| American football is the number-one spectator team | | | | formed to draw up rules that were similar to the |
| sport in the U.S.A. Outside of the U.S. and Canada it is | | | | rugby union. |
| called American football, to distinguish it from other | | | | Some changes were introduced to the game after it |
| football games like soccer or rugby football. American | | | | was found that it was dangerous and causing high |
| football evolved from rugby football in the late | | | | fatalities. It was not until 1920s that professional |
| nineteenth century. | | | | league games were started. The American |
| The game is a team sport. The object of the game | | | | Professional Football Association (APFA) was started |
| is to manipulate the football into the opponent's end | | | | in 1921. It was renamed the NFL (National Football |
| zone and score points. The ball can be advanced by | | | | League) in 1922. The first championship was between |
| carrying it or passing it to a teammate. Points are | | | | the Chicago Bears and New York Giants. |
| scored by carrying the ball into the end zone, passing | | | | In 1960, another league was formed, called the |
| it to a teammate past the goal line or kicking it | | | | American Football League (AFL). At the end of the |
| between the goal posts. The team that has scored | | | | 1966 season, the NFL champions played the AFL |
| the highest points when the time expires is declared | | | | champions for the first-ever Super Bowl, the world |
| the winner. | | | | cup of American football. Football is played at a |
| English Colonial settlers brought the game of football | | | | number of levels in the U.S. and elsewhere. The |
| to the Americas at the turn of the seventeenth | | | | major leagues are as follows: National Football League |
| century. Some 200 years later, football was | | | | (top level men's professional league), NFL Europe, |
| introduced to American colleges, and in 1867 the first | | | | College Football, Mexican College Football, British |
| set of rules of American football were drawn up in | | | | Collegiate American Football League, German Football |
| Princeton College. They were very similar to the rules | | | | League, North American Football League and |
| of soccer. The game was picked up by other | | | | Women's American Football. |
| colleges, such as Rutgers, Columbia, Yale and Harvard. | | | | Football trophies are commonly made of metals or |
| In 1876, the Intercollegiate Football Association was | | | | plastic, depicting scenes of players kicking or battling. |