<P> American football , referred to as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end . The offense , which is the team controlling the oval - shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with or passing the ball , while the defense , which is the team without control of the ball , aims to stop the offense 's advance and aims to take control of the ball for themselves . The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs , or plays , and otherwise they turn over the football to the defense ; if the offense succeeds in advancing ten yards or more , they are given a new set of four downs . Points are primarily scored by advancing the ball into the opposing team 's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent 's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of a game wins . </P>
<P> American football , referred to as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end . The offense , which is the team controlling the oval - shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with or passing the ball , while the defense , which is the team without control of the ball , aims to stop the offense 's advance and aims to take control of the ball for themselves . The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs , or plays , and otherwise they turn over the football to the defense ; if the offense succeeds in advancing ten yards or more , they are given a new set of four downs . Points are primarily scored by advancing the ball into the opposing team 's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent 's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of a game wins . </P>
how many players on a football team nfl
how many players on a football team nfl
eleven
eleven