Soccer

Soccer, also known as football in many countries outside North America, is a team sport played between two teams, each consisting of eleven players. 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, with the exception of the goalkeepers. The game is played on a rectangular field, often referred to as a pitch, that has a goal at each end.

Matches are typically composed of two halves, each lasting 45 minutes, with a halftime break in between. The team that scores the most goals during the match wins. If the score is tied, the result can sometimes lead to extra time or a penalty shootout, depending on the rules governing the competition.

Soccer is governed globally by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which organizes major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup. It is one of the world’s most popular sports, with billions of fans and participants across various age groups and skill levels. The sport encourages teamwork, skill development, and athleticism.