Американский футбол как пишется на английском

Привет, англофилы!

Я думаю, что все так или иначе встречались с обоими словами в английском языке – soccer и football. Многие не понимают зачем нужны два слова для обозначения одного и того же вида спорта. Сейчас разберемся.

Проблема в том, что в двух основных англоязычных странах – Великобритании и США – по разному понимают слово “футбол”. Происхождение самого слова – это комбинация двух английских слов: foot – стопа/ступня, ball – мяч. Тут никаких секретов.

Однако “football” является именно футболом в его изначальном пониманиии, где 20 человек пинают мяч полтора часа, только в Англии. В США под словом “football” понимают американский футбол, где огромные мужики в доспехах и шлемах бортуют друг друга в борьбе за эллипсовидный мяч. А обычный для нас с вами футбол американцы называют “soccer”, дабы не запутаться.

Американский футбол стал производным другого брутального вида спорта – английского рэгби (rugby). Однако англичане часто посмеиваются над американцами за их доспехи и шлемы, мол нормальным мужикам защита не нужна.

Вот и вся разница! Для закрепления:

• Британия – rugby, США – football.
• Британия – football, США – soccer.

Если у вас будут вопросы, пишите в комментариях, я буду рад на них ответить.

Если вам понравился данный пост, ставьте лайк и подписывайтесь на канал, чтобы не пропустить другие интересные и странные факты из английского языка!

Американский футбол (англ. American football, англ. gridiron) известный в США как футбол (англ. football) — контактный командный вид спорта. В нём принимают участие две команды по одиннадцать игроков с каждой стороны. В футбол играют овальным мячом на прямоугольном поле длиной 120 ярдов (109,728 м) и шириной 53,3 ярда (48,738 м) с воротами в виде рогатки на обоих концах. 100 ярдов длины поля (~91,45 метра) — игровая зона, 10 крайних ярдов с обеих сторон — очковые зоны команд (англ. end zone). Команда должна владеть мячом для продвижения его в очковую зону, неся или пасуя мяч. Сначала одной из команд надо продвинуть мяч на 10 ярдов (даётся 4 попытки). Если им это удастся, они получают ещё четыре попытки. В противном случае мяч достаётся соперникам. Очки можно набрать, пронеся мяч в конец зоны (тачдаун) или забив его в ворота (филд-гол), также защита может набрать очки, сделав сейфти. Та команда, у которой по истечении матча больше очков, побеждает.

Американский футбол развился из ранних форм регби и футбола, который обычно в США называют «соккер». Считается, что первая игра была сыграна 6 ноября 1869 года по одному из вариантов правил игры в соккер. В 1880 году Уолтер Кэмп  (англ.) (рус. (англ. Walter Camp), известный как «Отец американского футбола» (он был игроком, судьёй и спортивным комментатором) первым изменил неопределённые правила игры на конкретные: ввел снэп (розыгрыш мяча пасом назад), снизил количество игроков до одиннадцати. Новые правила узаконили пас вперед, создание нейтральной зоны, установили ширину поля.

Американский футбол — самый популярный вид спорта в США на данный момент^[1], а Национальная футбольная лига (НФЛ) (National Football League) — самая популярная лига в Северной Америке.

История[править | править код]

История возникновения американского футбола неразрывно связана с развитием футбола и регби. Как гласит легенда, в 1823 году в школе Регби во время футбольного матча шестнадцатилетний Уильям Уэбб Эллис (англ. William Webb Ellis) схватил мяч и побежал в сторону соперников. При этом следует понимать, что тут под футболом подразумевается один из множества вариантов игры, правила которой определялись каждой школой по своему усмотрению и не были чем-то устоявшимся. Несмотря на то, что факт не был достоверно установлен, через много лет Эллису поставили памятник, а на стенах его колледжа повесили табличку^[2]:

Игра получила название «футбол регби» (футбол по правилам школы Регби), на сегодняшний день в большинстве стран обычно просто — регби.

6 ноября 1869 года в американском городе Нью-Брансуик (штат Нью-Джерси) команды Рутгерского и Принстонского университетов встретились на футбольном поле и сыграли в футбол по правилам, за основу которых были взяты правила Ассоциации футбола в варианте Рутгерского университета, то есть мяч был круглым и в руки его брать было запрещено, ими разрешалось только бить по мячу, из близкого к правилам регби было только количество игроков на поле — по 25 с каждой стороны. Соответственно никаких тачдаунов тогда не было. По регламенту игра продолжалась до 6 голов, и матч закончился победой Рутгерского университета 6-4^[3][4]. Тем не менее дата считается официальным днём рождения американского футбола. Только в 1874 году в серии игр^[en] между Принстонским университетом и монреальским Университетом Макгилл, в котором для игры в футбол использовался вариант правил регби, стали играть во что-то более похожее на современный американский футбол и давать одно очко за внос мяча в конечную зону противника^[3][5].

В 1905 году газета «Чикаго Трибьюн» вышла с заголовком на первой полосе — «18 футболистов погибли и 159 серьёзно ранены».

В начале XX века правила стали похожими на современные. В 1912 году за тачдаун стали начислять по 6 очков, длина игрового поля стала равна ста ярдам, а игровое время сократили с семидесяти до шестидесяти минут. Появились первые частные команды и профессиональные игроки.

В 1904 году появился первый чернокожий футболист. Вышел он в составе команды из Огайо. С тех пор число чернокожих футболистов только увеличивалось. Несмотря на это, первый чернокожий судья появился в НФЛ только в 1988 году. В 1932 году американский футбол был показательным видом спорта на летних олимпийских играх в Лос-Анджелесе.

В 1960 году в противовес уже существующей NFL была создана Американская футбольная лига (AFL). Борьба команд за игроков и болельщиков, а также за права на телетрансляции, привели к серии переговоров между двумя лигами об объединении в 1966 году. Одним из условий слияния AFL и NFL была игра между чемпионами лиг за право именоваться чемпионом мира. Первая игра была сыграна 15 января 1967 года под названием «Чемпионат мира NFL-AFL». В 1970 году произошло слияние двух конференций. Состав конференций остался прежним, но руководство было общим. Эта организация называется Национальная футбольная лига (NFL).

Правила[править | править код]

Цель игры — набрать больше очков, чем команда соперника, за отведённое время.

Поле и игроки[править | править код]

Игра ведётся на прямоугольном поле 120 ярдов (110 метров) длиной и 53 1/3 ярдов (49 м) шириной. У каждого конца поля, на расстоянии 100 ярдов друг от друга, проведены линии цели (goal lines). 10-ярдовая очковая зона (end zone) находится между линией цели и границей поля.

Поперёк поля через каждые 5 ярдов нанесены линии. Каждые 10 ярдов пронумерованы от 10 до 50 от границ очковых зон к середине, обозначая таким образом количество ярдов, которые осталось пройти нападающей команде, чтобы заработать тачдаун. На каждом конце поля на границе стоят ворота в виде двух высоких штанг с перекладиной между ними. Голы забиваются над перекладиной между штангами.

Каждая команда может выпускать на поле 11 игроков одновременно. Команды могут заменять всех или некоторых игроков между игровыми моментами. Обычно игроки специализируются на игре только в атаке, обороне или специальных командах (в моменты, когда мяч выбивают ногами).

Ворота[править | править код]

Размеры ворот в американском футболе практически идентичны размерам ворот в регби. Высота перекладины — 10 футов (3 м), расстояние между стойками — 18,6 фута (5,7 м). На стадионах, используемых исключительно для американского футбола, ворота зачастую установлены на единственной центральной опоре.

Продвижение мяча[править | править код]

Игра состоит из игровых моментов. В начале каждого момента мяч кладётся туда (на ту же линию), где закончился предыдущий игровой момент.

Команда, владеющая мячом, получает 4 попытки продвинуть мяч на 10 ярдов вперёд в сторону очковой зоны соперника. Каждая такая попытка называется дауном (англ. down). Если атакующая команда продвигается на 10 ярдов, она опять получает 4 попытки пройти следующие 10 ярдов. Если нападение не может пройти 10 ярдов за 4 попытки, мяч передаётся команде соперника, причём на той же самой линии, на которой завершилась 4-я попытка. Во время трансляции матча показывают игровые формулы — 1st & 10, что значит, что сейчас произойдёт первая попытка и надо пройти 10 ярдов до следующих попыток. Расстояние, на которое необходимо перенести мяч, измеряется с помощью двух маркеров, соединённых цепью в 10 ярдов. Судьи устанавливают маркеры на боковой линии поля.

За исключением начала игры и второй половины, а также розыгрышей после заработанных очков, мяч подаётся в игру броском назад между ног, называемым снэпом (snap). В начале игрового момента обе команды выстраиваются напротив друг друга вдоль линии, на которой лежит мяч. Центральный игрок отдаёт мяч назад между ног игроку своей команды — квотербеку (как правило, главный игрок команды, лидер нападения).

Очки[править | править код]

После того как одна из команд заработала очки, она обязана выбить мяч в поле с 35-ярдовой отметки. Исключение составляет сейфти, при котором команда, допустившая сейфти, возвращает мяч команде, заработавшей два очка, выбивая его со своей 20-ярдовой линии. Причем мяч выбивается с рук, а не с земли, что называется свободным ударом (англ. free kick).

Удары ногами по мячу[править | править код]

Каждая половина игры начинается с момента, когда одна из команд выбивает мяч ногой в сторону очковой зоны соперника с 35-ярдовой отметки — «кик-оффа» (англ. kick off). Выбивание мяча назначается также, когда одна из команд заработала очки.

Обычно кикер бьющей команды отправляет мяч далеко вперёд (вплоть до зачётной зоны соперника), принимающая команда подбирает мяч и пытается пронести его вперёд.

В правилах указано, что если мяч пролетел 10 ярдов, им может завладеть любая команда. Иногда бьющая команда исполняет т. н. онсайд-кик — слабый удар вбок, и пытается снова им завладеть за 10-ярдовой отметкой.

Нападающая команда, не сумевшая пройти за 3 попытки 10 ярдов, обычно делает пант (англ. punt) — выбивает мяч ногой с руки в сторону соперника во время четвёртой попытки, стараясь заставить команду соперника начать атаку как можно дальше от очковой зоны.

В обоих случаях выбивающие мяч игроки преследуют две цели: выбить мяч как можно дальше и сделать это так, чтобы мяч находился в полете как можно дольше. Поскольку цель этого игрового эпизода — определить положение, с какого команда, принимающая мяч, начнёт своё продвижение к очковой зоне противника, то команда, принимающая мяч, поймав его, старается вернуть его как можно ближе к очковой зоне выбивающей команды. В то же время выбивающая команда пытается остановить противника как можно дальше от своей очковой зоны.

Если при кик-оффе или панте выбитый мяч вылетает за очковую линию и там остаётся, то это называется тачбэк (англ. touchback). В этом случае принимающая команда начинает движение к очковой зоне противника с 25-ярдовой (кик-офф) или с 20-ярдовой (пант) линии в своей зоне.

Попытка забить филд-гол (англ. field goal) — это третий эпизод, когда по мячу наносится удар ногой. В этом случае лонг-снэпер отбрасывает мяч назад холдеру (англ. holder). Задача холдера — поставить мяч вертикально на землю, придерживая его сверху рукой, так, чтобы кикеру было удобно нанести удар по воротам. Если кикер попал в цель, его команда получает либо 3 очка, либо 1 очко (если филд-гол был забит как дополнительное очко после тачдауна). В случае промаха команда, против которой выполнялся удар, начинает продвижение к очковой зоне соперника с места неудавшегося удара. Именно этот факт определяет выбор наступающей команды между пантом и попыткой филд-гола.

Примечание: 1. Филд-гол можно пробивать не только с земли, но и с рук; 2. Если при пробитии филд-гола мяч не долетел до задней линии, действует правило панта и команда защиты может подобрать мяч и продвигаться с ним вперёд. И наоборот — если при пробитии панта мяч улетел за заднюю линию, фиксируется незабитый филд-гол и принимающая команда начинает с места пробития.

Нарушения[править | править код]

Различные нарушения наказываются перемещением мяча в ту или другую сторону на определённое число ярдов; розыгрыш обычно переигрывается с той же попытки. При этом нападающая команда может получить новую серию из 4 попыток либо автоматически, либо потому, что наказание передвинуло мяч на 10 ярдов или больше. Если наказание перенесло бы мяч в очковую зону, такое наказание заменяется на наказание, составляющее половину расстояния до очковой зоны.

Судья подает сигнал о нарушении выбрасыванием на поле жёлтого флага. Пострадавшая команда может принять или отклонить наказание.

Продолжительность игры[править | править код]

Игра продолжается 4 периода по 15 минут каждый с перерывом после второго периода. Каждый такой период называется «четвертью». Секундомер останавливается, когда мяч (или игрок с мячом) покинул поле, пас вперёд не был пойман, мяч перешёл к другой команде, были заработаны очки, было нарушение правил, одна из команд взяла тайм-аут и в некоторых других случаях. Поэтому матч обычно продолжается около трёх или чуть более часов^[6].

По правилам НФЛ, в случае равного счёта по итогам четырёх четвертей назначается дополнительное время (овертайм): в регулярном чемпионате — 10 минут, в плей-офф — 15. Команда, заработавшая тачдаун или сейфти на первом владении овертайма, объявляется победителем. В случае филд гола после первого владения или перехода мяча к другой команде, вторая команда на своём первом владении получает один шанс заработать очки. Тачдаун второй команды в таком случае заканчивает игру. Если первая команда на своём владении не заработала очков, то второй достаточно забить филд-гол для победы. Если после того, как каждая команда по одному разу владела мячом, счёт остаётся равным (0:0 или 3:3), то игра продолжается до первых набранных очков.

В играх регулярного чемпионата в случае равного счёта по истечении 10 минут овертайма объявляется ничья, в играх плей-офф назначаются дополнительные овертаймы до определения победителя^[7].

Роли игроков[править | править код]

Команда нападения[править | править код]

Командой нападения называется команда, владеющая мячом и начинающая розыгрыш.

Команда нападения состоит из квотербека (англ. quarterback), лайнменов нападения (англ. offensive linemen), тайт-эндов (англ. tight end), беков (англ. backs) и ресиверов (англ. receivers).

• Основная функция лайнменов нападения — блокировать игроков защиты, не давая им прорваться к квотербеку. Лайнмены выстраиваются в линию нападения англ. offensive line(). Линия нападения включает в себя следующих игроков:
  • Центр (C) (англ. center) — основной лайнмен: отбрасывает мяч назад квотербеку в начале розыгрыша.
  • Гарды нападения (OG) (англ. offensive guard) — два игрока, находящиеся слева и справа от центра (левый/правый гард).
  • Тэклы нападения (OT) (англ. offensive tackle) — два игрока, находящиеся с внешней стороны от гардов (левый/правый тэкл).

• Беки и ресиверы в основном продвигают мяч вперёд. Беки, как правило, получают мяч непосредственно от квотербека. Ресиверы обычно принимают пасы вперёд по воздуху.
  • Раннинбек (RB) (англ. runningback) — игрок, находящийся позади всех игроков нападения, задачей которого является пронос мяча вперёд во время выносных розыгрышей (когда набор ярдов осуществляется за счёт бега с мячом). Раннинбек должен уметь крепко держать мяч, находить прорехи в обороне и пытаться пробегать через них, обманывая финтами игроков противника.
  • Фуллбек (FB) (англ. fullback) — разновидность раннинбека, также находится позади линии нападения и сзади от квотербека. Он может блокировать, бежать с мячом, ловить короткие пасы. Во время выносных розыгрышей в его основную задачу зачастую входит расчищение дороги для раннинбека с мячом. В современном футболе амплуа узкоспециализированного фуллбека мало востребовано, и во многих командах эту функцию при необходимости исполняют игроки других позиций.
  • Ресивер (WR) (англ. wide receiver) — основной задачей ресивера является получение паса по воздуху от квотербека. Для этого принимающий должен обладать хорошей скоростью и умением ловить мяч в сложных ситуациях. Ресиверы обычно размещаются на дальних краях линии нападения. В конкретном розыгрыше на поле могут быть от 0 до 5 ресиверов.
  • Тайт-энд (TE) (англ. tight end) — тайт-энд играет сбоку от тэклов. По сути — «тяжелый ресивер». Тайт-энд, в отличие от других лайнменов, может также принимать мяч, поэтому он выполняет блокирующую или принимающую роль в зависимости от выбранного типа розыгрыша. В отличие от центра, двух гардов и двух тэклов, которые присутствуют на поле всё время, в конкретном розыгрыше на поле могут быть от 0 до 3 тайт-эндов.

• Квотербек (QB) (англ. quarterback) — «распасовщик», основной игрок команды нападения, находится непосредственно за центром и принимает от него мяч в начале розыгрыша. Квотербек — мозговой центр команды. Он решает какой тип розыгрыша будет выполнять команда (либо получает такое указание от тренера, именуемого Координатором нападения), отдаёт пасы, передаёт мяч игрокам для выносных розыгрышей и иногда сам продвигает мяч вперёд.

Команда нападения старается использовать свои сильные стороны для продвижения мяча вперёд. Команда с сильными раннинбеками может предпочитать передвигать мяч по земле. Команда с сильными ресиверами и квотербеком будет много пасовать по воздуху. Обычно команда нападения старается менять типы розыгрышей, чтобы не дать команде противника предугадать тип розыгрыша и подготовиться к нему. В зависимости от ситуации команда нападения использует различные начальные расстановки. Некоторые начальные расстановки больше подходят для выносной игры, некоторые — для игры в пас. Команда может выпускать больше ресиверов на поле, если требуется продвинуть мяч на большое расстояние любой ценой, или больше бегущих игроков, если требуется продвинуть мяч на небольшое расстояние, например, чтобы заработать тачдаун рядом с очковой зоной.

Основные правила при игре в нападении:

• Необходимо иметь 7 игроков на линии схватки (англ. line of scrimmage).
• Перед началом розыгрыша никто из игроков нападения не имеет права двигаться. Единственное исключение: один игрок может перемещаться в момент начала розыгрыша вдоль линии нападения.
• Только два игрока, замыкающих линию нападения, и все игроки, находящиеся позади, могут принимать мяч. В случае, если мяч потерян (т. н. «фамбл» (англ. fumble)), это ограничение снимается, и все игроки могут бороться за мяч.

Команда защиты[править | править код]

Команда защиты — команда, которая в начале розыгрыша не владеет мячом.

В отличие от команды нападения, команда защиты не ограничена правилами в расстановке игроков на поле. Единственное ограничение — все игроки должны находиться на своей стороне от линии, на которой стоит мяч до начала розыгрыша (линии схватки). Большинство команд включают в свою расстановку линию защитных лайнменов, состоящую из защитных тэклов и эндов, линию лайнбекеров и линию сэкондари — корнербеков и сейфти.

• Защитные энды (DE) (англ. defensive ends) — два игрока, стоящие по краям защитной линии. Их задача — попытаться добраться до квотербека, а также остановить раннинбеков, пытающихся пронести мяч по краям. Более быстрый энд обычно размещается справа, чтобы находиться в слепой зоне квотербека-правши.
• Защитные тэклы (DT) (англ. defensive tackles) — игроки, находящиеся между эндами. В их задачу входит атака квотербека и предотвращение прорывов с мячом посередине.
• Лайнбекеры (LB) (англ. linebackers) — игроки, размещающиеся позади линии защиты. Лайнбекеры — «защитники-универсалы», они выполняют множество функций в зависимости от ситуации. В задачу лайнбекера может входить атака на квотербека, прикрытие ресиверов, атака игрока, бегущего с мячом. Центрального лайнбекера иногда называют «квотербеком защиты». В его задачу входит разгадывание замысла противника и выбор правильной расстановки игроков защиты. Лайнбекеры делятся на внутренних (MLB) и внешних (стоящих по краям, OLB). Кроме того, в зависимости от розыгрыша лайнбекеры делятся на следующие виды:
  • Сэм (англ. Sam) — внешний лайнбекер сильной стороны. Стоит с той стороны, где располагается тайт-энд команды нападения.
  • Уилл (англ. Will) — внешний лайнбекер слабой стороны. Располагается с той стороны, где нет тайт-энда.
  • Майк (англ. Mike) — внутренний лайнбекер сильной стороны.
  • Джек (англ. Jack) — внутренний лайнбекер слабой стороны.

• Cэкондари (англ. secondary):
  • Корнербеки (CB) (англ. cornerbacks) — игроки, прикрывающие ресиверов, старающиеся отбить или перехватить мяч. Если команда нападения выбрала выносной розыгрыш, корнербек атакует игрока с мячом.
  • Открытый Сейфти (FS) (англ. free safety) и Сильный Сейфти (SS) (англ. strong safety)) — игроки, размещающиеся позади остальных игроков защиты. Они помогают корнербекам прикрывать ресиверов, особенно во время попыток дальнего паса. Часто сейфти являются последней надеждой защиты на остановку игрока с мячом (по этой причине сейфти — одни из самых быстрых игроков защиты).

Специальные команды[править | править код]

Специальными командами называют игроков, выходящих на поле, когда мяч выбивается ногами — во время начального розыгрыша, во время четвёртой попытки, когда нападающая команда выбивает мяч, во время попыток забить гол или заработать дополнительное очко после тачдауна.

В случае специальных розыгрышей бьющие игроки (кикер с холдером или пантер) располагаются на значительном расстоянии от линии нападения, чтобы не дать возможности игрокам защиты заблокировать удар. Далекий снеппер при этом отбрасывает мяч сильным броском между ног.

Основные стратегии[править | править код]

На первый взгляд может показаться, что американский футбол — игра, всецело зависящая от физических параметров игроков. На самом деле стратегия в футболе играет первостепенную роль. Тренеры команды должны представлять себе сильные и слабые стороны своей команды и уметь оценивать влияние внешних факторов, например, погоды, места игры, состояния поля. На основе этих данных тренеры планируют стратегию игры, и задачей игроков становится неукоснительное и целеустремленное выполнение стратегии.

Стратегия игры в нападении[править | править код]

Планируя стратегию нападения, тренеры пытаются максимизировать сильные стороны своей нападающей команды и использовать слабые стороны команды противника, учитывая при этом множество других факторов. В основном, розыгрыши, в которых мяч несётся руками, считаются более надежными, а розыгрыши, в которых мяч пасуется, считаются более рискованными, так как возможность перехвата мяча игроками защиты увеличивается.

Нападающая команда старается найти баланс между двумя видами атаки, чтобы не дать защищающейся команде подавить атаку, успешно защитившись против одной из схем. Зачастую нападающая команда имитирует бегущий розыгрыш, при этом пасуя, или, напротив, имитирует пас и старается пронести мяч по земле.

По ходу игры нападающая команда старается менять тип розыгрышей, чтобы получить преимущество. Традиционная стратегия — стараться больше бежать с мячом в первой попытке (дауне), а после первой попытки выбирать тип атаки в зависимости от оставшихся ярдов.

Некоторые команды традиционно опираются на сильный бег с мячом, имея одного или нескольких тейлбеков, способных к значительным прорывам. Некоторые опираются на сильных квотербеков и ресиверов, полагаясь в основном на игру в пас.

Погодные условия, такие как дождь, ветер, холодная погода, могут значительно ослабить игру в пас и заставить нападающую команду отдавать преимущество бегу с мячом.

Если до конца мало времени и команда выигрывает игрок может сделать так называемый Квотербек на колено чтобы сжечь время не рискуя.

Чтобы выполнять розыгрыши именно так, как их задумал тренер команды, все розыгрыши записываются в специальную командную «Книгу розыгрышей». Игроки заучивают все розыгрыши наизусть и используют только их кодовые названия или номера.

Стратегия игры в защите[править | править код]

При игре в защите команда старается определить стратегию противника и выстроить наиболее успешную защиту.

Как и игроки нападения, игроки защиты могут имитировать одну схему, заставляя квотербека менять атаку, а играть другую.

Защита старается выбрать схему защиты (зонную, индивидуальную, или блиц), чтобы наиболее эффективно противостоять нападению.

Лиги и турниры[править | править код]

20 августа 1920 года родилась Национальная футбольная лига (NFL)^[8]. Профессиональные спортсмены всю осень играют матчи, чтобы выявить сильнейшую команду.
С января 1967 года главным финалом лиги является Супербоул (матч за звание национального чемпиона)^[9].

Профессиональные лиги США[править | править код]

Осень-зима[править | править код]

• Всеамериканская футбольная конференция^[en] (1946—1949)
• Континентальная Лига футбола^[en] (1965—1969)
• Всемирная Лига футбола^[en] (1974—1975)

Весна-лето[править | править код]

• Европейская Лига американского футбола^[en] (1991—2007)
• Альянс американского футбола (2019)
• XFL (с февраля 2020)

Студенческие соревнования[править | править код]

Студенческий спорт не на много уступает в зрелищности профессиональным соревнованиям.^[10] Турниры проводимые Национальной ассоциацией студенческого спорта (NCAA) выявляют восемь сильнейших команд в четырёх дивизионах.^[11] 13 января 2020 года был завершён 150-й сезон^[en] футбольных игр среди колледжей США.

Турниры для школьников и любителей[править | править код]

Более 1 миллиона школьников ежегодно принимают участие в региональных турнирах под эгидой любительского союза USA Football.^[12]

Популярность[править | править код]

Американский футбол — самый популярный вид спорта в США, собирающий у экранов телевизоров миллионы зрителей. Один из опросов показал, что американский футбол является любимым видом спорта среди жителей США с 1972 года, когда он впервые обошёл по этому показателю бейсбол.

Телевизионные рейтинги матчей Национальной футбольной лиги выше, чем у остальных спортивных лиг Северной Америки. В день Супербоула — решающего матча сезона в НФЛ — игру в общей сложности смотрят около 100 миллионов человек в США.

Непрофессиональный студенческий футбол также очень популярен в США. Четыре университетских стадиона в США вмещают более 100 тысяч зрителей, и часто они полностью заполнены. Даже игры между старшеклассниками зачастую собирают более 10 тысяч зрителей.

За пределами Северной Америки американский футбол развит очень скромно. Несмотря на существование 64 национальных федераций, на довольно высоком уровне американский футбол развит лишь в 7-8 странах. Помимо США, это Канада, Мексика, Япония, Германия, Франция, Австрия и Швеция. Но даже эти страны значительно уступают США в уровне развития американского футбола, количества спортсменов, стадионов и т. д.

Отличия правил канадского футбола[править | править код]

Канадский футбол, в который играют, например, в Канадской футбольной лиге, следует правилам и тактике, похожим на правила и тактику американского футбола, но некоторые тонкие различия существенно изменяют стратегию игры. Например:

• Канадская игра ведётся на прямоугольном поле 150 ярдов (135 метров) длиной и 65 ярдов (60 метров) шириной. У каждого конца поля, на расстоянии 110 ярдов друг от друга проведены линии цели, и 20-ярдовая очковая зона находится между линией цели и границей поля. Ворота, в отличие от американского футбола, находятся не на границе поля, а на линии цели.

  

  Поле для игры в канадский футбол

• На поле находятся одновременно 12 игроков каждой команды, вместо 11.
• Команда, владеющая мячом, получает 3 попытки продвинуть мяч на 10 ярдов вперёд в сторону очковой зоны соперника, вместо 4.
• Когда возвращающие пытаются овладеть мячом после панта, либо пробитого мимо ворот удара ногой, из игроков противника только кикер может подходить к возвращающему ближе чем на пять ярдов. Игрок, подходящий ближе пяти ярдов, наказывается пятнадцатью ярдами штрафа.
• Ресиверы — принимающие мяч игроки нападающей команды могут двигаться вперед без замирания перед вводом мяча в игру, не замирая на 1 секунду. В классическом варианте американского футбола такие действия считаются нарушением (illegal motion).

Травматизм[править | править код]

Американский футбол — высокотравматичный вид спорта. Особую опасность представляют многократные небольшие травмы головы. Они возникают из-за того, что игроки часто сталкиваются головами, могут обладать накопительным эффектом и привести к хронической травматической энцефалопатии и в итоге к преждевременной смерти^[13]. Согласно исследованиям учёных, при столкновении игроков пострадавший принимает примерно такое же количество энергии, сравнимое с выделяемой энергией при попадании автомобиля в аварию. Спасти от серьёзных травм игрока может только защитное снаряжение.

См. также[править | править код]

• Терминология американского футбола

Примечания[править | править код]

Литература[править | править код]

• Стивен Баррер. Осторожно, спорт! О вреде бега, фитнеса и других физических нагрузок = Exercise Will Hurt You. — М.: Альпина Паблишер, 2015. — 230 с. — ISBN 978-5-9614-5127-6.

Ссылки[править | править код]

• Официальный сайт Национальной футбольной лиги: Основная страница (англ.)
• Официальный сайт Национальной футбольной лиги: NFL.com: История НФЛ в хронологии (англ.)
• Официальный сайт Национальной футбольной лиги: NFL.com: обзор правил игры (англ.)
• Сайт Федерация американского футбола России — сайт ФАФР
• Сайт NFLrus.ru: «Американский футбол по-русски» — Новости НФЛ, публицистика.

Translation of “американский футбол” into English

American football, football, american football are the top translations of “американский футбол” into English.
Sample translated sentence: Американский футбол для слюнтяев. Настоящие мужики играют в регби. ↔ American football is for sissies. If you’re a real man you play rugby.

американский футбол



noun


grammar

• 
  A game similar to rugby football in which two teams attempt to get an ovoid ball into each other’s territory.
  [..]

  Американский футбол для слюнтяев. Настоящие мужики играют в регби.

  American football is for sissies. If you’re a real man you play rugby.

• 
  A game similar to rugby football in which two teams attempt to get an ovoid ball into each other’s territory.
  [..]

  Я люблю футбол, регби, американский футбол и так далее.

  I am fond of soccer, rugby, football, and so on.

• american football

  Американский футбол для слюнтяев. Настоящие мужики играют в регби.

  American football is for sissies. If you’re a real man you play rugby.

• 

• 

Declension

Stem

Match words

Американский футбол ничего общего с европейским не имеет.

American football has nothing in common with European football.

До того как стать спринтером, Морроу играл в американский футбол за Высшую школу Сан-Бенито.

Before becoming a sprinter, Morrow played football for San Benito High School.

Вообще-то он не совсем дворецкий… а скорее… гм, вылетело из головы… в американском футболе это называлось бы…

He’s not quite a butler, really, but more of a . . . what is the word . . . in American football he would be called a—”

Американский футбол?

American football?

– А ты знаешь, как играют в американский футбол?

“Do you know how they play football?”

Есть нечто особое в местной команде по американскому футболу.

Something about the football team.

На лугу мальчишки играли в американский футбол, используя последние минуты летних каникул.

Kids were playing touch football on the village green, eking out every last moment of their summer vacation.

Это не американский футбол, это просто футбол.

It’s not American football, it’s just football.

Сынок, американский футбол в ДНК Гэррити.

Son, football is in the Garrity DNA.

Ты играл в американский футбол, Томми?

Did you ever spend any time on the field, Tommy?

Аналогии с современным регби или американским футболом, которые проводят некоторые историки, совершенно неуместны.

Analogies with modern rugby and American football, which some historians suggest, are frankly inappropriate.

Драфт НФЛ стал одним из ключевых событий в календаре американского футбола, и каждый апрель он транслируется по телевидению.

The NFL Draft has become one of the key events on the American football calendar, airing live on television each April.

Вы играть амеРикански футболь?

You are playing American football?

Сейчас он смахивал не на танка, а скорее на игрока в американский футбол.

He was no longer just a mere tank, and was more like an American Football player.

Играя в студенческий американский футбол за Northwestern Wildcats, Эрдлиц заработал награды Западной конференции.

While playing college football for the Northwestern Wildcats, Erdlitz earned All-Western Conference honors.

Почему вы не называете американский футбол регби?

Why don’t you call American football rugby?

В финальной четверти Эдвард Звайгзне оформил первый тачдаун в истории американского футбола СССР.

In the final quarter, Edward Zveigzne scored the first football touchdown in USSR history.

Став чемпионом Гавайев по любительской борьбе в 1967 году, Мурако предпочёл американскому футболу рестлинг.

A Hawaii state amateur wrestling champion in 1967, Muraco chose professional wrestling over football.

Американский футбол легкий?

Football is easy?

Логан Картер — 40 лет, бывшая звезда Американского футбола испорченный жизнью и успехом всеми возможными способами.

Logan Carter (voiced by David Kaye), a former American football star, spoiled by life and successful in every possible way.

— словно какой-то прыщавый подросток, следящий за американским футболом по четвертому каналу.

just like some zitty adolescent watching the American football on Channel 4.

Затем он учился в университете штата Оклахома, изначально намереваясь сосредоточиться на американском футболе.

He attended Oklahoma State University, initially intending to concentrate on American football.

С тем же успехом Бакминстер Фуллер заявлял, что он обязательно обыграет в американский футбол команду New York Jets.

And Buckminster Fuller announced he was becoming a placekicker for the New York Jets.

О, да, американский футбол.

Oh yeah, American football.

Вполне мог оказаться игроком в американский футбол, даже из команды моего университета.

He might have been a football player at some university, maybe the one I was attending.

American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron,^{[nb 1]} is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with possession of the oval-shaped football, attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or passing it, while the defense, the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop the offense’s advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive. Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team’s end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent’s goalposts for a field goal. The team with the most points at the end of a game wins.

American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby. The first American football match was played on November 6, 1869, between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton, using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp, the “Father of American Football”, established the snap, the line of scrimmage, eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass, created the neutral zone and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football, which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football.

American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football, with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2012, nearly 1.1 million high-school athletes and 70,000 college athletes play the sport in the United States annually. The National Football League, the most popular American professional football league, has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world. Its championship game, the Super Bowl, ranks among the most-watched club sporting events in the world. The league has an annual revenue of around US$15 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in the world. Other professional leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball.

Etymology and names

In the United States, American football is referred to as “football”.^[4] The term “football” was officially established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season, when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called “rugby” at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to “rugby”.^[5] The terms “gridiron” or “American football” are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia.^[6][7]

History

Early history

American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer. Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent’s goal area to score points.^[8]

What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869, between Rutgers and Princeton, two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent’s goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4.^[9][10] Collegiate play continued for several years with matches played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create a standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball.^[10] After playing McGill University using both American (known as “the Boston game”) for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for the second one,^[11][12] the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of a round ball.^[13][14]

An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to “selling refrigerators to Eskimos”.^[10] Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system.^[15] These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp, now regarded as the “Father of American Football”,^[15][16] secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum.^[15] While the game between Rutgers and Princeton is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in the United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston’s elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865.^[17]

Evolution of the game

The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in a game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This “block game” proved extremely unpopular with both teams’ spectators and fans.^[15]

A rule change was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed a rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs, or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football a separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble a gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53+1⁄3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following a touchdown, and five for a goal from the field. Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized,^[15] and a static line of scrimmage was instituted.^[18]

Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths.^[19] A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish the game unless major changes were made.^[20] In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in the formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).^[21]

The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium.^[22] Other rule changes introduced that year included the reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams, the neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap.^[23] Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909^[16] and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912.^[24] Also in 1912, the field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance the ball 10 yards (9.1 m).^[25][26] The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918.^[27]

Professional era

On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $500 (equivalent to $15,080 in 2021) to play a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association in a match against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football, although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits, the game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright.^[28]

Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as the illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league’s stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team.^[29] By 1922, the NFL had established itself as America’s premier professional football league.^[30]

The dominant form of football at the time was played at the collegiate level. The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons, defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game.^[31] A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from the college game during the late 1930s.^[29] Football, in general, became increasingly popular following the 1958 NFL Championship game, a match between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants that is still referred to as the “Greatest Game Ever Played”. The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with the innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become the most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s.^[32]

The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL’s dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL’s existence forced the conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in the United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee’s pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of the role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when the AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $437,000 contract (equivalent to $2.91 million in 2021^[33]). A five-year, $40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain the young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for a common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of the 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl.^[34]

College football maintained a tradition of postseason bowl games. Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine a national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition, in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance, which gave way in 1997 to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS).^[35] The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial, and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP).^[36][37]

Teams and positions

A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each.^[38][39][40] Playing with more on the field is punishable by a penalty.^[38][41][42] Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs;^[43][44][45] this “platoon” system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units.^[46]

Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by the commissioner.^[38] NCAA and NFHS teams are “strongly advised” to number their offensive players according to a league-suggested numbering scheme.^[47][48]

Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games.^[49] In 2018, 1,100 of the 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.^[50] Women can also serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL’s first female official in 2015.^[51]

Offensive unit

The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown.^[52]

The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on the offensive line.^[39][53][54] Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change.^[55] Neither team’s players, except the center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until the snap of the ball.^[56]

The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB) and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform the rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands the ball off, throws it or runs with it.^[52]

The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage situations^[57] and are seldom used in passing situations.^[58]

The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays.^[57] The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking,^[57] and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play.^[59] On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside the guards.

The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE).^[60] Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback,^[57] but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers.^[57]

Defensive unit

The role of the defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers (interceptions or fumbles).^[52]

The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on the ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through.^[57]

Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of the defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers are the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays. Their diverse roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and guarding backs, wide receivers and tight ends in the passing game.^[61]

The defensive backfield, often called the secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS).^[57] Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties are the last line of defense and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as running plays.^[57]

Special teams unit

The special teams unit is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts and kickoffs, while the opposing team’s unit will aim to block or return them.^[52]

Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H) and long snapper (LS). The long snapper’s job is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR).^[62]

The positions specific to punt plays are the punter (P), long snapper, upback and gunner. The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to the punter.^[63]

Rules

Scoring

In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught in, or recovered in the opposing team’s end zone.^[52] The scoring team then attempts a try or conversion, more commonly known as the point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT), which is a single scoring opportunity. A PAT is most commonly attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If a PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If it is scored by what would normally be a touchdown it is worth two points, typically called the two-point conversion. In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts.^[64]

A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over the crossbars of the defense’s goalposts.^[65][66][67] After a PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team.^[68]

A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in his own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense.^[52] In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick.^[69]

Field and equipment

Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53+1⁄3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along the ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines. Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line.^[70][71][72]

Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks, are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines, which can run the width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards.^[70][71][72]

Goalposts are located at the center of the plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play.^[73][74][75] The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and a minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction.^[73][74][75]

The football itself is an oval ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football.^[76] At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12+1⁄2 to 13+1⁄2 pounds per square inch (86 to 93 kPa) and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g);^[75][77][78] beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11+1⁄4 inches (28 to 29 cm), a long circumference of 28 to 28+1⁄2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21+1⁄4 inches (53 to 54 cm).^[79] In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10+7⁄8 to 11+7⁄16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27+3⁄4 to 28+1⁄2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 20+3⁄4 to 21+1⁄4 inches (53 to 54 cm).^[75][77]

Duration and time stoppages

Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes.^[80][81] High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes.^[82] The two halves are separated by a halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break.^[80][81][83] Before the game starts, the referee and each team’s captain meet at midfield for a coin toss. The visiting team can call either “heads” or “tails”; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless the winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend.^[84] Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters.^[85] If a down is in progress when a quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed.^[86][87][88]

Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours.^[89] Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating the game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official.^[80][90] A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads “00”, a delay of game foul is called on the offense.^[86][91][92]

Advancing the ball and downs

There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing. In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap. The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or a pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down.^[68] As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play.^[93] In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner’s helmet comes off.^[94]

The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs. If the offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range, they might attempt to score a field goal instead.^[68] A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements.^[95] On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience.^[96]

Kicking

There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage,^{[99][100][101]} and free kicks.^{[102][103][104]} The free kicks are the kickoff, which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety.^{[100][105][106]}

On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on the ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of the receiving team.^{[107][108][109]}

The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points.^[65][66][67] The place kick is the standard method used to score points,^[97] because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick.^[97][98] Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched.^{[110][111][112]} The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver’s opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch, which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as the ball is caught and the ball may not be advanced.^{[113][114][115]}

Officials and fouls

Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as a secondary signal.^[116] The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities:^[116]

• The referee is positioned behind and to the side of the offensive backs. The referee is charged with oversight and control of the game and is the authority on the score, the down number, and any rule interpretations in discussions among the other officials. The referee announces all penalties and discusses the infraction with the offending team’s captain, monitors for illegal hits against the quarterback, makes requests for first-down measurements, and notifies the head coach whenever a player is ejected. The referee positions themselves to the passing arm side of the quarterback. In most games, the referee is responsible for spotting the football prior to a play from scrimmage.
• The umpire is positioned in the defensive backfield, except in the NFL, where the umpire is positioned lateral to the referee on the opposite side of the formation. The umpire watches play along the line of scrimmage to make sure that no more than 11 offensive players are on the field before the snap and that no offensive linemen are illegally downfield on pass plays. The umpire monitors contact between offensive and defensive linemen and calls most of the holding penalties. The umpire records the number of timeouts taken and the winner of the coin toss and the game score, assists the referee in situations involving possession of the ball close to the line of scrimmage, determines whether player equipment is legal, and dries wet balls prior to the snap if a game is played in rain.
• The back judge is positioned deep in the defensive backfield, behind the umpire. The back judge ensures that the defensive team has no more than 11 players on the field and determines whether catches are legal, whether field goal or extra point attempts are good, and whether a pass interference violation occurred. The back judge is also responsible for the play clock, the time between each play, when a visible play clock is not used.
• The head linesman/down judge is positioned on one end of the line of scrimmage. The head linesman/down judge watches for any line-of-scrimmage and illegal use-of-hands violations and assists the line judge with illegal shift or illegal motion calls. The head linesman/down judge also rules on out-of-bounds calls that happen on their side of the field, oversees the chain crew and marks the forward progress of a runner when a play has been whistled dead.
• The side judge is positioned twenty yards downfield of the head linesman. The side judge mainly duplicates the functions of the field judge. On field goal and extra point attempts, the side judge is positioned lateral to the umpire.
• The line judge is positioned on the end of the line of scrimmage, opposite the head linesman. They supervise player substitutions, the line of scrimmage during punts, and game timing. The line judge notifies the referee when time has expired at the end of a quarter and notifies the head coach of the home team when five minutes remain for halftime. In the NFL, the line judge also alerts the referee when two minutes remain in the half. If the clock malfunctions or becomes inoperable, the line judge becomes the official timekeeper.
• The field judge is positioned twenty yards downfield from the line judge. The field judge monitors and controls the play clock, counts the number of defensive players on the field and watches for offensive pass interference and illegal use-of-hands violations by offensive players. The field judge also makes decisions regarding catches, recoveries, the ball spot when a player goes out of bounds, and illegal touching of fumbled balls that have crossed the line of scrimmage. On field goal and extra point attempts, the field judge is stationed under the upright opposite the back judge.
• The center judge is an eighth official used only in the top level of college football. The center judge stands lateral to the referee, the same way the umpire does in the NFL. The center judge is responsible for spotting the football after each play and has many of the same responsibilities as the referee, except announcing penalties.

Another set of officials, the chain crew, are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with a 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker, a large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered to be an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side.^[95]

Safety and brain health

.Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players.^[117] To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear a set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads, but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards.^{[118][119][120]} Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains, sprains, bruises, fractures, dislocations, and concussions.^[117]

Repeated concussions (and possibly sub-concussive head impacts^[121]) can increase a person’s risk in later life for CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) and mental health issues such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and depression.^[122] Concussions are often caused by helmet-to-helmet or upper-body contact between opposing players, although helmets have prevented more serious injuries such as skull fractures.^[123] Various programs are aiming to reduce concussions by reducing the frequency of helmet-to-helmet hits; USA Football’s “Heads Up Football” program aims to reduce concussions in youth football by teaching coaches and players about the signs of a concussion, the proper way to wear football equipment and ensure it fits, and proper tackling methods that avoid helmet-to-helmet contact.^[124] However, a study in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that Heads Up Football was ineffective; the same study noted that more extensive reforms implemented by Pop Warner Little Scholars and its member teams were effective in significantly reducing concussion rates.^[125]

A 2018 study performed by the VA Boston Healthcare System and the Boston University School of Medicine found that tackle football before age 12 was correlated with earlier onset of symptoms of CTE, but not with symptom severity. More specifically, each year a player played tackle football under age 12 predicted earlier onset of cognitive, behavioral, and mood problems by an average of two and a half years.^{[126][127][128]}

Leagues and tournaments

The National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are the most popular football leagues in the United States.^[129] The National Football League was founded in 1920^[130] and has since become the largest and most popular sport in the United States.^[131] The NFL has the highest average attendance of any sporting league in the world, with an average attendance of 66,960 during the 2011 NFL season.^[132] The NFL championship game is called the Super Bowl, and is among the biggest events in club sports worldwide.^[133] It is played between the champions of the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC), and its winner is awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy.^[134]

College football is the third-most popular sport in the United States, behind professional baseball and professional football.^[135] The NCAA, the largest collegiate organization, is divided into three Divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III.^[136] Division I football is further divided into two subdivisions: the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).^[137] The champions of each level of play are determined through NCAA-sanctioned playoff systems; while the champion of Division I-FBS was historically determined by various polls and ranking systems, the subdivision adopted a four-team playoff system in 2014.^[138]

High school football is the most popular sport in the United States played by boys; over 1.1 million boys participated in the sport from 2007 to 2008 according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). There is a stark contrast in youth football participation between boys and girls. Only one youth football league exists in the United States for girls, the GFL. The NFHS is the largest organization for high school football, with member associations in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. USA Football is the governing body for youth and amateur football,^[139] and Pop Warner Little Scholars is the largest organization for youth football.^[140]

Other professional leagues

Several professional football leagues have been formed outside the auspices of the NFL.

Rival leagues

The most successful league to directly compete with the NFL was the American Football League (AFL), which existed from 1960 to 1969. The AFL became a significant rival in 1964 before signing a five-year, US$36 million television deal with NBC. AFL teams began signing NFL players to contracts, and the league’s popularity grew to challenge that of the NFL. The two leagues merged in the 1970 season, and all the AFL teams joined the NFL. An earlier league, the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), was in play from 1946 to 1949. After it had dissolved, two AAFC teams, the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers, became members of the NFL; another member, the Baltimore Colts joined the league, but folded after just a year in the NFL.^[141]

Other attempts to start rival leagues since the AFL merged with the NFL in 1970 have been far less successful, as professional football salaries and the NFL’s television contracts began to escalate out of the reach of competitors and the NFL covered more of the larger cities. The World Football League (WFL) played for two seasons, in 1974 and 1975, but faced such severe monetary issues it could not pay its players. In its second and final season the WFL attempted to establish a stable credit rating, but the league disbanded before the season could be completed.^[142] The United States Football League (USFL) operated for three seasons from 1983 to 1985. Originally not intended as a rival league, the entry of owners who sought marquee talent and to challenge the NFL led to an escalation in salaries and ensuing financial losses. A subsequent US$1.5 billion antitrust lawsuit against the NFL was successful in court, but the league was awarded only $1 in damages, which was automatically tripled to $3 under antitrust law.^[143]

Complementary national leagues

The original XFL was created in 2001 by Vince McMahon and lasted for only one season. Despite television contracts with NBC and UPN, and high expectations, the XFL suffered from low quality of play and poor reception for its use of tawdry professional wrestling gimmicks, which caused initially high ratings and attendance to collapse.^[144] The XFL was rebooted in 2020.^[145] However, after only five weeks of play, the league’s operations slowly came to a close due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,^[146] and filed for bankruptcy on April 13.^[147] The United Football League (UFL) began in 2009 but folded after suspending its 2012 season amid declining interest and lack of major television coverage.^[148] The Alliance of American Football lasted less than one season, unable to keep investors.^[149]

International play

American football leagues exist throughout the world, but the game has yet to achieve the international success and popularity of baseball and basketball.^[150] It is not an Olympic sport, but it was a demonstration sport at the 1932 Summer Olympics.^[1] At the international level, Canada, Mexico, and Japan are considered to be second-tier, while Austria, Germany, and France would rank among a third tier. These countries rank far below the United States, which is dominant at the international level.^[151]

NFL Europa, the developmental league of the NFL, operated from 1991 to 1992 and then from 1995 to 2007. At the time of its closure, NFL Europa had five teams based in Germany and one in the Netherlands.^[152] In Germany, the German Football League (GFL) has 16 teams and has operated for over 40 seasons, with the league’s championship game, the German Bowl, closing out each season. The league operates in a promotion and relegation structure with German Football League 2 (GFL2), which also has 16 teams.^[153] The BIG6 European Football League functions as a continental championship for Europe. The competition is contested between the top six European teams.^[153]

The United Kingdom also operated several teams within NFL Europe during the League’s tenure.^[154] The resulting rise in popularity of the sport brought the NFL back to the country in 2007 where they now hold the NFL International Series in London, currently consisting of four regular season games.^[155][156] The continuing interest and growth in both the sport and the series has led to the possible formation of a potential NFL franchise in London^{[157][158][159]}

An American football league system already exists within the UK, the BAFANL, which has run under various guises since 1983. It currently has 70 teams operating across the tiers of contact football in which teams aim to earn promotion to the Division above, with the Premier Division teams competing to win the Britbowl, the annual British Football Bowl game that has been played since 1985.^{[160][161][162]} In 2007 the British Universities American Football League was formed. From 2008, the BUAFL was officially associated with the National Football League (NFL), through its partner organization NFL UK.^[163] In 2012, BUAFL’s league and teams were absorbed into BUCS after American football became an official BUCS sport.^[164] Over the period 2007 to 2014, the BUAFL grew from 42 teams and 2,460 participants to 75 teams and over 4,100 people involved.^[165]

American football federations are present in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania; a total of 64 national football federations exist as of July 2012.^[151] The International Federation of American Football (IFAF), an international governing body composed of continental federations, runs tournaments such as the IFAF World Championship, the IFAF Women’s World Championship, the IFAF U-19 World Championship and the Flag Football World Championship. The IFAF also organizes the annual International Bowl game.^[166] The IFAF has received provisional recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).^[167] Several major obstacles hinder the IFAF goal of achieving status as an Olympic sport. These include the predominant participation of men in international play and the short three-week Olympic schedule. Large team sizes are an additional difficulty, due to the Olympics’ set limit of 10,500 athletes and coaches. American football also has an issue with a lack of global visibility. Nigel Melville, the CEO of USA Rugby, noted that “American football is recognized globally as a sport, but it’s not played globally.” To solve these concerns, major effort has been put into promoting flag football, a modified version of American football, at the international level.^[151]

Popularity and cultural influence

United States

“Baseball is still called the national pastime, but football is by far the more popular sport in American society”, according to ESPN.com’s Sean McAdam.^[168] In a 2014 poll conducted by Harris Interactive, professional football ranked as the most popular sport, and college football ranked third behind only professional football and baseball; 46% of participants ranked some form of the game as their favorite sport. Professional football has ranked as the most popular sport in the poll since 1985, when it surpassed baseball for the first time.^[169] Professional football is most popular among those who live in the eastern United States and rural areas, while college football is most popular in the southern United States and among people with graduate and post-graduate degrees.^[170] Football is also the most-played sport by high school and college athletes in the United States. In a 2012 study, the NCAA estimated there were around 1.1 million high school football players and nearly 70,000 college football players in the United States; in comparison, the second-most played sport, basketball, had around 1 million participants in high school and 34,000 in college.^[171] The Super Bowl is the most popular single-day sporting event in the United States,^[34] and is among the biggest club sporting events in the world in terms of TV viewership.^[133] The NFL makes approximately $10 billion annually.^[172] Super Bowl games account for seven of the top eight most-watched broadcasts in American history; Super Bowl XLIX, played on February 1, 2015, was watched by a record 114.4 million Americans.^[173]

American football also plays a significant role in American culture. The day on which the Super Bowl is held is considered a de facto national holiday,^[174] and in parts of the country like Texas, the sport has been compared to a religion.^[175][176] Football is also linked to other holidays; New Year’s Day is traditionally the date for several college football bowl games, including the Rose Bowl. However, if New Year’s Day is on a Sunday, the bowl games are moved to another date so as not to conflict with the typical NFL Sunday schedule.^[177] Thanksgiving football is an American tradition,^[178] hosting many high school, college, and professional games.^[179] Steve Deace of USA Today wrote that Americans are passionate about football “because it embodies everything we love about American exceptionalism. Merit is rewarded, not punished. Masculinity is celebrated, not feminized. People of various beliefs and backgrounds – a melting pot, if you will – must unify for a common goal for the team to be successful”.^[180] Implicit rules such as playing through pain and sacrificing for the better of the team are promoted in football culture.^[181]

The safety of the sport has also sparked national controversy in American popular culture. The 2015 film Concussion aimed to shed light on the sport’s safety, specifically in the NFL by having Will Smith portray Dr. Bennet Omalu, a neuropathologist who was the first to discover and publish findings of chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.

Other countries

In Canada, the game has a significant following. According to a 2013 poll, 21% of respondents said they followed the NFL “very closely” or “fairly closely”, making it the third-most followed league behind the National Hockey League (NHL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).^[182] American football also has a long history in Mexico, which was introduced to the sport in 1896. It was the second-most popular sport in Mexico in the 1950s, with the game being particularly popular in colleges.^[183] The Los Angeles Times notes the NFL claims over 16 million fans in Mexico, which places the country third behind the U.S. and Canada.^[184] American football is played in Mexico both professionally and as part of the college sports system.^[185] A professional league, the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), was founded in 2016.^[186]

Japan was introduced to the sport in 1934 by Paul Rusch, a teacher and Christian missionary who helped to establish football teams at three universities in Tokyo. Play was halted during World War II, but the sport began growing in popularity again after the war. As of 2010, there are more than 400 high school football teams in Japan, with over 15,000 participants, and over 100 teams play in the Kantoh Collegiate Football Association (KCFA).^[187] The college champion plays the champion of the X-League (a semi-professional league in which teams are financed by corporations) in the Rice Bowl to determine Japan’s national champion.^[188]

Europe is a major target for the expansion of the game by football organizers. In the United Kingdom in the 1980s, the sport was popular, with the 1986 Super Bowl being watched by over four million people (about 1 out of every 14 Britons). Its popularity faded during the 1990s, coinciding with the establishment of the Premier League—top level of the English football league system. According to BBC America, there is a “social stigma” surrounding American football in the UK, with many Brits feeling the sport has no right to call itself “football” due to the lack of emphasis on kicking.^[189] Nonetheless, the sport has retained a following in the United Kingdom; the NFL operates a media network in the country, and since 2007 has hosted the NFL International Series in London. Super Bowl viewership has also rebounded, with over 4.4 million Britons watching Super Bowl XLVI.^[190] The sport is played in European countries like Switzerland, which has American football clubs in every major city,^[191] and Germany, where the sport has around 45,000 registered amateur players.^[185]

In Brazil, football is a growing sport. It was generally unknown there until the 1980s when a small group of players began playing on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. The sport grew gradually with 700 amateur players registering within 20 years. Games were played on the beach with modified rules and without the traditional football equipment due to its lack of availability in Brazil. Eventually, a tournament, the Carioca championship, was founded, with the championship Carioca Bowl played to determine a league champion. The country saw its first full-pad game of football in October 2008.^[192] According to The Rio Times, the sport is one of the fastest-growing sports in Brazil and is almost as commonly played as soccer on the beaches of Copacabana and Botafogo.^[193]

Football in Brazil is governed by the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol Americano (CBFA), which had over 5,000 registered players as of November 2013. The sport’s increase in popularity has been attributed to games aired on ESPN, which began airing in Brazil in 1992 with Portuguese commentary.^[194] The popularity and “easy accessibility” of non-contact versions of the sport in Brazil has led to a rise in participation by female players.^[193] According to ESPN, the American football audience in Brazil increased 800% between 2013 and 2016. The network, along with Esporte Interativo, airs games there on cable television. Football is often associated in Brazil as being the sport of supermodel Gisele Bündchen’s ex-husband Tom Brady. The NFL has expressed interest in having games in the country, and the Super Bowl has become a widely watched event in Brazil at bars and movie theaters.^[195]

Variations and related sports

Canadian football, the predominant form of football in Canada, is closely related to American football—both sports developed from rugby and are considered to be the chief variants of gridiron football.^[196] Although both games share a similar set of rules, there are several key rule differences: for example, in Canadian football the field measures 150 by 65 yards (137 by 59 m), including two 20-yard end zones (for a distance between goal lines of 110 yards),^[197] teams have three downs instead of four, there are twelve players on each side instead of eleven,^[198] fair catches are not allowed, and a rouge, worth a single point is scored if the offensive team kicks the ball out of the defense’s end zone.^[199] The Canadian Football League (CFL) is the major Canadian league and is the second-most popular sporting league in Canada, behind the National Hockey League.^[199] The NFL and CFL had a formal working relationship from 1997 to 2006.^[200] The CFL has a strategic partnership with two American football leagues, the German Football League (GFL) and the Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional (LFA).^[201] The Canadian rules were developed separately from the American game.

Indoor football leagues constitute what The New York Times writer Mike Tanier described as the “most minor of minor leagues.” Leagues are unstable, with franchises regularly moving from one league to another or merging with other teams, and teams or entire leagues dissolving completely; games are only attended by a small number of fans, and most players are semi-professional athletes. The Indoor Football League is an example of a prominent indoor league.^[202] The Arena Football League, which was founded in 1987 and ceased operations in 2019, was one of the longest-lived indoor football leagues.^[203] In 2004, the league was called “America’s fifth major sport” by ESPN The Magazine.^[204]

There are several non-contact variants of football like flag football.^[205] In flag football the ballcarrier is not tackled; instead, defenders aim to pull a flag tied around the ballcarrier’s waist.^[206] Another variant, touch football, simply requires the ballcarrier to be touched to be considered downed. Depending on the rules used, a game of touch football may require the ballcarrier be touched with either one or two hands to be considered downed.^[207]

See also

Notes

Footnotes

References

Further reading

• Football: Great Writing About the National Sport, edited by John Schulian; 2014 (New York: Library of America)

External links

• American football at Curlie
• National Football League
• International Federation of American Football
• NFL 360, an introductory website to football rules
• Excerpts of a 1903 football game between the University of Chicago and University of Michigan

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