In football, a down is a change in possession. It occurs when a forward pass flies out of bounds or touches the ground before being caught. This is also known as an incomplete pass and the ball is returned to the original line of scrimmage. During a down, an official blows a whistle to alert the players. Usually, the team that failed to earn a first down is called out of possession.
American football
American football is a team sport that uses a gridiron. The players on each team have four attempts to advance the ball toward the opposing team’s end zone. In each attempt, they have to gain ten yards or more. Failure to achieve this goal will result in turnover of the football to the opposing team. The winning team is the one with the most points.
The game is played with two teams of eleven players. The offensive team aims to move the ball down the field to score a touchdown, while the defense attempts to prevent the offense from advancing. There are four downs in each quarter, and the offense must gain ten yards during each of these downs. If they succeed, they are given another set of four downs.
European football
The evolution of European football has followed the main evolutionary lines of European history and international relations. Football has played a key role in setting up the first pluri-national networks in Europe, as historian Alan Milward reminds us. In 1994, following FIFA’s 50th anniversary, the European Football Association (UEFA) was born.
The governing body of European football, UEFA, has 55 member national associations. Each nation operates a domestic league and cup system. Different league structures are used in different parts of Europe. In England, there is one national league and two divisions, while in Spain, there are multiple levels of soccer leagues.
Australian football
In 2005, there were 539,526 registered football players in Australia, an increase of 4.6% from 2004. Of those, 6.7% were of non-English speaking origin. According to the Australian Sports Commission, there were an average of 1.4 players per 100 population, with the largest numbers in Victoria and the Tiwi Islands.
In Australian football, players have the option of running with the ball and kicking it, but they must touch the ground at least once every 15 meters. In addition, if a player runs without touching the ball, they are awarded a free kick.
Canadian football
While the rules of American football and Canadian football are very similar, they differ in some crucial areas. For example, in Canadian football, a time out is only available at the end of a period, whereas in American football, a timeout can be called at any time. In addition, Canadian teams only have one timeout per half, compared to three in American football. They are also required to start new plays within three minutes of the time out.
The playoffs are played in November, with the top team from each division earning an automatic berth in the division final. In addition, the second-place team plays the third-place team in the division semifinal. During the post-season, the two division champions face off for the Grey Cup.
British football
Historically, British football has been known as soccer or association football. It is one of the largest sports leagues in the world. The sport has a long and colorful history in Britain. In the early 20th century, it grew in popularity, with attendances reaching 41 million in 1949. This figure did not dip below 30 million until the 1960s, and was more than double what they had been before the war. The game also became a popular spectator sport in Britain, with the British FA Amateur Cup attracting 95,000 spectators in 1949. But this popularity would never be reached again.
In 1946, FIFA held its 25th Congress in Luxembourg. The meeting formally elected the four British football associations to membership. It also ratified changes to the federation’s statutes and the expulsion of Japan and Germany.
