American Football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven players competing on a rectangular field 120 yards long and 53.33 yards wide with a set of goalposts at either end of the pitch. American football is more commonly known as just 'football' in North America, and is also called 'gridiron' in other countries around the world. The sport was first played in the United States, originating from rugby, with the first ever game played in November 1869 between college teams Rutgers and Princeton, using a combined set of rules borrowed from rugby and soccer. 

The aim of a team's attacking unit (offence) is to advance the football down the field by running with the ball or passing it up the field. The attacking team must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs to receive the fresh set of four downs needed to continue the drive. If the offence are unable to gain 10 yards, they turn the ball over to the opposing team, who then attempt the same task. 

A change to the rules in 1880 saw the birth of the snap, eleven-player teams and the concept of downs, while further rule changes later on saw forward passes legalised and the creation of the neutral zone. American football games last for a total of 60 minutes, divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes.

The majority of American football points are scored by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or by 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.

The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown, led by the quarterback, who is often regarded as a team's most influential player. The role of the defence is to prevent the opposing offence from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers through interceptions or fumbles. 

Despite American football's initial popularity being confined to North America, the game has slowly begun to gain fans throughout the world, with the best league in the world, the NFL, expanding their brand by playing yearly games at Wembley Stadium in London. The NFL's championship game, the Super Bowl, is the most popular single-day sporting event in the United States and ranks as one of the most-watched club sporting events in the world.

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