What You Need to Know About American Football

Association football, more properly called football association, is an organized team game played between two evenly matched teams of eleven players each. It is the most popular sport in the world and is played by more than 250 million people in more than 200 countries and administrations. The game is played in a rectangular area divided into two sections: the forwards section containing the forwards, and the back or attacking side containing the defenders. The object of the game is for the team playing in the forwards to score more points (“picks”) than the other team. Picking up extra points is done by passing the ball, using any part of the body that is in the air, or using any part of the hands, arms, or legs as long as it does not break or fall to the ground.

Cup football, otherwise known as Inter-Ligue Cup football, is the most prestigious football competition in Europe, with the winner receiving the prestigious Clausura trophy. It has also been known to be the most watched competition in the world with more than six billion viewers tuning in each year. The official governing body for this event is the FIPW, or the European Association of Professional Football Clubs.

Association football was the brainchild of Jules Frut and Eric Van De Ruit, the founders of Barcelona. They made their ideas known to English football fans who were interested only in a friendly game, something which could be played at their expense. The idea soon took off and football began its gradual transformation from a simple game played on the streets to one played in front of large crowds with huge expectations. The evolution of football spread to Europe and American Universities and from there the football world saw the dawn of professional football.

In England, the formation of the first professional football club, the Associated Football Clubs of England, or the FA, began in 1876. The association football players were known as “the Bloomsbury Lions” and played for the London Bees in the third tier of English football. A few years later, the game was moved to a first division, and in 1887, it was first played in a rectangular fixture, with four clubs. Since then, international football has been played in various countries, with the United States leading the way in the World Cup tournaments.

American football was a direct result of the British football association and the same principles were eventually adopted by the English football association too. American football has been playing competitive matches all across America since the mid nineteen sixties, when it began using a rough ball, which is commonly referred to as “water polo,” and football rules. Later on, the official rules of football were brought about in a bid to modernize the sport, and in turn, make it more popular among Americans. Currently, there are over three hundred clubs in the United States with an estimated fifty to sixty million active football enthusiasts. The United States is home to football giants such as the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys, and currently, the only European team to play in the top division in the English football league, is the Racing Club de France.

The game of football is very popular in North America and some of the most famous football players in the world include legends Pele and Maradona. Two other widely followed football codes in the US are the L.A. Lakers of basketball and the Texa Football Association. Some of the other well-known football teams in the United States include the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, and the Green Bay Packers. To play football in the United States is not a very easy task; however, as you can see from the above overview, football is played both at professional and college level and can be a very enjoyable and competitive sport for those who are willing to take the time to learn. As football continues to grow in the United States, the governing body players will continue to shape the future of the game.