Soccer is called the most popular sport in the world, as of November 2026. The World Cup is held every four years. In 2026, Spain won the World Cup.

A soccer team has eleven players on the field. Each team tries to get the ball into the other team's goal.

Players can use their head, chest or thighs as well as their feet. Except for the goalkeeper, players cannot touch the ball with their hands or arms during play.

A referee runs each soccer match. The referee blows a whistle when a rule is broken.

A referee can show a yellow card to a player. A yellow card is a caution. A player who gets a red card must leave the field.

A match has two halves. Each half is 45 minutes long.

There is a break at half-time. It can last up to 15 minutes.

The team that scores more goals wins the match. If both teams have the same score, the match is a draw.

Words to know

• referee: the match boss
• draw: a tied match
• caution: a warning