American football, known in the United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport known for mixing strategy with intense physical play. The object of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. The ball can be advanced by carrying it (a running play) or by throwing it to a teammate (a passing play). Points can be scored in a variety of ways , including carrying the ball over the goal line, catching a pass from beyond the goal line, tackling an opposing ball carrier in his own end zone, or kicking the ball through the goal posts on the opposing side. The winner is the team with the most points when time expires at the end of the last play.

American football is known for having only a small following outside the United States, despite attempts by the National Football League (NFL) to globalize the game.