What we call “football” here in North America is typically referred to as “American football” or “gridiron football” by others around the world, since most other countries use the name “football” to refer to the sport we call “soccer.”
Besides causing a little confusion when speaking with an international crowd, football is considered one of the national pastimes in the US. With a storied history, football today is interwoven into our culture, being a central point in many people’s lives.
What do you need to know about football to enjoy it as a spectator and as a player? Find out the basics so you can enjoy taking part in one of the biggest national phenomena in the States!
The History of American Football
The first known football game took place on November 6th, 1869. It was between Princeton and Rutgers and took place on Rutgers’ turf in New Brunswick, New Jersey. While this specific game more closely resembled “association football” aka soccer, it was the clear-cut jumping-off point for the development of the American rules of football.
Over time, the American football rules were modified with influence from rugby. Walter Camp, who was the Captain of the Yale University football team in 1878, changed the game monumentally, adding in the element of downs after the snap became commonplace. This change effectively made American football a new, original sport.
Safety was always a concern, as it was rather common for football players at the time to suffer life-altering injuries and even death. These tragedies happened at such an alarming rate that in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt demanded changes be made to increase safety, or else the game would be outlawed. This ultimatum led to the creation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) which was called the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States at the time.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was founded on March 31, 1906.
Over time, post-collegiate football associations and teams began forming as college athletes graduated and wanted to continue playing the sport of their youth. Eventually, it became commonplace for players to receive prizes or payment for their efforts, and it became clear that an overseeing organization was needed to ensure the safety and legality of these dealings.
Fast-forward to today, and there are many different leagues for players to collaborate and have a chance at success when playing football.
What Are the American Football Leagues?
There are dozens of football leagues of varying sizes and levels within the United States, and even more when you consider Canada and Mexico! There are very few recognized leagues across the globe, but American football is slowly catching on in other areas of the world.
The Premiere Football League
Of course, the best-known league in the US is the NFL (National Football League).
The NFL began in 1920 when it was known as the American Professional Football Association (APFA). Originally, there were only 10 teams, which turned into 14 teams the next year. Of the original 14, only two remain: The Chicago Bears (then known as the Decatur Staleys) and the Arizona Cardinals (then known as the Chicago Cardinals).
Today, 32 teams nationwide participate in the NFL. The newest team to join was the Houston Texans in 2002.
There are approximately 53 men’s professional, semi-professional, and collegiate leagues across North America, and approximately 46 of the same types of leagues across Central and South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. There are about 9 women’s leagues of the same caliber in North America.
Other Major Pro Leagues in North America
The Canadian Football League (CFL) was formed in 1958, and while its rules and regulations vary slightly from the NFL, they’re still the biggest gridiron football league in Canada.
In Mexico, the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) is a minor league association that was founded in 2016 and saw a two-year hiatus in 2020-21 but has been going strong since 2022.
Notable Semi-Pro & Amateur Football Leagues in North America
In the US, there are a handful of other noteworthy football leagues. These are a great choice for those who either don’t make it into a mainstream pro league or who don’t want to have as serious a career as the NFL would be.
The United Football League (UFL) was formed in 2024 when the Xtreme Football League (XFL) and the United States Football League (USFL) merged.
There are several indoor leagues, including the Arena Football League (AFL), created in 2024, the American Arena League (AAL), created in 2018, and the Indoor Football League (IFL), created in 2009.
In the US and Canada, many semi-pro and amateur leagues currently exist.
Canada
- Northern Football Conference (NFC) since 1954
- Alberta Football League (AFL) since 1984
- Maritime Football League (MFL) since 2001
United States
- Empire Football League (EFL) since 1969
- New England Football League (NEFL) since 1994
- American 7s Football League (A7FL) since 2014
- Puerto Rico American Football League (PRAFL) since 2014
Just to name a few!
North American Collegiate and Junior Football Leagues
In 1906, the NCAA was formed and is still the gold standard for collegiate football in the US.
Other comparable leagues include the National Federation of State High School Associations since 1920, the Collegiate Sprint Football League since 1934, the National Junior College Athletic Association since 1938, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics since 1940.
In Canada, U Sports has been the leading collegiate league since 1961. Other leagues include the Quebec Junior Football League since 1970, the Canadian Junior Football League since 1974, and the Atlantic Football League since 2009.
In Mexico, the major collegiate league is the Organización Nacional Estudiantil de Fútbol Americano since 1978.
The longest football field goal ever kicked was 66 yards, made by Justin Tucker in 2021.
The longest winning streak in the regular season is held by the Indianapolis Colts with 23 consecutive games over two seasons.
The Green Bay Packers are the oldest team that holds its original name from 1919.
What Other Countries Have American Football Leagues?
There are only two major football leagues outside of North America. They are:
- The European League of Football (ELF) in Europe which began in June 2021
- The X-League in Japan which began playing in 1971
As for minor, semi-professional, and amateur leagues, there are many countries with organizations including
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Uruguay
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Russia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- UK
- South Korea
- Philippines
- China
- India
- Australia
- New Zealand
Best College Football Teams
When determining the best college football teams of all time, generally we look at US teams from the NCAA viewpoint. Many other publications, like the AP (Associated Press) and ESPN, typically provide their input for college football rankings, and the NCAA can provide more insights.
According to statistics, including the best individual players over the years, the best team performances, and the schools that produce the most successful NFL players, many have weighed in on the best college football teams around for student-athletes to pursue. For these players, getting accepted into a college or university is even more difficult when they also want to join a football team that will help them get into good shape and be a promising NFL draft pick, securing their future!
Here are the best college football programs of all time where students can get a quality education while receiving top-notch coaching.
- Ohio State University
- Princeton University
- University of Alabama
- University of Michigan
- Notre Dame University
American football is an evolution of "association football" aka soccer. Enthusiastic college athletes modified the rules of soccer and rugby to create a unique game that is now a cultural cornerstone in the US!
How to Learn Football for Beginners
If you love learning about football statistics and keeping up with news on the football scene, you might like to learn how to play the game yourself! Or, maybe your child is interested in playing. Or perhaps you just want to learn for fun without the pressure that comes with joining a school team or a league.
Whatever your reason for wanting to learn how to play football, you can find the instruction you need on Superprof!
Learn American Football
With an in-person private coach, you can learn the fundamentals and more so that you can go on to play football with friends or in an organization of your choice. One of the downsides of having football and other sports tied to school is that if you decide you want to pick up a new sport later on than your peers, you might be unable to find a league suitable for your skill level and age.
For example, if you’re in 10th grade and want to give football a try, you might be blocked from joining the school team because all the other high school players are expected to have been playing since they were in elementary school or middle school.
But, if you learn about football from your personal coach, they can help you catch up to be more on par with your peers so you can join in, too!
You can find in-person and online coaches to help you understand the rules and regulations, give you exercises and drills to condition your body for football, and provide helpful feedback to aid you in progressing your skills so you can play football!
Learn football for beginners easily today when you find your perfect coach ready to help you with any and all of the skills you need to learn!
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