Association football
Association football, also known as soccer, or in most places just football, is the world's most popular sport. Not only does it have the most fans of any sport worldwide, but it also inspires the passions of fans to a level rarely seen in any other sport. Unlike in most other sports, rivalries in association football often go beyond mere sporting rivalries, instead tracing their roots much deeper to more contentious issues such as politics and religion.
The season for football varies by country. Freezing winters, rainy summers, or competition with more popular national sports lead to it being a winter sport in some countries, and a summer sport in others. Many Latin American leagues, and some others around the world, have adopted a split season format.
UnderstandAssociation football is played between teams of 11 players, which comprise of a goalkeeper and 10 outfield players. There objective of the game is to score more goals than your opponent.
DestinationsWhile most of the top African players ply their trade in Europe rather than in their home countries, there is certainly no shortage of passion from African football fans.
Stay safeIn some association football events, violent football hooligans could threaten spectators, especially for supporters of the opposite team.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Association football" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Estormiz, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons