Games like Soccer are said to been played in China more than 2,000 years ago. Field games with two teams and a ball have been played in many countries through history. These games had different rules, and in many cases very few rules. However, the modern game began in England when some people got together to agree rules for what was named Association Football or Soccer. \u00a0In 1863, the Football Association (FA) in England was formed where they created the first standard set of rules for the game. In the late 1880\u2019s, Professional soccer leagues began where soccer players would be paid to compete. These leagues formed first in England and then in other countries. By 1900, people were playing soccer throughout the world.<\/p>\n
Football is the world\u2019s most popular sport because it has fans (3.5 billion) and players in almost every country in the world. There are over 250 million players in 200 countries. Around 80% of people living in the United Arab Emirates show a keen interest in football, followed by Thailand (78%), Chile (75%), Portugal (75%), Turkey (75%), Mexico (73%), Spain (70%) and South Africa (70%).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>