Soccer and American football can be considered to be among the most popular team games in the world, each of them has millions of fans of different ages, gender, and nationalities. Soccer that is just another name for football is more popular in European countries while American football is viewed as a national game of all Americans. Though being just two varieties of the same game, football, each of this variants has its peculiarities that make it different from the other, namely, in rules, size of fields, and the way of playing.
First, American football and soccer have several differences in the game structure and rules that were formulated in the nineteenth century for both games. In soccer, a team consists of eleven players, and all of them form a unity, while in American football, a team also has eleven players, but each of them has his specific function, e. g. offense, defense, etc.

An American football match lasts for ninety minutes consisting of four fifteen-minute quarters with at least forty-second pauses between each of them. As for soccer, a play also lasts for ninety minutes but consists of two forty-five-minute halves. Another significant difference between these two games is in the form of the ball used in them: in soccer, players use a spherical ball, while in American football – a prolate spheroid about eleven inches long and twenty-two inches in circumference at the center. In both games, there is one playmaker who is called a central midfielder in soccer and a quarterback in American football. As for uniforms, soccer players traditionally wear jerseys, shorts, shinguards, and cleats, and American football players have special uniforms, helmets, and shoulder pads on during matches. The primary object of American football is to score points by carrying the ball beyond the touchline of the opposing team that is called a touchdown or by means of a Field goal that presupposes kicking the ball between the goal post. As for soccer, the key aim of the team is to put the ball in the gate of the opposing team.

Moreover, both variables of football are played on large rectangular fields. Nevertheless, there are some differences in their size for each of the games mentioned above. A soccer field is usually from 100 to 130 yards long and fifty to 100-yards wide with markings signifying a kickoff circle, a midfield line, and two penalty areas. As for the field for playing American football, it is a little smaller, just 100 yards long by 53 yards wide. There are markings made every ten yards and hash marks for single yards.

In addition, the primary difference in the way of playing soccer and American football lies in the fact that soccer is played mostly with feet and the goalkeeper is allowed to use hands during the game. American football, however, is played mostly with hands to control the ball. Generally, in comparison to relatively safe soccer American football is considered to be extremely aggressive, dangerous, and intense game, therefore, the players should wear helmets and padding to protect their bodies from injuries and traumas. Nevertheless, soccer players also frequently get traumas during matches.

All the things considered, soccer and American football are two variables of the same game spread on different continents. The main similarities between these two games are mostly the number of players in a team, the form of the field, and scoring rules. However, they differ in a number of ways, from the structure of teams and the game process to the form of balls and size of fields.