Soccer (known as football in most areas of the world) is often regarded as the most popular sport on the planet. Soccer is played by two teams of eleven players each. The object of the game is to score more goals than the opponent team. In order for a goal to be scored, either the ball must enter the goal or the goalkeeper must blow his/her whistle.
The world's first known soccer match took place in England in 1866. Two university teams from London played before an audience of 10,000 people. It is estimated that this match earned its organizers £50 ($100 today). Within five years, the world's first professional league was founded in England. Today, England and Germany are the only countries where soccer is more popular than American football.
In 1904, the first World Cup was held in Switzerland. It is an annual international tournament that brings together the champions of all continents except Antarctica. So far, Europe has won the competition five times, while North America has won once. The South American Championship used to be called the Copa Coca-Cola, but now it is known as the Copa Libertadores. It is the most prestigious continental championship in South America. As for Africa, it has never won the World Cup.
Soccer is the world's most popular sport.
Rank | Sport | Estimated Global Following |
---|---|---|
1 | Soccer (Association Football) | 4.0 Billion |
2 | Cricket | 2.5 Billion |
3 | Hockey (Ice and Field) | 2 Billion |
4 | Tennis | 1 Billion |
Soccer Soccer will be the most popular sport in the world in 2020. This sport is the most popular among participants and viewers globally, with a global population of over 4 billion. Following cricket, India's most popular sport, and hockey, which is normally quite popular in America and northern nations, soccer is the most popular sport in the world.
In terms of numbers participating in the sport, it is estimated that there are about 3.2 million people playing soccer around the world at any given time. Out of these, approximately 250,000 are professional players. There are also about 1.5 million students involved in some sort of soccer activity. These include boys and girls who play school sports programs as well as those who play for amateur teams. In addition, there are many more people who watch soccer games but do not play the game themselves. These include fans who like to follow their favorite teams or players, as well as sponsors who promote their products through the media. There are even more people who play other sports but who enjoy watching soccer matches occasionally.
The most common form of soccer is called "Fussball" in Germany, "fútbol" in Mexico, "football" elsewhere. Although its origins are in England, football is now widely played around the world. It is a game that can be played by individuals or teams, and it features a field with a goal at each end.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, ranking in the top ten in all nations, and is the dominant sport in South America, Europe, and Africa. The World Cup final is expected to be viewed by 600 million people. It is also the most expensive sports event, with the price of a ticket averaging $3.50 per match.
In addition to being one of the most popular sports, soccer is also one of the most competitive. The World Cup is the only major sporting event that is not restricted to a professional league or union; it is held every four years and can only be won by winning matches. Matches are played on large fields with up to 20 players on each team, who try to score goals by kicking the ball into the other side's goal. There are two types of goals: the open goal allows anyone within the penalty box to score; while the closed goal requires a direct shot from outside the box to be scored.
The world's oldest football tournament was the first ever World Cup back in 1930. Brazil was the first country to win the competition, doing so in 1950. Argentina has been second three times, most recently in 1978 when they lost to Brazil in the final.
Soccer is the world's most popular sport.
Rank | Sport | Primary Sphere of Influence |
---|---|---|
1 | Soccer (Association Football) | Globally |
2 | Cricket | UK and Commonwealth |
3 | Hockey (Ice and Field) | Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and Australia |
4 | Tennis | Globally |
1. football Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, and many female athletes enjoy participating in it. Football's international women's tournament is called the FIFA Women's World Cup. It has been held every two years since 1991 with the exception of 2003 when it was canceled due to security concerns following the 9/11 attacks on America.
Two years after its first edition, the United States won its third title. The men's national team has now become a force to be reckoned with: since 1995, they have never lost a match. The women's team had only just begun to emerge as a force to be taken seriously when it defeated China 5-2 in the last match of the 2015 World Cup.
China has been known to play aggressive football and has a number of famous players such as Zhu Lin and Liu Liangyin. However, the United States' defense was not ready for them and there were several mistakes made by the Chinese team that allowed American striker Abby Wambach to score twice during the opening minutes of the game.
Abby Wambach played all 90 minutes of the game and scored two goals. She is the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of the American women's national soccer team with 102 goals in 119 appearances.