As of November 2026, about 250 million people play soccer in over 200 countries and territories, and soccer is called the most popular sport in the world. The Football Association was formed in London in 1863 and published the first rules. The Laws of the Game have been in effect since 1863 and kept since 1886 by a rule-keeping group called the IFAB. FIFA was founded in Paris on 21 May 1904, and as of November 2026 it has 211 member national associations.

In international matches the touchline must be between 100 m and 110 m long. A goal is 7.32 m wide inside the posts and 2.44 m high. A goal counts when the ball goes between the posts and under the crossbar. The penalty mark is 11 m from the midpoint between the goalposts. A soccer ball is round and about 68 to 70 centimeters around, and a match ball weighs between 410 g and 450 g at the start of the match.

A soccer team has eleven players on the field. In official competitions a team may use up to five substitutes, as set by the competition. A soccer match has two halves of 45 minutes each, and a referee runs each match. A referee shows a yellow card as a caution, and a player who gets a red card must leave the field. Yellow and red cards were first used at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

As of November 2026, the 2026 World Cup had 48 teams, more than ever before, and three countries hosted it: Canada, Mexico and the United States. At the World Cup, teams first play in groups of four. In 2026, the top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-place teams, advance. The 2026 World Cup opened on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The 2026 final was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19.

The first World Cup was played in 1930 in Uruguay, and Uruguay won by beating Argentina 4-2. In 2026, Spain won the World Cup, and as of November 2026, Brazil has won it five times. The first World Cup trophy, the Jules Rimet Trophy, was kept by Brazil after its third win in 1970. The World Cup trophy is 36 cm tall and made of solid 18 carat gold, and winners hold it at the party but then get a gold-plated copy.

Words to know

• touchline: the long side
• substitutes: replacement players
• caution: a warning
• trophy: the prize cup