Football, American Football and Australian Rules Football. It is more commonly known as soccer in North America. It is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players, and is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world. Football is played on a rectangular grass or artificial turf field, with a goal at each of the short ends. The object of the game is to score by maneuvering the ball with any part of the body, except a hand or forearm, into the opposing goal.