There is no single official number of football types because “football” is actually a family of related sports rather than one universal game. However, you can broadly identify 6 major football codes: Association Football (soccer), American Football, Canadian Football, Rugby Union, Rugby League, and Australian Rules Football. Gaelic football is another important code, and there are many smaller variants such as futsal, beach soccer, flag football and arena football.
The Olympic literature itself describes football as a “family term” and traces the development of different codes including association football, rugby, Australian rules, American rules and Canadian rules.
When I first understood this distinction, the terminology made much more sense. In India, when we say “football,” we're usually talking about soccer. But someone in the United States may hear football and immediately think of helmets, touchdowns and the NFL.
Major Football Types
A practical way to classify the major football games is:
Football type | Mainly associated with |
|---|---|
Association Football (Soccer) | Worldwide |
American Football | United States |
Canadian Football | Canada |
Rugby Union | Worldwide |
Rugby League | UK, Australia and others |
Australian Rules Football | Australia |
Gaelic Football | Ireland |
These sports share historical connections but have developed completely different rules, scoring systems, fields and playing styles.
Soccer
Association football, commonly called soccer in countries such as the United States, is what most of the world simply calls football.
Two teams of 11 players compete to score by getting a spherical ball into the opposition's goal. Except for the goalkeeper within permitted circumstances, players primarily use their feet rather than their hands.
FIFA is the international governing body for association football, while the Laws of the Game are maintained by IFAB.
This is also the football played at the FIFA World Cup.
American & Canadian Football
American football looks completely different from soccer.
Teams have 11 players on the field, and the game involves passing, running, tackling and scoring touchdowns. Players also wear helmets and substantial protective equipment.
Canadian football developed from similar traditions but has several rule differences, including 12 players per side on the field and a larger playing field.
So American and Canadian football are related, but they're not exactly the same game.
Rugby
Rugby itself has two major forms:
Rugby Union → 15 players per side
Rugby League → 13 players per side
Both involve running with an oval-shaped ball, tackling and scoring tries, but their rules and structures differ considerably.
There is also Rugby Sevens, a faster seven-a-side version of rugby union that is played at the Olympic Games.
This is why giving one exact number for “types of football” gets tricky very quickly. Some codes have major variants of their own.
Australian Football
Australian Rules Football, commonly associated with the AFL, developed into its own distinctive football code.
It is normally played between teams of 18 players on an oval-shaped field. Players can kick and handball the oval ball, while scoring involves kicking between goalposts.
What I find fascinating is how dramatically the same basic idea, teams competing with a ball, evolved differently across countries.
Other Variants
Beyond the major codes, there are several other football games and modified formats.
Gaelic football is particularly important in Ireland and combines kicking, carrying and hand-passing.
Association football also has variants such as futsal, beach soccer and small-sided football. American football has flag and arena variants, while rugby includes Rugby Sevens.
So I wouldn't say “there are exactly 6 types of football.” A better answer is that there are around 6–7 major football codes, plus numerous recognized variants.
FAQs
How many main types of football are there?
There are roughly 6–7 major football codes, depending on how they are classified.
Is soccer the same as football?
Yes. Soccer is another name for association football.
Is rugby a type of football?
Yes. Rugby belongs to the broader historical family of football codes.
What are the two main types of rugby?
Rugby Union and Rugby League are the two major forms.
Is American football the same as soccer?
No. They have very different rules, equipment, scoring systems, and styles of play.
Must Read: Who has scored the most goals in football history?
