Soccer

Soccer, also known as football in most countries outside 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 hands and arms, although goalkeepers are permitted to use their hands within a designated area called the penalty area.

Soccer is played on a rectangular field, known as a pitch, which is typically grass or turf, and features goalposts at each end. The game consists of two halves, usually 45 minutes each, with a possible injury time added at the end.

It is governed by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) at the international level, and it is one of the most popular and widely followed sports worldwide. Soccer emphasizes universal skills such as passing, dribbling, and tactical awareness, and is characterized by its continuous gameplay, minimal interruptions, and emphasis on teamwork and strategy.