Soccer

Soccer, also known as football in most countries outside of North America, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players each. The objective of the game is to score goals by getting a spherical ball into the opposing team’s net, using any part of the body except the arms and hands. The game is played on a rectangular field, typically grass or artificial turf, with a goal at each end. Soccer is governed by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) at the international level and is one of the most popular sports worldwide. Matches are typically played over two halves of 45 minutes each, with a brief halftime interval. The sport emphasizes skills such as dribbling, passing, shooting, and tactical awareness, and it fosters teamwork and strategy among players. Soccer can be played recreationally or competitively, with professional leagues and international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, drawing immense global audiences.