Introduction to American Football for Beginners

Similar to soccer in Europe, American football features two teams of eleven players each. Beyond this, the games differ significantly. In American football, the team holding the ball is known as the offense, aiming to move the ball down the field by running or passing. The goal is to reach the end zone by crossing the goal line. The defending team, called the defense, consists of eleven players and works to prevent the offense from scoring by gaining possession back.

If the offensive team loses possession, the roles switch, and the defense becomes the new offense. This alternating continues through four quarters of play.

The game is divided into four 15-minute quarters, with a 12-minute halftime after the second quarter. Short 2-minute breaks occur after the first and third quarters. The second half begins with a kickoff similar to the start of the game.

Possession is retained at the end of the first and third quarters as the offensive team continues to move forward. The game clock stops when players go out of bounds or penalties are called, resuming once the ball is spotted. Teams have 40 seconds to snap the ball at the start of each play. If scores are tied after four quarters, an overtime period of 15 minutes, known as sudden death, determines the winner, with possession decided by a coin toss.

The playing field measures 100 yards long and 53 yards wide. Marked with white yard lines, the field helps players, officials, and spectators track progress. The key area is the end zone, extending 10 yards at each end. Scoring occurs when a team enters the end zone with the ball and completes a touchdown.