdown 6, Field goal 3, try 1 or 2, Safety 2	Touchdown 6, try 1 or 2, safety 2, defense touchdown on a try 2	Touchdown 6, Field goal 3 or 4 (drop kick), try 1 or 2, Safety 2, defense touchdown on a try 2, Rouge 1, Deuce 2	Touchdown 6, Field goal 3, Convert 1 or 2, Safety 2, Single 1	Try 5, Conversion 2, Penalty 3, Drop goal 3	Try 4, Conversion 2, Penalty 2, Drop goal 1 (2 points when kicked from 40m+)	Goal 6, behind 1	Goal 6, over 3, behind 1	Goal 3, over 1 (2 points when kicked from outside 40 m arc)
Methods for breaking ties			Knock-out contests: extratime, penaltyshot-out			Extra periods				Extratime (knock-out contests)				Extratime
Methods for starting play	partials		Kick-off			Kickoff (each half)	Scrimmage			Kick off	Kick off	By umpire: ball-up	By umpire: central throw up
	After scoring					After touchdown: scrimmage for try After try, field goal or safety: kickoff				Restart kick		Goal: ball-up Behind: kick in	Goal: central throw up Behind and over: kicked into play by the Goalkeeper, from inside the 13 m rectangle	Kick out
	when ball goes out of bounds		Touchlines: throw-in Goal lines: goal kick (by defending team), corner kick (by attacking team)	Touchlines: throw-in or kick-in	Touchlines: kick-in	Scrimmage				Touch: lineout or quick throw	Touchlines: scrum	Free kick or throw in (by umpire)	Sidelines: free kick Endlines: free kick (within 13 m rectangle by defending team) or on the nearest 45 m line (by attacking team)	Sidelines: free kick from the hand from outside Endlines: Kick out (by defending team), free kick on the nearest 45 m line (by attacking team)
				Goal lines: goal clearance (by defending team), corner kick (by attacking team)
	After foul		Free kick, penalty kick							Scrum, penalty kick		Free kick	Free kick, penalty kick	Free kick, throw in, penalty kick
Tournaments	World nation championship		Yes			Yes		No		Yes		Yes	No (only Australia vs Ireland)	No
	Olympic		Yes	No	2018, 2026 (SYOG)	1932 (demonstration)	2028	No		1900, 1908, 1920, 1924 (sevens since 2016)	No	1956 (demonstration)	No
	World Games		No			Invitational (2005 and 2017)	Yes	No		Sevens (2001–2013)	No	No
	Professional leagues		Yes			Yes	No	Yes		Yes		Yes	No	No (strictly amateur)