Soccer is a fast-action, thinking sport played all over the world by men, women, and kids. Soccer is the major sport in almost every country, except for the United States and Canada.

Soccer is probably the oldest sport of all time. Ancient Romans played a game called "harpastum" where the two teams tried to kick a ball over a goal behind their opponents. Historians have found evidence that soccer was played in China as early as A.D. 112, and early Polynesians, Eskimos, Aztec Indians, and Celts played games similar to soccer. The ancient games of soccer often turned into violent uncontrolled brawls between large numbers of players.

In the Fouteenth-century, kings issued royal decrees to outlaw playing soccer. They thought it was keeping people from practicing archery, and archery was very important to the countries military defense. The kings also thought the game of soccer was too noisy!

In 1863, The London Football Association started using the laws of soccer written by J.C. Thring. The game of soccer was officially called Association Football. By 1888, it was nicknamed "asoc.", and soon after that it was called soccer. Only the United States uses the word soccer, so we don't confuse it with American Football.