Football is a team sport played on the field. Each team has 11 players, and the offensive team is tasked with advancing an ovoid ball towards its opponent’s goal line. While both teams attempt to score points by crossing the goal line, each team faces a strong opponent known as the defensive team. The objective of the game is to gain more points than the opposing team or give up the ball. There are several different scoring systems in football.
In the 1870s, leading clubs began charging spectators to watch games. They were able to pay illicit wages to lure skilled players from the north. Eventually, the sport reached its zenith and was incorporated into the Olympics. By the end of the 20th century, FIFA expanded its role as a world authority for football and regulated competition. In 1961, Guinea became FIFA’s hundredth member. By the end of the century, more than 200 nations were registered to the association.
The development of modern football is closely related to the industrialization and urbanization of Victorian England. As new working-class inhabitants moved to the cities, they sought new forms of entertainment. With their free time on Saturday afternoons, many of them began playing a new version of the game. Many key institutions in cities organized working-class teams, and football became a popular pastime. In the twentieth century, the popularity of the game led to the formation of a number of codes.