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Association Football

Also Known As Football · Soccer
Football Codes

Association football, commonly called football or soccer, is a team sport played between two sides of eleven players who try to move a ball into the opposing goal using any part of the body other than the arms and hands, except for the goalkeeper. The modern sport was codified in England in 1863, when representatives of several London clubs and schools met to found the Football Association and agreed a single set of laws, ending a period in which different schools and clubs had played the game under different, incompatible rules. Football-like ball games with contested claims to being ancestors of the modern sport are far older and much less documented, including cuju, a kicking ball game played in China during the Han dynasty, and various local folk football games recorded in medieval England, so while the 1863 codification is well documented, no single origin point for football as a broad kicking game commands scholarly consensus. A standard match is two 45-minute halves; the side scoring more goals wins, a goal counted whenever the whole ball crosses the opposing goal line between the posts and under the crossbar. Each side fields one goalkeeper, permitted to handle the ball inside a marked penalty area, and ten outfield players customarily grouped into defenders, midfielders and forwards in a formation the team chooses and can change during play, most commonly written as a number code such as four defenders, four midfielders, two forwards. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Disputed
Origin Year
1863 2
1863 marks the founding of the Football Association in England and the first published unified code of laws, taken here as the sport organized origin. Football like kicking games are far older and much less documented, including cuju in Han dynasty China and various medieval English folk football games, so no single origin year for football as a broad practice commands consensus among historians.
Originating Region
England (for the 1863 codification that produced the modern sport) 2
International Governing Body
FIFA, the Federation Internationale de Football Association, founded 1904, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. 3
Identity
Symbol
A spherical ball kicked with the feet; players use their feet to move an inflated ball around the pitch. 1
Connections

Ancestor Of

Source Wikipedia, American Football

Associated With

Rugby Union, Sports
Source Wikipedia, Rugby Union
Sepak Takraw, Sports
Source Sepak takraw - Wikipedia

Featured In

Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1904 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1924 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1960 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia: Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia, 1980 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia, 1984 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia, 1988 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia, 1992 Summer Olympics
Source Wikipedia, 1996 Summer Olympics
Source CAF, Official History
Source Wikipedia, Copa America
Source FIFA, Official World Cup History Reference
Source Wikipedia, UEFA European Championship

Governed By

Source Wikipedia, All India Football Federation (AIFF)
Source Wikipedia, Asian Football Confederation
Source Argentine Football Association, Wikipedia
Source Wikipedia, Chinese Football Association (CFA)
Source Brazilian Football Confederation, Wikipedia
Source Wikipedia, CONMEBOL
Source German Football Association (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia, Federation Francaise de Football (FFF)
Source Wikipedia, Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC)
Source Japan Football Association, Wikipedia
Source Nigeria Football Federation, Wikipedia
Source Wikipedia, Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)
Source Wikipedia, Real Federacion Espanola de Futbol (RFEF)
Source Wikipedia, South African Football Association (SAFA)
Source Wikipedia, The Football Association (The FA)
UEFA, Governing Bodies
Source Wikipedia, UEFA
Source Wikipedia, United States Soccer Federation (US Soccer)

Long-Form Articles

Played By

Abby Wambach, Athletes
Alex Morgan, Athletes
Source FIFA, Official World Cup History Reference
George Weah, Athletes
Johan Cruyff, Athletes
Lionel Messi, Athletes
Marta, Athletes
Pele, Athletes
Source FIFA, Official World Cup History Reference
Ronaldinho, Athletes
Sun Wen, Athletes
Sources
1. Wikipedia, Association Football
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead sentence, 'commonly known as football'
    Association football, commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who mostly use their feet to kick an inflated ball around a pitch.
  • lead section
    mostly use their feet to kick an inflated ball around a pitch.
View the Source
2. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.View the Source
3. FIFA, Official World Cup History Reference
Federation Internationale de Football Association
CAF, Official History
Confederation of African FootballFeatured In: Africa Cup of NationsView the Source
Wikipedia, UEFA European Championship
WikipediaFeatured In: UEFA European ChampionshipView the Source
Wikipedia, UEFA
WikipediaGoverned By: UEFAView the Source
Wikipedia, FIFA
Wikimedia FoundationGoverned By: FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association)View the Source
Wikipedia, CONCACAF
Wikimedia FoundationGoverned By: CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football)View the Source
Wikipedia, CONMEBOL
Wikimedia FoundationGoverned By: CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation)View the Source
Wikipedia, Asian Football Confederation
Wikimedia FoundationGoverned By: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)View the Source
Wikipedia, Copa America
WikipediaFeatured In: Copa AmericaView the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1900 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1900 Summer Olympics, Lead section
At the 1900 Summer Olympics, an association football tournament was contested for the first time.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1904 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1904 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1904 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Men's association football (soccer) was contested at the 1904 Summer Olympics.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1908 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1908 Summer Olympics, Lead section
At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England, an official football tournament between national representative selections was contested for the first time; football had been played between club teams at the Games of 1900 and 1904.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1912 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1912 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics was one of the 102 events at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1920 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1920 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Football was one of the 154 events at the 1920 Summer Olympics, held in Antwerp, Belgium.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1924 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1924 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1924 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Football at the 1924 Summer Olympics was the sixth edition of the football tournament at the Summer Olympic Games held in Paris.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1928 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1928 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Football was one of the tournaments at the 1928 Summer Olympics.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1948 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1948 Summer Olympics, Lead section
The football tournament of the 1948 Summer Olympics was won by Sweden.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1952 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1952 Summer Olympics, Lead section
The Football tournament at the 1952 Summer Olympics was won by Hungary.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1960 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1960 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1960 Summer Olympics, Lead section
The football tournament at the 1960 Summer Olympics was held from 26 August to 10 September in 1960 throughout Italy.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1968 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1968 Summer Olympics, Lead section
The 1968 Olympic football tournament was played as part of the 1968 Summer Olympics.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1972 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1972 Summer Olympics, Lead section
The 1972 Olympic football tournament, held in Munich, Augsburg, Ingolstadt, Nuremberg, Passau, and Regensburg, was played as part of the 1972 Summer Olympics.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1976 Summer Olympics, Lead section
Quote, Featured In: 1976 Summer Olympics, Lead section
The football tournament at the 1976 Summer Olympics started on 18 July and ended on 31 July.
View the Source
Wikipedia, American Football
Wikimedia FoundationAncestor Of: American Football, Introduction
Quote, Ancestor Of: American Football, Introduction
American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby.
View the Source
Argentine Football Association, Wikipedia
Governed By: Asociacion del Futbol Argentino (AFA), Lead paragraph
Quote, Governed By: Asociacion del Futbol Argentino (AFA), Lead paragraph
is the governing body of football in Argentina
View the Source
Brazilian Football Confederation, Wikipedia
Governed By: Confederacao Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), Lead paragraph
Quote, Governed By: Confederacao Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), Lead paragraph
is the governing body of football in Brazil
View the Source
German Football Association (Wikipedia)
Governed By: Deutscher Fussball-Bund (DFB), Lead paragraph
Quote, Governed By: Deutscher Fussball-Bund (DFB), Lead paragraph
is the governing body of football, futsal, and beach soccer in Germany
View the Source
Japan Football Association, Wikipedia
Governed By: Japan Football Association (JFA), Lead paragraph
Quote, Governed By: Japan Football Association (JFA), Lead paragraph
is the governing body responsible for the administration of football
View the Source
Nigeria Football Federation, Wikipedia
Governed By: Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Lead paragraph
Quote, Governed By: Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Lead paragraph
football governing body
View the Source
Sepak takraw - Wikipedia
Associated With: Sepak Takraw, Lead paragraph
Quote, Associated With: Sepak Takraw, Lead paragraph
Sepak takraw is often referred to as a mixture of volleyball, for its use of a net, and association football, as players use their feet.
View the Source
Wikipedia, 1980 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1980 Summer Olympics, Article text
Quote, Featured In: 1980 Summer Olympics, Article text
athletics, football (final), equestrian
View the Source
Wikipedia, 1984 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1984 Summer Olympics, Venues list, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Quote, Featured In: 1984 Summer Olympics, Venues list, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
football (final)
View the Source
Wikipedia, 1988 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1988 Summer Olympics, Venues list, Dongdaemun Stadium[E]
Quote, Featured In: 1988 Summer Olympics, Venues list, Dongdaemun Stadium[E]
football preliminaries
View the Source
Wikipedia, 1992 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1992 Summer Olympics, Sports contested list with event counts
Quote, Featured In: 1992 Summer Olympics, Sports contested list with event counts
Football (1)
View the Source
Wikipedia, 1996 Summer Olympics
Featured In: 1996 Summer Olympics, Sports contested list with event counts
Quote, Featured In: 1996 Summer Olympics, Sports contested list with event counts
Football (2)
View the Source
Wikipedia, Rugby Union
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Rugby Union, History
Quote, Associated With: Rugby Union, History
Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in the shins)
View the Source

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