Football (soccer) | History, Game, Rules, & Significant Players

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Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/sports/football-soccer">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref29603"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer#ref29603">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29605"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer#ref29605">The early years</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29606"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Professionalism">Professionalism</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29608"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Professionalism#ref29608">International organization</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref242670"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Football-around-the-world">Football around the world</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref242667"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Football-around-the-world#ref242667">Regional traditions</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref242668"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Football-around-the-world#ref242668">Europe</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref242669"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Football-around-the-world#ref242669">North and Central America and the Caribbean</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref242671"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/South-America">South America</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref242672"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/South-America#ref242672">Africa</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref242673"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/South-America#ref242673">Asia and Oceania</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29610"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Spectator-problems">Spectator problems</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref29611"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Play-of-the-game">Play of the game</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29612"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Play-of-the-game#ref29612">Equipment and field of play</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29613"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Play-of-the-game#ref29613">Fouls</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29614"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Play-of-the-game#ref29614">Rules</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29616"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Strategy-and-tactics">Strategy and tactics</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref277366"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Strategy-and-tactics#ref277366">FIFA men’s World Cup winners</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref277367"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Strategy-and-tactics#ref277367">FIFA women’s World Cup winners</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref303077"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Strategy-and-tactics#ref303077">UEFA Champions League winners</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref303078"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Strategy-and-tactics#ref303078">UEFA Europa League winners</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref303079"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/football-soccer/Strategy-and-tactics#ref303079">Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup winners</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-soccer/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/football-soccer">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://historyofsoccer.info/football-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">History of Soccer - Football History: The Origins And How The Game Started</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://olympics.com/en/sports/football/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">International Olympic Committee - Football</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://inside.fifa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Official Site of FIFA</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.footballhistory.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">FootballHistory.org - Football History</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://spartacus-educational.com/Fhistory.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Spartacus Educational - History of Football</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/football-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Pro Football Hall of Fame - Football History</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/soccer/353786" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soccer - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/soccer/277111" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soccer - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: association football, soccer</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Richard-C-Giulianotti/5851" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Richard C. Giulianotti</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Aberdeen. Author of <em>Football: A Sociology of the Game </em>and <em>Sport: A Critical Sociology</em>.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Richard C. Giulianotti</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Bernard-Joy/1508" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Bernard Joy</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Former football correspondent, <i>Evening Standard, </i>London. Author of <i>Soccer Tactics.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Bernard Joy</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-soccer/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-17T00:00:00CST" >Feb 17, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-soccer/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Also called: </dt> <dd>association football or soccer</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/Enzo-Francescoli" topicid="1716347">Enzo Francescoli</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Luis-Garcia" topicid="1719376">Luis Garcia</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Alex-Morgan" topicid="2174686">Alex Morgan</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Ivan-Zamorano" topicid="1717502">Iván Zamorano</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Sam-Kerr" topicid="2188662">Sam Kerr</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/sports/Africa-Cup-of-Nations" topicid="1079452">Africa Cup of Nations</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/World-Cup-football" topicid="648277">World Cup</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/Asian-Cup" topicid="1010270">Asian Cup</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/European-Championship" topicid="1523719">European Championship</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/Womens-World-Cup" topicid="1671841">Women’s World Cup</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/football-soccer"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is football?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Football, also called association football or soccer, is a game involving two teams of 11 players who try to maneuver the ball into the other team\u2019s goal without using their hands or arms. The team that scores more goals wins. Football is the world\u2019s most popular ball game in numbers of participants and spectators." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is the origin of football?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Modern football originated in Britain in the 19th century. Though \u201Cfolk football\u201D had been played since medieval times with varying rules, the game began to be standardized when it was taken up as a winter game at public schools. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Football-Association\">Football Association<\/a>, formed in 1863, codified the rules of the game and hosted the first cup competition between regional football clubs in Britain." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>How many people play football?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The F\u00E9d\u00E9ration Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, estimated that at the turn of the 21st century there were approximately 250 million football players worldwide. " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is football\u2019s premier tournament? <\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/World-Cup-football\">World Cup<\/a> is football\u2019s premier tournament. It is a quadrennial tournament and is likely the most popular sporting event in the world, drawing billions of television viewers every tournament. " } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is football?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Football, also called association football or soccer, is a game involving two teams of 11 players who try to maneuver the ball into the other team’s goal without using their hands or arms. The team that scores more goals wins. Football is the world’s most popular ball game in numbers of participants and spectators.</p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is the origin of football?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Modern football originated in Britain in the 19th century. Though “folk football” had been played since medieval times with varying rules, the game began to be standardized when it was taken up as a winter game at public schools. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Football-Association" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Football Association</a>, formed in 1863, codified the rules of the game and hosted the first cup competition between regional football clubs in Britain.</p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>How many people play football?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, estimated that at the turn of the 21st century there were approximately 250 million football players worldwide. </p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="4"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is football’s premier tournament? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/World-Cup-football" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World Cup</a> is football’s premier tournament. It is a quadrennial tournament and is likely the most popular sporting event in the world, drawing billions of television viewers every tournament. </p></div></div> </div><button class="show-more-button js-toggle-top-questions btn btn-unstyled font-14 d-flex pr-10 rounded-sm"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></button></div></div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2025/02/17/soccer-barca039s-flick-tells-players-to-avoid-arguing-with-referees" rel="nofollow">Football: Soccer-Barca's Flick tells players to avoid arguing with referees</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 16, 2025, 7:13 PM ET (The Star) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2025/02/16/soccer-burnley039s-mejbri-alleges-preston039s-osmajic-made-racist-comment" rel="nofollow">Football: Soccer-Burnley's Mejbri alleges Preston's Osmajic made racist comment</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 16, 2025, 1:13 AM ET (The Star) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2025/02/15/soccer-fa-charge-slot-liverpool-everton-over-derby-chaos" rel="nofollow">Football: Soccer-FA charge Slot, Liverpool, Everton over derby chaos</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 14, 2025, 6:06 PM ET (The Star) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2025/02/13/soccer-man-city-face-newcastle-as-battle-for-european-places-hots-up" rel="nofollow">Football: Soccer-Man City face Newcastle as battle for European places hots up</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 14, 2025, 1:06 AM ET (The Star) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2025/02/13/soccer-late-tarkowski-goal-earns-everton-draw-in-emotional-derby-finale" rel="nofollow">Football: Soccer-Late Tarkowski goal earns Everton draw in emotional derby finale</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 12, 2025, 10:32 AM ET (The Star) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref748174"></span>football</strong>, game in which two teams of 11 players, using any part of their bodies except their hands and arms, try to maneuver the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/ball-sports" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">ball</a> into the opposing team’s goal. Only the goalkeeper is permitted to handle the ball and may do so only within the penalty area surrounding the goal. The team that scores more goals wins.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="148338" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/143472-050-6ECD0DB0/Carlos-Alberto-Torres-holds-Jules-Rimet-trophy-Brazil-1970.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/550852/148338"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/143472-050-6ECD0DB0/Carlos-Alberto-Torres-holds-Jules-Rimet-trophy-Brazil-1970.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/143472-050-6ECD0DB0/Carlos-Alberto-Torres-holds-Jules-Rimet-trophy-Brazil-1970.jpg?w=300" alt="Carlos Alberto Torres" data-width="1113" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/143472-050-6ECD0DB0/Carlos-Alberto-Torres-holds-Jules-Rimet-trophy-Brazil-1970.jpg" data-href="/media/1/550852/148338">Carlos Alberto Torres</a><span>Captain Carlos Alberto Torres holding the Jules Rimet trophy aloft after Brazil's triumph at the 1970 World Cup.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Football is the world’s most popular ball game in numbers of participants and spectators. Simple in its principal rules and essential equipment, the sport can be played almost anywhere, from official football playing fields (pitches) to gymnasiums, streets, school playgrounds, parks, or beaches. Football’s governing body, the <span id="ref402819"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Federation-Internationale-de-Football-Association" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Fédération Internationale de Football Association</a> (FIFA), estimated that at the turn of the 21st century there were approximately 250 million football players and over 1.3 billion people “interested” in football; in 2010 a combined television audience of more than 26 billion watched football’s premier <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tournament-medieval-military-games" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">tournament</a>, the quadrennial monthlong <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/World-Cup-football" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World Cup</a> finals.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">For a history of the origins of football sport, <em>see</em> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/football-the-games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">football</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref29603"> <h2 class="h1">History</h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref29605"> <h2 class="h2">The early years</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="255381" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="video" video-id="222731"><a data-id="222731" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/did-you-know-FIFA-World-Cup-soccer/-255381"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/31/222731-138-456CD724/did-you-know-FIFA-World-Cup-soccer.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="The history behind the FIFA World Cup" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/DcVKSNfw.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/31/222731-138-456CD724/did-you-know-FIFA-World-Cup-soccer.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/0u3VrOzn.vtt", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/UexIIH4q.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="222731">The history behind the FIFA World Cup</span><span>Watch this video to learn more about the history of the FIFA World Cup.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/sports/football-soccer/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Modern football originated in Britain in the 19th century. Since before <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="medieval" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medieval" data-type="MW">medieval</a> times, “<span id="ref844722"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/folk-football" class="md-crosslink ">folk football</a>” games had been played in towns and villages according to local customs and with a minimum of rules. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/industrialization" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Industrialization</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/urbanization" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">urbanization</a>, which reduced the amount of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/leisure" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">leisure</a> time and space available to the working class, combined with a history of legal prohibitions against particularly violent and destructive forms of folk football to undermine the game’s status from the early 19th century onward. However, football was taken up as a winter game between residence houses at public (independent) schools such as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Winchester-College" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Winchester College</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Charterhouse" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Charterhouse</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eton-College" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Eton College</a>. Each school had its own rules; some allowed limited handling of the ball and others did not. The variance in rules made it difficult for public schoolboys entering university to continue playing except with former schoolmates. As early as 1843 an attempt to standardize and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="codify" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/codify" data-type="EB">codify</a> the rules of play was made at the <span id="ref402806"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Cambridge" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">University of Cambridge</a>, whose students joined most public schools in 1848 in adopting these “<span id="ref402807"></span>Cambridge rules,” which were further spread by Cambridge graduates who formed football clubs. In 1863 a series of meetings involving clubs from metropolitan <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/London" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">London</a> and surrounding counties produced the printed rules of football, which prohibited the carrying of the ball. Thus, the “handling” game of <span id="ref402816"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/rugby" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">rugby</a> remained outside the newly formed <span id="ref402808"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Football-Association" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Football Association</a> (FA). Indeed, by 1870 all handling of the ball except by the goalkeeper was prohibited by the FA.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The new rules were not universally accepted in Britain, however; many clubs retained their own rules, especially in and around <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sheffield-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sheffield</a>. Although this northern English city was the home of the first <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="provincial" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/provincial" data-type="EB">provincial</a> club to join the FA, in 1867 it also gave birth to the <span id="ref844723"></span>Sheffield Football Association, the forerunner of later county associations. Sheffield and London clubs played two matches against each other in 1866, and a year later a match pitting a club from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Middlesex-historical-county" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Middlesex</a> against one from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Kent-county-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Kent</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Surrey-county-England" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Surrey</a> was played under the revised rules. In 1871 15 FA clubs accepted an invitation to enter a cup competition and to contribute to the purchase of a trophy. By 1877 the associations of Great Britain had agreed upon a uniform code, 43 clubs were in competition, and the London clubs’ initial dominance had diminished.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/great-moments-in-sports-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/234474-131-7CBD1A96/Serena-Williams-womens-single-trophy-Australian-Open-Januray-28-2017.jpg" alt="Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. 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Football (soccer) | History, Game, Rules, & Significant Players | Britannica