49 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?

A touchdown is worth six points, the biggest single score in football; right after it the team gets one extra try for more.

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?

Gallaudet University, a deaf school hiding its signs, is credited with the huddle in the 1890s: quarterback Paul Hubbard circled his players so rival deaf teams could not read their signing.

Why is a football sometimes called a 'pigskin'?

Early balls used a pig's bladder inside a leather cover, which gave the ball its 'pigskin' nickname; modern footballs use cowhide.

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

The Vince Lombardi Trophy, named for legendary coach Vince Lombardi, is made of sterling silver by Tiffany & Co. and presented to the Super Bowl winner each year.

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

Patrick Mahomes, number 15 out of Texas Tech, quarterbacked Kansas City to Super Bowl wins in February 2020, 2023 and 2024.

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 Kansas City Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium, open since 1972 and famous as one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL.

How many Super Bowls did Tom Brady win?

Tom Brady won seven Super Bowls, more than any franchise, the last with Tampa Bay in February 2021 after being drafted 199th overall in 2000.

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

Lambeau Field opened in 1957, making it the NFL's longest continuously used home stadium; 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?

Lamar Jackson won the 2016 Heisman at Louisville and, with the Baltimore Ravens, passed Michael Vick's career rushing mark for quarterbacks in December 2024.

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

The Buffalo Bills drafted Josh Allen out of Wyoming in 2018; he became their franchise quarterback and was named NFL MVP for 2024.

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

The Puppy Bowl is shelter puppies playing a pretend game on a tiny field; Animal Planet has aired it on Super Bowl Sunday since 2005.

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

John Madden, a coach and TV announcer, won a Super Bowl with the Raiders before calling games on television; the Madden NFL games were named after him starting in 1988.

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

The Heisman Trophy has gone to the best player in college football since 1935; the statue shows a player doing a stiff-arm.

Who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans in February 2025?

Kendrick Lamar headlined the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans in February 2025, with SZA joining him as a guest.

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

Saquon Barkley ran for 2,005 yards for Philadelphia in 2024, his first season after leaving the New York Giants, who drafted him out of Penn State in 2018.

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

Justin Jefferson, a first-round pick from LSU in 2020, made the 'Griddy' celebration famous with the Minnesota Vikings.

In soccer, how does play restart after the ball goes out over the sideline?

When the ball fully crosses the touchline, or sideline, play restarts with a throw-in taken by the team that did not touch it last.

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

Only the goalkeeper may handle the ball, and only inside their own penalty area, never on a ball a teammate has deliberately kicked to them.

How long is a normal soccer match?

A normal soccer match lasts 90 minutes, played as a pair of 45-minute halves, plus whatever stoppage time the referee adds.

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

The penalty spot is 12 yards, or 11 metres, from the goal line, and the shot is taken from there with all other players outside the box.

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

Scoring a hat-trick comes from cricket: in 1858 bowler H.H. Stephenson was given a hat for taking wickets with consecutive balls, and soccer borrowed the term.

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

The men's World Cup is held every four years; it began in 1930 and was skipped only in 1942 and 1946 because of the Second World War.

Which three countries hosted the 2026 World Cup?

The United States, Canada and Mexico shared the 2026 World Cup, the first with 48 teams and the first spread across a trio of host countries.

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

Lionel Messi captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, beating France on penalties in the final after a 3-3 draw.

What is Cristiano Ronaldo's famous nickname?

CR7 combines Cristiano Ronaldo's initials with the number 7 shirt he wore at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Portugal.

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

The Premier League is England's top division, with 20 clubs each playing 38 matches a season and the lowest finishers relegated.

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

Kylian Mbappé passed Edinson Cavani's 200 goals to become PSG's top scorer in March 2023, having won the 2018 World Cup at 19.

Which Norwegian striker scored 36 league goals for Manchester City in the 2022-23 season?

Erling Haaland scored 36 league goals in 2022-23, his first season at Manchester City, which ended with the club winning the treble.

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

David Beckham co-founded Inter Miami, which began play in 2020 and won its first trophy, the 2023 Leagues Cup, weeks after signing Messi.

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

Megan Rapinoe, famous for her pink hair, took the 2019 Golden Boot and Golden Ball and then won that year's Ballon d'Or Féminin.

Who scored the winning penalty for the USA in the 1999 Women's World Cup final?

Brandi Chastain scored the decisive penalty against China in the 1999 final at the Rose Bowl, then celebrated by whipping off her jersey.

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

Ted comes to coach a soccer team, the fictional AFC Richmond; the show won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2021 and 2022.

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

MLS had 30 clubs in 2025 after San Diego FC joined: 27 in the US and the rest in Canada, with the season ending in MLS Cup.

How long is each quarter on the game clock in an NFL game?

Each NFL quarter lasts 15 minutes on the game clock; because the clock stops for incomplete passes and plays out of bounds, games run far longer.

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

They flip a coin: the visiting captain calls heads or tails, and the winner chooses whether to receive the kickoff or defer.

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

An American football field is 120 yards long: 100 yards between the goal lines plus a 10-yard end zone at each end.

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?

Super Bowls are numbered with Roman numerals; the only exception was Super Bowl 50 in 2016, and the next year the game went back to LI.

What is it called when the quarterback is tackled before he can throw the ball?

A sack is recorded when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage while trying to pass; the defense loves them because they cost the offense yards.

Which country hosted the 2022 men's FIFA World Cup?

Qatar hosted the 2022 World Cup, the first in the Middle East and the first played in November and December to avoid the summer heat.

What shirt number did Pelé famously wear for Brazil?

Pelé wore the number 10 shirt for Brazil from the 1958 World Cup onward, and the number became a badge for a team's star playmaker.

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

Pelé became 'The King', O Rei in Portuguese, after starring at the 1958 World Cup aged 17; he scored 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil.