Association football, also known as simply football, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players each. It is played internationally by about 250 million players in more than 200 countries and dependencies, which make it the most popular game worldwide. The game is originally from Europe but since its beginning, has spread to other countries such as Australia and America.
The sport of football can be traced back in the fifteenth century, during the time of the English leagues. However, it was not until the twentieth century that the game became organized, particularly with the formation of the Football Association of America (FA). As a member of the governing body, football receives financial, social and sporting benefits. The game is traditionally played on a natural grass field, although artificial pitches are now used in some countries. Professional football is played in a variety of countries with varying levels of professionalism, such as the United States, Spain, Italy and France.
Association football is a very popular sport in the United States, Canada and England because of the interesting identity given to the game by its governing body and the fact that many people do not understand the game yet. Most of the players are from the lower classes, such as the lower elementary school children, although the number of professionals is on the rise as well due to the modern lifestyle of the people and the changing economy. The game is divided into two conferences, the Conference United States (C-USA) and the Conference Central America and Caribbean (C-ACAM) based upon geographical regions. Unlike football, basketball, baseball and hockey, the game of football does not have a pro league.
When football first appeared in England, it was played between groups of school boys and the rules of the game were very simple and easy to learn. The game evolved and developed over time and eventually turned into what we know today as soccer. The first real international tournament of football was the World Cup FIFA in Germany in 1990. The World Cup today is the most famous and largest event of international soccer. The English football association football has been a main partner in the staging of the World Cup tournaments. The English football association also sponsors several football clubs throughout the country.
There are two different types of soccer that can be played in the United Kingdom: Association football and Division 1 soccer. Professional and amateur players can be seen wearing soccer shirts throughout the United Kingdom and world. The professional leagues consist of teams in the English top division, the Championship, League One, League Two and League Cup. Division one consists of teams in the English second tier including non-league teams, the FA Vase Premier Division, FA Wagueshire Division One and the FA Amateur Cup.
The object of football is to score more points than the other team. A soccer match is normally played between two competing teams who are separated by an invisible border. The game is usually played on a normal field but some arenas have been designed and designated specifically for the purpose of holding football games. There are also outdoor stadiums that host football matches on a regular basis.