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{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=
{{Infobox sport
| name = Association football
| image = football iu 1996.jpg
| imagesize = 300px
| caption = The attacking player (No. 10) attempts to kick the ball
| 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
}}
| first = [[History of association football#The Football Association|Mid-19th century England]]<ref>{{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 (including goalkeeper)
| mgender = No, separate competitions
| category = {{hlist|[[Team sport]]
| equipment = [[Ball (association football)|Football]] (or soccer ball)
| 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]]
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{{anchor|Etymology|Names}}
== Name ==
{{Main|Names for association football}}
Association football is one of a family of [[
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 web |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/ |website=Time.com |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=
== History ==
{{Main|History of association football}}
{{For timeline|Timeline of association football}}
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}}
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 "kick ball"; also known as ''tsu chu'') resembles modern association football.<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
''{{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
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>{{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=Classic Football History of the Game |publisher=FIFA |date=10 June 2014 |access-date=19 June 2014}}</ref> 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 |publisher=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/game/historygame2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701210540/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/history/game/historygame2.html |archive-date=1 July 2007 |url-status=dead |access-date=20 November 2006
[[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 F.C.|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 & Hallamshire Football Association|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=28 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528033057/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/ |url-status=live
[[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]], Manchester, England]]
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
[[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
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
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
In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best [[Football player|footballers]] in the world,<ref name=":euro and south">{{Cite web |date=8 December 2022
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
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
=== Women's association football ===
{{update section|date=October 2023}}
{{
[[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. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that a similar ancient game (''cuju'', or [[Tsu Chu|''tsu chu'']]) was played by women during the [[Han dynasty#Eastern Han|Han dynasty]] (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing ''tsu chu''.<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
[[File:
Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women.<ref name="
Association football continued to be played by women since the time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century.<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
Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the [[World War I|First World War]], when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was [[Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C.]] of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston, England]]. The team 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=
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
[[File:Tytöt-04 Piteåssa.JPG|thumb|right|Young Finnish girls football team of Kolarin Kontio in [[Piteå]], Sweden, in 2014]]
Restrictions began to be reduced in the 1960s and 1970s. The [[Serie A (women's football)|Italian women's football league]] was established in 1968.<ref>{{cite web |
Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kleen |first=Brendon |date=21 December 2022
North America is the dominant region in women's football, with the [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]] winning most FIFA Women's World Cups 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
== Gameplay ==
{{
[[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 {{pslink|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. 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= |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 (association football)|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
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
[[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
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
=== 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, socks, footwear and adequate [[shin guard]]s. An [[jockstrap|athletic supporter]] and protective cup is highly 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
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=
{{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
[[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 buildup, 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
=== Ball ===
{{
[[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:Soccer pitch dimensions.png|thumb|Standard pitch measurements]]
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>
Line 152 ⟶ 151:
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
==== 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 (football)|penalty shoot-outs]] (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") 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=
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
* [[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
* [[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
* [[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
* [[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
* [[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 ===
{{
==== On-field ====
{{multiple image
| align = right
Line 192 ⟶ 191:
| 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=
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
The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final.<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
==== Off-field ====
{{
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 had forfeited a game or had been forfeited against would be awarded a technical loss or win.
== Governing bodies ==
{{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)
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* [[South America]]: [[CONMEBOL|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 news |last=Oinam |first=Jayanta |date=9 December 2022 |title=Harbouring FIFA non-members, the Caribbean Football Union way |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/harbouring-fifa-non-members-the-caribbean-football-union-way |work=FIFA
While FIFA is responsible for arranging competitions and most rules related to international competition, the actual Laws of the Game are set by the IFAB, where each of the UK Associations has one vote, while FIFA collectively has four votes.<ref name="
{{anchor|Internationalcompetitions}}<!-- [[International competitions in association football]] redirects here -->
== International 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. 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.
The major international competition in football 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, held every four years, involved 32 national teams (expanding to 48 teams for the 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 most prestigious association football tournament as well as the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding even the [[Olympic Games]]; the cumulative audience of all matches of the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]] was estimated to be 26.29 billion with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the [[2006 FIFA World Cup Final|final match]], one-ninth of the entire population of the planet.<ref name="2006coverage">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/marketing/news/newsid=111247/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120073325/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/marketing/news/newsid=111247/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 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><ref>Tom Dunmore, [https://books.google.com/books?id=9j1wbp2t1usC&pg=PA235 Historical Dictionary of Soccer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107065458/https://books.google.com/books?id=9j1wbp2t1usC&pg=PA235 |date=7 January 2017 }}, p. 235, quote "The World Cup is now the most-watched sporting event in the world on television, above even the Olympic Games."</ref><ref>Stephen Dobson and John Goddard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=GxyG0XXdvR4C&pg=PA407 The Economics of Football] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107004535/https://books.google.com/books?id=GxyG0XXdvR4C&pg=PA407 |date=7 January 2017 }}, p. 407, quote "The World Cup is the most widely viewed sporting event in the world: the estimated cumulative television audience for the 2006 World Cup in Germany was 26.2 billion, an average of 409 million viewers per match."</ref><ref>Glenn M. Wong, [https://books.google.com/books?id=qEELS7T_Tm0C&pg=PA144 The Comprehensive Guide to Careers in Sports] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107005802/https://books.google.com/books?id=qEELS7T_Tm0C&pg=PA144 |date=7 January 2017 }}, p. 144, quote "The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event in the world. In 2006, more than 30 billion viewers in 214 countries watched the World Cup on television, and more than 3.3 million spectators attended the 64 matches of the tournament."</ref> The 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 [[Argentinian national football team|Argentina]], who won their third title at the [[2022 FIFA World Cup|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
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 games in [[1932 Summer Olympics|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
[[File:Torres, Mata and Ramos Euro 2012 trophy 01.jpg|alt=|thumb|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 [[African Cup of Nations]] (CAF), the [[Asian Cup]] (AFC), the [[CONCACAF Gold Cup]] (CONCACAF) and the [[OFC Men's 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://theathletic.com/4229851/2020/12/04/2021-fifa-club-world-cup-to-remain-a-seven-team-tournament/ |work=[[The Athletic]] |url-access=subscription |accessdate=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 [[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 Club World Cup]].<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
== Domestic competitions ==
{{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 C.F.|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>]]
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. Teams are placed into [[Table (information)|tables]], placing them in order according to points accrued. Most commonly, each team plays every other team in its league at home and away in each season, in a [[round-robin tournament]]. At the end of a season, 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
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. The main exceptions to this system occur in some Latin American leagues, which 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
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 [[Big Five (association football)|five top 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 sign|€]]600 million.<ref
== See also ==
{{Portal bar|Sports|Games|Association football|Women's association football}}
* [[List of association football films]]
* [[List of association football video games]]
* [[Lists of association football clubs]]
== 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}}
*{{curlie|Sports/Soccer/}}
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