Football, commonly referred to in the United States as soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players each. The objective of the game is to score goals by getting a ball into the opposing team’s net. The game is played on a rectangular field, typically with grass, called a pitch, which features a goal at each end.

Players primarily use their feet to maneuver the ball, but they can also use other parts of their body—except for their arms and hands (goalkeepers can use their hands within their penalty area). Football is governed by a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game, overseen by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), with the sport most prominently organized by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association).

Football is one of the most popular sports globally, with a rich history and a large following, celebrated through domestic leagues, international tournaments, and the FIFA World Cup. The sport emphasizes teamwork, strategy, and physical fitness, and it has a significant cultural impact in many countries.