50 Fun Facts About Football Trivia for Kids

How many players does each team have on the field in American football?

Walter Camp, the 'Father of American Football', set the eleven-player rule in the 1880s.

How many points is a touchdown worth?

After a touchdown the team can add an extra point by kicking, or two points by running or passing it in.

How many points does a team get for kicking a field goal?

The ball has to go between the uprights and over the crossbar.

How many downs does a team get to move the ball ten yards?

If they make it, they get a fresh set of four; if not, they usually punt.

A 'safety', when a ball carrier is tackled in his own end zone, is worth how many points?

It happens when a ball carrier is tackled in his own end zone.

Where did the football huddle come from?

Paul Hubbard at Gallaudet University started it in 1894 so other deaf teams could not read his signs.

Why is a football sometimes called a 'pigskin'?

The bladder went inside a leather cover; modern balls are cowhide.

What is the prize given to the winner of the NFL championship called?

Lombardi coached the Packers to wins in the first two Super Bowls; the design was first sketched on a napkin at lunch.

Which Kansas City Chiefs star led the team to three Super Bowl wins between 2020 and 2024?

He wears number 15 and played college ball at Texas Tech.

What position did Travis Kelce play for the Kansas City Chiefs?

He set the record for the most 1,000-yard seasons by a tight end.

Where do the Kansas City Chiefs play their home games?

The team started life in 1960 as the Dallas Texans before moving to Kansas City.

How many Super Bowls did Tom Brady win?

He was drafted 199th overall in 2000, which is why he is called the biggest draft steal ever.

Which NFL team, based in Wisconsin, is the only one owned by its community rather than a rich owner?

They were founded in 1919 and have won more championships than any other NFL team.

What is the name of the famous stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, nicknamed the Frozen Tundra?

It opened in 1957 and is the oldest NFL stadium still in use; fans call it the Frozen Tundra.

Which team plays its home games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas?

The Cowboys joined the NFL in 1960 and are often called 'America's Team'.

Which team plays at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia?

The Eagles were founded in 1933 to replace the bankrupt Frankford Yellow Jackets.

Which 2016 Heisman winner at Louisville later set the NFL career rushing record for a QB?

He had been named NFL Most Valuable Player twice with the Baltimore Ravens by the end of 2024.

Which team picked Josh Allen seventh overall in the 2018 NFL draft?

He was picked seventh in the 2018 draft after playing college ball at Wyoming.

What is the Puppy Bowl, shown on TV every February?

It has run on Animal Planet since 2005, and all the puppies come from shelters.

The Madden NFL video games are named after what kind of person?

John Madden coached the Raiders; the games have sold more than 150 million copies.

The Heisman Trophy is given every year to the best player in what?

It has been awarded since 1935; the statue shows a player doing a stiff-arm.

The Super Bowl's huge halftime show is a famous tradition. What is a 'halftime'?

The Super Bowl show costs millions to stage and features top musicians.

Which running back ran for more than 2,000 yards for Philadelphia in 2024?

He started his career with the New York Giants after setting records at Penn State.

Which receiver drafted by the Vikings in 2020 is famous for the 'Griddy' touchdown dance?

He played at LSU and was drafted in the first round in 2020.

In soccer, how many players does each team have on the field?

The rules, called the Laws of the Game, have been in place since 1863.

In soccer, which player is allowed to use their hands?

Only inside their own penalty area, and never on a ball a teammate has kicked to them on purpose.

How long is a normal soccer match?

Two halves of 45 minutes each, plus any stoppage time the referee adds.

How far from the goal is the penalty spot in soccer?

That is 11 metres, and only the goalkeeper can try to stop the shot.

What is it called when one player scores three goals in a game?

The phrase actually started in cricket in 1858, when a bowler was given a hat as a prize.

How often is the men's FIFA World Cup held?

It started in 1930 and has only been skipped in 1942 and 1946 because of the Second World War.

Which three countries hosted the 2026 World Cup?

It was the first World Cup with 48 teams and the first hosted by three countries.

Which country did Lionel Messi captain to victory at the 2022 World Cup?

He has won eight Ballon d'Or awards and joined Inter Miami in 2023.

What is Cristiano Ronaldo's famous nickname?

It combines his initials with his shirt number; he plays for Portugal and Al-Nassr.

Which top English competition do Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal play in?

It has 20 clubs and each plays 38 matches a season, and the worst teams get relegated.

Which French striker became Paris Saint-Germain's all-time top scorer in 2023?

He passed Edinson Cavani's 200 goals in March 2023, joined Real Madrid in 2024 and won the World Cup as a teenager in 2018.

Which Norwegian striker scored a record 36 goals in one English top-flight season for Manchester City?

He did it in 2022-23, the season City won the treble.

Which famous soccer player is co-owner of Inter Miami, the club that signed Messi?

The team started playing in 2020 and won its first trophy, the Leagues Cup, right after Messi arrived.

Which US women's star won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the 2019 World Cup?

She was known for her pink hair and won the Ballon d'Or Féminin that year.

How many Women's World Cups did Alex Morgan win with the USA?

She won in 2015 and 2019 and was a runner-up in 2011.

In the TV show Ted Lasso, what does the American coach Ted come to England to coach?

AFC Richmond is made up; the show won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2021.

How many teams played in Major League Soccer in the 2025 season?

Twenty-seven were in the United States and three in Canada; the season ends with the MLS Cup.

How many quarters is an American football game divided into?

Pro and college games last 60 minutes, split into four 15-minute quarters with a halftime break in the middle.

What do the referee and the team captains do at midfield right before a football game starts?

The visiting team calls heads or tails, and the winner chooses whether to receive or kick off.

Including both end zones, how long is an American football field?

The goal lines are marked 10 yards in from each end line, which leaves the famous 100 yards of playing field in between.

What is the ball called that the center passes back between his legs to the quarterback?

After the snap the quarterback can hand the ball to a running back, throw it, or run with it himself.

What kind of numbers are used to name each Super Bowl, like Super Bowl LIX?

The only exception was Super Bowl 50 in 2016; the very next year the game went back to being Super Bowl LI.

Which team won the very first two Super Bowls?

Their coach Vince Lombardi later had the championship trophy named after him.

What is the FIFA World Cup Trophy mostly made of?

It is 36 cm tall and weighs 6.175 kg; the winners only get to keep it until the celebrations end, then take home a gold-plated copy.

How many World Cups did the Brazilian legend Pelé win, more than any other player?

He won in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and was only 17 when he lifted the first one.

What royal nickname was Pelé given after the 1958 World Cup?

In Portuguese it was 'O Rei'; he scored 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil.