Football is a sport that involves the use of a ball to score goals by carrying the ball over or through the goal line or kicking it into the end zone. It is played by two teams of 11 players each on a rectangular field with goal lines and goalposts at either end of the playing area.
The game is governed by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), which organises the World Cup every four years. Millions of people play the game at a professional level, and millions more watch it on television.
Rules of the game
The Laws of the Game, which were codified in England by The Football Association in 1863, are used to govern all matches worldwide. The offside rule is one of the most important and effectively limits a player’s ability to advance to the opponent’s goal line when the ball is in their possession.
Formation of the team
The number of players on a team is usually defined by competition rules; a maximum of eleven players are permitted in each team. The remaining players may be placed in different positions on the field by a coach.
A team must line up on the field of play before any offensive play can be started. The line of scrimmage is an imaginary line on the playing surface 10 yards from where the ball is last placed at the end of a previous play, and teams cannot cross it until a play has begun.