Association football, commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world. A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football) BALL ( Biochemical Algorithms Library) is a C++ library containing common algorithms used in Biochemistry and Bioinformatics. A football is a Ball used to play one of the various sports known as Football. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Team sport refers to Sports that are practiced between opposing teams where the players interact directly and simultaneously between them to achieve an objective ^{[1][2][3][4][5]} It is a football variant played on a rectangular grass or artificial turf field, with a goal at each of the short ends. Football is the word given to a number of similar Team sports all of which involve (to varying degrees kicking a Ball with the foot in an attempt to score a Artificial turf, or synthetic turf, is a man-made surface manufactured from synthetic materials made to look like natural Grass. Goal refers to a method of scoring in many sports It can also refer to the physical structure or area of the playing surface in which a score is made The object of the game is to score by manoeuvring the ball into the opposing goal. A football is a Ball used to play one of the various sports known as Football. In general play, the goalkeepers are the only players allowed to use their hands or arms to propel the ball; the rest of the team usually use their feet to kick the ball into position, occasionally using their torso or head to intercept a ball in midair. Kicking is a method used by many types of Football, including Association football Australian rules football Torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies (including that of the human from which extend the neck and limbs The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is tied at the end of the game, either a draw is declared or the game goes into extra time and/or a penalty shootout, depending on the format of the competition. To tie or draw is to finish a Competition with identical or inconclusive results Aggregated Extra Time (AET, commonly known as extra time is an additional period played in some sports codes if the score is tied at the end of normal time Penalty shootouts, properly named kicks from the penalty mark, are a method sometimes used to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament (or wins the tournament

The modern game was codified in England following the formation of The Football Association, whose 1863 Laws of the Game created the foundations for the way the sport is played today. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey The Laws of the Game are the rules governing a game of Association football. Football is governed internationally by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football), commonly known by the acronym FIFA. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football) The most prestigious international football competition is the FIFA World Cup, held every four years. The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football This event, the most widely viewed in the world, boasts an audience twice that of the Summer Olympic Games. The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an International Multi-sport event, usually quadrennial organised by the International ^[6]

Nature of the game

Austrian forward Rubin Okotie tries to shoot past Congo goalkeeper Destin Onka at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup (formerly called FIFA World Youth Championship hosted by Canada from Onka makes the save. (shot at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)

A goalkeeper dives to stop the ball from entering his goal. For the stadium of the same name in Kentucky, see Commonwealth Stadium (Kentucky. Edmonton (ˈɛdmɨntɨn is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905 Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game. The Laws of the Game are the rules governing a game of Association football. The game is played using a single round ball, known as the football. A football is a Ball used to play one of the various sports known as Football. 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.

The primary rule is that players (other than goalkeepers) may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play (though they do use their hands during a throw-in restart). A throw-in is a method of restarting play in a game of Association football (soccer Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their bodies other than their hands or arms. ^[7]

In typical game play, 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. In Sports such as Football (soccer, Basketball, Bandy and Water polo, dribbling refers to the maneuvering of a ball around a defender Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through 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. A referee presides over a game of Association football. The referee has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. ^[8]

At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2005–06 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Premier League, colloquially referred to as the Premiership, is an English professional league for football clubs 48 goals per match. ^[9] The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper,^[10] but a number of specialised roles have evolved. In the Sport of Association football, each of the eleven players on a team is assigned to a particular position on the field of play Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers, or forwards, whose main task is to score goals; defenders, who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders, who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball in order to pass it to the forwards. Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, in order to discern them from the single goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which the player spends 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. ^[11] The layout of a team's players is known as a formation. In Association football, the formation describes how the players in a team are positioned on the pitch. Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager. Coach (baseball|Coach (basketball|Coach (ice hockeyIn Sports a coach or manager is an individual involved in the direction instruction and training of the operations ^[12]

History and development

See also: History of association football

Map showing the popularity of football around the world. history of football, which is usually known simply as football, can be traced to traditional Football games played in Europe, particularly Medieval England Countries where football is the most popular sport are coloured green, while countries where it is not are coloured red. The various shades of green and red indicate the number of players per 1,000 inhabitants.

Games revolving around the kicking of a ball have been played in many countries throughout history. According to FIFA, the "very earliest form of the game for which there is scientific evidence was an exercise of precisely this skilful technique dating back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC in China (the game of cuju). The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football) China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Cuju ( tsʰuː˥˩ tɕy˧˥ is an ancient code of football with similarities to Association football. "^[13] In addition, the Roman game harpastum may be a distant ancestor of football. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Harpastum, also known as Harpustum, was a form of Football played in the Roman Empire. Various forms of football were played in medieval Europe, though rules varied greatly by both period and location. Medieval football is a modern term sometimes used for a wide variety of localized Football games which were invented and played during the Middle Ages in Europe

The modern rules of football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played at the public schools of England.

The Cambridge Rules, first drawn up at Cambridge University in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including Association football. The Cambridge Rules were a code of football rules first drawn up at Cambridge University in 1848 by a committee that included H The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the The Cambridge Rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge, at a meeting attended by representatives from Eton, Harrow, Rugby, Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Rugby School, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, is a Co-educational Boarding school and one of the oldest public schools Winchester College is a well-known boys' Independent school, and an example of an English Public school, in the city of Winchester in Hampshire Shrewsbury School (formally known as King Edward VI Grammar School Shrewsbury) is an public school, located in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world, to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club, formed by former public school pupils in 1857,^[14] which led to formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. Sheffield Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Sheffield FC or Sheffield, is an English Amateur football club from Sheffield The Sheffield and Hallamshire Football Association (originally called the Sheffield Football Association was formed in Sheffield in 1867 and was the first In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. H (Henry de Winton and J C (John Charles Thring were influential in the development of modern codes of football. Uppingham School is a co-educational Independent school situated in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland, England. ^[15]

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 Freemason's Tavern in Great Queen Street, London. The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1863 ( MDCCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Great Queen Street is a street in central London, England in the West End London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. ^[16] The only school to be represented on this occasion was Charterhouse. Charterhouse, originally Sutton's Hospital in Charterhouse, is a prominent boys independent or public school as they're known in Britain between The Freemason's Tavern was the setting for five more meetings between October and December, which eventually produced the first comprehensive set of rules. At the final meeting, the first FA treasurer, the representative from Blackheath, withdrew his club from the FA over the removal of two draft rules at the previous meeting, the first which allowed for the running with the ball in hand and the second, obstructing such a run by hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Other English rugby football clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, or subsequently left the FA and instead in 1871 formed the Rugby Football Union. The history of rugby union follows from various football games played long before the 19th century but it was not until the middle of that century that rules were formulated The Rugby Football Union (RFU is the Rugby union governing body in England The eleven remaining clubs, under the charge of Ebenezer Cobb Morley, went on to ratify the original thirteen laws of the game. Ebenezer Cobb Morley (1831-1924 was an English sportsman and is regarded as the father of The Football Association and modern Football ^[16] These rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and the lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. Australian (rules football, or simply known as football, footy or Aussie rules, is a Team sport played between two teams of 18 players The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games.

The laws of the game are currently determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The International Football Association Board ( IFAB) is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football. The Board was formed in 1886^[17] after a meeting in Manchester of The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, and the Irish Football Association. The Scottish Football Association (also known as the SFA and The Scottish FA or the "worst league in the world" is the governing body of The Football Association of Wales (Cymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru is the governing body of Association football in Wales, being a member of both FIFA The Irish Football Association ( IFA) is the organising body for football in Northern Ireland, and had historically been the governing body for the whole The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup, which was founded by C. W. Alcock and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after Charles William Alcock ( December 2, 1842 – February 26, 1907) was an influential English sportsman and administrator The first official international football match took place in 1872 between Scotland and England in Glasgow, again at the instigation of C. Scotland v England (1872 was the first ever official international football match to be played Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom W. Alcock. England is home to the world's first football league, which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor. The Football League, also known as the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons is a league competition featuring professional football clubs Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um William McGregor (13 April 1846 &ndash 20 December 1911 was an Association football administrator in the Victorian era who is regarded as the founder of The ^[18] The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and the North of England. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to Laws of the Game of the Football Association. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city ^[19] The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the International Football Association Board in 1913. The International Football Association Board ( IFAB) is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football. The board currently consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of the four British associations.

Today, football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams,^[20] while billions more watch the game on television. ^[21] A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. ^[22] Its simple rules and minimal equipment requirements have no doubt aided its spread and growth in popularity.

In many parts of the world football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans, local communities, and even nations; it is therefore often claimed to be the most popular sport in the world. Fans in Little Italyjpg|thumb|right|Fans in Little Italy Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian association football team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup]][[Image Wm-oly-de-cr ESPN has spread the claim that the Côte d'Ivoire national football team helped secure a truce to the nation's civil war in 2005. ESPN, originally an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American Cable television network dedicated to The Côte d'Ivoire national football team (sometimes written " Ivory Coast " in English nicknamed Les Éléphants (The Elephants, is the national team of By contrast, football is widely considered to be the final proximate cause in the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras. The "Football" War ( La guerra del fútbol, in Spanish) also known as the 100-hours War, was a five-day War fought by El El Salvador ( República de El Salvador,) is a country in Central America. Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. ^[23] The sport also exacerbated tensions at the beginning of the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade devolved into rioting in March 1990. The Yugoslav Wars were a series of violent conflicts in the territory of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY that took place between 1991 and Dinamo Zagreb is one of the most famous and successful Croatian football clubs ^[24]

Laws of the game

There are seventeen laws in the official Laws of the Game. The Laws of the Game are the rules governing a game of Association football. The same Laws are designed to apply to all levels of football, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors or women are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on the nature of the game. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of football. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the International Football Association Board, not FIFA itself. The International Football Association Board ( IFAB) is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football. ^[25]

Players, equipment and officials

See also: Association football positions, Formation (association football), and Kit (Association football)

Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes), one of whom must be the goalkeeper. In the Sport of Association football, each of the eleven players on a team is assigned to a particular position on the field of play In Association football, the formation describes how the players in a team are positioned on the pitch. A kit (also known as a "strip" or "uniform" is the standard equipment and attire worn by players in Association football. A substitute is a player in Association football who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team; this 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. The penalty area (colloquiallly also known as the 18-yard box, penalty box or simply the box) is an area of an Association football pitch Though there are a variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. In the Sport of Association football, each of the eleven players on a team is assigned to a particular position on the field of play ^[10]

The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards. A kit (also known as a "strip" or "uniform" is the standard equipment and attire worn by players in Association football. A shin guard or shin pad is a piece of equipment commonly used in Ice hockey, Roller hockey, football, Baseball and other sports where Headgear is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Association football headgear is worn by Association football (soccer players to protect the head from Injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. ^[26]

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 three, though the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches. Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at the end of a finely poised game. This article refers to timewasting in a sporting context For wasting time in a more general context see Procrastination. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. ^[27]

A game is officiated by a 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. A referee presides over a game of Association football. The referee has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which The referee is assisted by two assistant referees. Two assistant referees (previously known as linesmen) assist the referee in controlling an association football match In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Two assistant referees (previously known as linesmen) assist the referee in controlling an association football match ^[28]

Pitch

Standard pitch measurements (See Imperial version)

Main article: Football pitch

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 International Football Association Board ( IFAB) is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football. Imperial units or the Imperial system is a collection of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act of 1824 The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though popular use tends to continue to use traditional units in English-speaking countries with a relatively recent history of metrication, such as Britain. Metrication (or metrification refers to the introduction of the SI metric system as the International standard for physical measurements—a long-term series ^[29]

The length of the pitch for international adult matches is in the range 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 91–120 m (100–130 yd) length and 45–91 m (50–101 yd) in width, provided that the pitch does not become square. The longer boundary lines are touchlines or sidelines, while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines. A rectangular goal is positioned at the middle of each goal line. ^[30] The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7. 3 m (8 yd) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2. 44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. ^[31]

In front of each goal is an area known as the penalty area. The penalty area (colloquiallly also known as the 18-yard box, penalty box or simply the box) is an area of an Association football pitch This area is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16. 5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16. 5 m (18 yd) 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. A penalty kick is a type of free kick in Association football, taken from twelve yards (approximately eleven metres out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs, goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. ^[32]

Duration and tie-breaking methods

A standard adult football match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as halves. 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.

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 commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time, and is at the sole discretion of the referee. The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, toward the end of the half the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time he intends 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. ^[33]

In league competitions, games may end in a draw, but in some knockout competitions if a game is tied at the end of regulation time it 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 shootouts (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. Penalty shootouts, properly named kicks from the penalty mark, are a method sometimes used to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament (or wins the tournament Goals scored during extra time periods count toward 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 shootout not making up part of the final score).

Competitions held over two legs (in which each team plays at home once) may use the away goals rule to determine which team progresses in the event of equal aggregate scores. The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in Association football and other sports when teams play each other twice once at each If the result is still equal, kicks from the penalty mark are usually required, though some competitions may require a tied game to be replayed.

In the late 1990s, the IFAB experimented with ways of creating a winner without requiring a penalty shootout, which was often seen as an undesirable way to end a match. The International Football Association Board ( IFAB) is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football. These involved rules ending a game in extra time early, either when the first goal in extra time was scored (golden goal), or if one team held a lead at the end of the first period of extra time (silver goal). The golden goal is a method used to decide the winner of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regulation time The silver goal was a method used in association football to decide the result of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regular time Golden goal was used at the World Cup in 1998 and 2002. The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th staging of the World Cup was held in France from June 10 to July 12 after 60 years to celebrate the third edition scheduled The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. The first World Cup game decided by a golden goal was France's victory over Paraguay in 1998. The French national football team represents the nation of France in international football. The Paraguay national football team is the national team of Paraguay and is controlled by the Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol. Germany was the first nation to score a golden goal in a major competition, beating Czech Republic in the final of Euro 1996. The German national football team (Die deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft From 1950 to 1990 the team was also informally called West Germany in English as since The Czech national football team is the national football team of the Czech Republic controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic. The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship ( Euro 96) was hosted by England. Silver goal was used in Euro 2004. The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship (or just Euro 2004) was the twelfth edition of the UEFA European Football Championship, a quadrennial football Both these experiments have been discontinued by IFAB. ^[34]

Ball in and out of play

Main article: Ball in and out of play

Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play. The ball in and out of play is the ninth law of the Laws of the Game of Association football, and describes to the two basic states of play in the game From the beginning of each playing period with a kick-off (a set kick from the centre-spot by one team) 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. To not be confused with the American and Canadian football click Kickoff (American football A kick-off is the method of starting and restarting play in When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play:

A player about to take a free kick.

• Kick-off: following a goal by the opposing team, or to begin each period of play. ^[8]
• Throw-in: when the ball has wholly crossed the touchline; awarded to opposing team to that which last touched the ball. A throw-in is a method of restarting play in a game of Association football (soccer ^[35]
• Goal kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by an attacker; awarded to defending team. A goal kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football (soccer. ^[36]
• Corner kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by a defender; awarded to attacking team. A corner kick is a method of restarting play in a game of Association football. ^[37]
• Indirect free kick: awarded to the opposing team following "non-penal" fouls, certain technical infringements, or when play is stopped to caution or send-off an opponent without a specific foul having occurred. An indirect free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football. A goal may not be scored directly from an indirect free kick. ^[38]
• Direct free kick: awarded to fouled team following certain listed "penal" fouls. A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of Association football following a foul ^[38]
• 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. A penalty kick is a type of free kick in Association football, taken from twelve yards (approximately eleven metres out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of ^[39]
• 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. A dropped-ball (or drop-ball) is a method of restarting play in a game of association football (soccer. This restart is uncommon in adult games. ^[8]

Fouls and misconduct

Players are cautioned with a yellow card, and sent off with a red card. These colours were first introduced at the 1970 FIFA World Cup and used consistently since. The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup was held in Mexico, from May 31 to June 21.

A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of the Game while the ball is in play. A foul in Football (soccer is an unfair act by a player which is deemed by the referee to contravene Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. 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. A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of Association football following a foul A penalty kick is a type of free kick in Association football, taken from twelve yards (approximately eleven metres out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick. An indirect free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football. ^[7]

A player scores a penalty kick given after an offence is committed inside the penalty area

The referee may punish a player or substitute's misconduct by a caution (yellow card) or sending-off (red card). Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player which is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction (caution or dismissal in accordance A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning reprimanding or penalising a player coach or team official A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning reprimanding or penalising a player coach or team official A second yellow card at the same game leads to a red card, and therefore to a sending-off. If a player has been sent-off, no substitute can be brought on in their place. 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 or substituted player. Non-players such as managers and support staff cannot be shown the yellow or red card, but may be expelled from the technical area if they fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner. ^[7]

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". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within a short period, typically taken to be four to five seconds. Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at the next stoppage of play.

The most complex of the Laws is offside. The offside law limits the ability of attacking players to remain forward (i. e. closer to the opponent's goal line) of the ball, the second-to-last defending player (which can include the goalkeeper), and the half-way line. ^[40]

Governing bodies

See also: Association football around the world

The recognised international governing body of football (and associated games, such as futsal and beach soccer) is the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Most European countries have two principal Association football competitions a more prestigious league which is typically a double Round-robin tournament restricted Futsal is an indoor version of Association football. Its name is derived from the Portuguese fut ebol de sal ão and the Spanish The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football) The FIFA headquarters are located in Zürich. Zürich (, Zürich German: Züri, Zurich, Zurigo; in English generally Zurich) is the largest city in Switzerland and capital of the

Six regional confederations are associated with FIFA; these are:

• Asia: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
• Africa: Confederation of African Football (CAF)
• Central/North America & Caribbean: Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF; also known as The Football Confederation)
• Europe: Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)
• Oceania: Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)
• South America: Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (South American Football Confederation; CONMEBOL)

National associations oversee football within individual countries. The 46 member Asian Football Confederation ( AFC) is the governing body of football in Asia, excluding Cyprus and Israel, and including The 53 member CAF ( African Football Confederation), ( French: Confédération Africaine de Football), ( Arabic: الإتحاد الأفريقى لكرة CONCACAF (the Confederation of North Central American and Caribbean Association Football) is the continent-wide governing body for football in North America, The Union of European Football Associations (Union des associations européennes de football is the administrative and controlling body for European football. The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC is one of the six "continental" confederations of international football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New CONMEBOL or CSF ( Con federación Suda' me' ricana de Fút' bol', South American Football Confederation is the governing body of Football (soccer These are affiliated both with FIFA and with their respective continental confederations.

Major international competitions

The major international competition in football is the World Cup, organised by FIFA. The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football This competition takes place over a four-year period. More than 190 national teams compete in qualifying tournaments within the scope of continental confederations for a place in the finals. The finals tournament, which is held every four years, involves 32 national teams competing over a four-week period. ^[41] The 2006 FIFA World Cup took place in Germany; in 2010 it will be held in South Africa. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the 19th FIFA World Cup, an international tournament for football, that is scheduled to take place between 11 June and ^[42]

There has been a football tournament at every Summer Olympic Games since 1900, except at the 1932 games in Los Angeles. Association football, usually known simply as football or soccer has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an International Multi-sport event, usually quadrennial organised by the International The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 Before the inception of the World Cup, the Olympics (especially during the 1920s) had the same status as the World Cup. Originally, the event was for amateurs only,^[19] however, since the 1984 Summer Olympics professional players have been permitted, albeit with certain restrictions which prevent countries from fielding their strongest sides. The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, Currently, the Olympic men's tournament is played at Under-23 level. In the past the Olympics have allowed a restricted number of over-age players per team;^[43] but that practice will cease in the 2008 Olympics. The Olympic competition is not generally considered to carry the same international significance and prestige as the World Cup. A women's tournament was added in 1996; in contrast to the men's event, full international sides without age restrictions play the women’s Olympic tournament. It thus carries international prestige considered comparable to that of the FIFA Women's World Cup. The FIFA Women's World Cup is recognized as the most important International competition in women's football and is played amongst women's national football teams

After the World Cup, the most important football competitions are the continental championships, which are organised by each continental confederation and contested between national teams. These are the European Championship (UEFA), the Copa América (CONMEBOL), African Cup of Nations (CAF), the Asian Cup (AFC), the CONCACAF Gold Cup (CONCACAF) and the OFC Nations Cup (OFC). The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA (the Union of European The Copa América ( Spanish and Portuguese for "America Cup" is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by The Africa Cup of Nations, also referred to as the African Nations Cup (ANC is the main international Association football competition in Africa. The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF. The OFC Nations Cup is a football competition held among the Oceania Football Confederation member nations 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 de América in South America. See also List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League winners The UEFA Champions League, which evolved from the European Champion Clubs' Cup is a seasonal club The Copa Santander Libertadores, also known as Copa Libertadores de América, ( Taça Libertadores da América) is a football cup competition played South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The winners of each continental competition contest the FIFA Club World Cup. The FIFA Club World Cup, formerly known as the FIFA Club World Championship, is a football competition contested between the champion clubs from all six continental ^[44]

Domestic competitions

Main article: Association football around the world

Spaniard Cesc Fàbregas (white shirt) and Brazilian Anderson (red shirt) play in the English Premier League. Most European countries have two principal Association football competitions a more prestigious league which is typically a double Round-robin tournament restricted Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas Soler (born 4 May 1987 in Arenys de Mar, Barcelona, Spain is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira (born 13 April 1988 in Porto Alegre, Brazil) best known as Anderson, is a Brazilian footballer The Premier League, colloquially referred to as the Premiership, is an English professional league for football clubs

The governing bodies in each country operate league systems, normally comprising several divisions, in which the teams gain points throughout the season depending on results. A league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport that usually teams can be promoted or relegated between depending on finishing positions or playoffs A division in Sports consists of a group of Teams which compete against one another for a divisional title Teams are placed into tables, placing them in order according to points accrued. A table is both a mode of Visual communication and a means of arranging Data. Most commonly, each team plays every other team in its league at home and away in each season, in a round-robin tournament. A round-robin tournament or all-play-all tournament is a type of group tournament in which each participant plays every other participant an equal number of times At the end of a season, the top team is declared the champion. The top few teams may be promoted to a higher division, and one or more of the teams finishing at the bottom are relegated to a lower division. In many Sports leagues around the world (with North American and Australian professional leagues being the most notable exceptions promotion and relegation In many Sports leagues around the world (with North American and Australian professional leagues being the most notable exceptions promotion and relegation The teams finishing at the top of a country's league may be eligible also to play in 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, awarding a champion for each.

The majority of countries supplement the league system with one or more cup competitions. These are organised on a knock-out basis, the winner of each match proceeding to the next round; the loser takes no further part in the competition. A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of Tournament where the loser of each

Some countries' top divisions feature highly-paid star players; in smaller countries and lower divisions, players may be part-timers with a second job, or amateurs. The five top European leagues—Serie A (Italy), La Liga (Spain), the Premier League (England),^[45] the Bundesliga (Germany) and Ligue 1 (France)—attract most of the world's best players. Serie A (officially known as the Lega Calcio Serie A TIM for Sponsorship reasons is a professional league competition for football clubs located The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or The Premier League, colloquially referred to as the Premiership, is an English professional league for football clubs The Bundesliga is the highest level of Germany 's football league system. Current Teams (2008-2009 Ligue 1 teams in European competitions The original European Cup of 1955-56 featured Real Madrid against Stade

Names of the game

See also: Names for association football and Football (word)

The rules of football were codified in England by the Football Association in 1863, and the name association football was coined to distinguish the game from the other forms of football played at the time, specifically rugby football. For other usages of the word "football" see Football (word. The English language word football may mean any one of several Team sports (or the ball used in that respective sport depending on the national or regional Football is the word given to a number of similar Team sports all of which involve (to varying degrees kicking a Ball with the foot in an attempt to score a Rugby football (usually just " rugby " may refer to a number of sports through history descended from a common form of Football developed at Rugby School The term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as a slang abbreviation of the word "association", often credited to former England captain Charles Wreford-Brown. Charles Wreford-Brown (9 October 1866 – 26 November 1951 captained the England national football team and was a county cricketer during the Victorian age and later acted ^[46]

Today the sport is generally known simply as football in countries where it is the most popular football code. In countries where other codes are more popular, the sport is more commonly referred to as soccer, and indeed is referred to as such in the official names of the governing bodies in the United States and Canada. FIFA, the sport's world governing body, defines the sport they govern as association football in their statutes,^[47] but the term most commonly used by FIFA and the International Olympic Committee is football.

See also

• Association football culture
• List of association football clubs
• List of men's national association football teams
• List of top association football goal scorers
• List of top association football goal scorers by country
• Lists of association football players
• List of association football competitions
• Paralympic association football

References

External links

• Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)
• The Current Laws of the Game (LOTG)
• The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF)