Explanation: Association football is fundamentally a game where players primarily use their feet to control and advance the ball. The use of hands or arms is strictly prohibited for outfield players, with goalkeepers being the only exception within their own penalty area.

Explanation: With an estimated 250 million active players across more than 200 countries, association football is recognized as the world's most popular sport due to its extensive global participation and viewership.

Explanation: While outfield players are forbidden from using their hands or arms, goalkeepers are permitted to handle the ball within their own penalty area.

Explanation: Association football is fundamentally a game where players primarily use their feet to control and advance the ball. The use of hands or arms is strictly prohibited for outfield players, with goalkeepers being the only exception within their own penalty area.

Explanation: With an estimated 250 million active players across more than 200 countries, association football is recognized as the world's most popular sport due to its extensive global participation and viewership.

Explanation: Outfield players in association football are explicitly forbidden from deliberately handling the ball with their hands or arms during play.

Explanation: While outfield players are forbidden from using their hands or arms, goalkeepers are permitted to handle the ball within their own penalty area.

Explanation: The foundational rules for association football were established by The Football Association (FA) in 1863. FIFA was founded later, in 1904, and is now responsible for the sport's global governance.

Explanation: The modern rules of association football were primarily developed from the varying forms of football played in mid-19th century English public schools, not ancient Rome.

Explanation: The earliest known kicking ball game with historical evidence is the Chinese game *cuju*, dating back to the Han dynasty, not a game from ancient Greece.

Explanation: Historical accounts suggest that ancient Greek games like *phaininda* and *episkyros* involved hands and violence, bearing more resemblance to rugby or wrestling than modern association football's emphasis on kicking.

Explanation: *Calcio storico fiorentino* is a medieval game originating from Florence, Italy, and it involved significant handling of the ball, unlike games that emphasized kicking.

Explanation: The founding of The Football Association in 1863 led to the standardization of the Laws of the Game, which banned certain practices like hacking and running with the ball, but it did not ban all forms of ball handling, as goalkeepers retained this privilege.

Explanation: The FA Cup is indeed the world's oldest football competition, but it was first contested in 1872, not 1888.

Explanation: The first official international football match took place in 1872 between Scotland and England, not France and Germany.

Explanation: The world's first football league was founded by William McGregor in 1888, not Charles W. Alcock in 1872.

Explanation: The foundational rules for association football were established by The Football Association (FA) in 1863, marking a significant step in standardizing the sport.

Explanation: The standardization of modern association football rules was heavily influenced by the efforts to codify the sport within the public schools of England during the mid-19th century.

Explanation: The earliest known kicking ball game with historical evidence is the Chinese game *cuju*, which dates back to the Han dynasty and involved kicking a ball through a goal.

Explanation: Historical accounts suggest that ancient Greek games like *phaininda* and *episkyros* involved hands and violence, bearing more resemblance to rugby or wrestling than modern association football's emphasis on kicking.

Explanation: The medieval game *calcio storico fiorentino*, originating in Florence, Italy, is considered a precursor to modern football and involved significant handling of the ball.

Explanation: The founding of The Football Association in 1863 was significant as it led to the publication of the first comprehensive set of Laws of the Game, standardizing the sport.

Explanation: The FA Cup is the world's oldest football competition, having been first contested in 1872.

Explanation: The first official international football match took place in 1872 between Scotland and England.

Explanation: The world's first football league was founded in 1888 by William McGregor, a director of Aston Villa F.C.

Explanation: The highest governing body for association football worldwide is FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), not UEFA, which is the European confederation.

Explanation: CONCACAF is the confederation for North, Central American, and Caribbean football. The confederation for South American football is CONMEBOL.

Explanation: The FIFA World Cup is considered the most prestigious international competition in association football and is the most-viewed sporting event globally, surpassing the Olympic Games in viewership.

Explanation: The International Football Association Board (IFAB), formed in 1886, is responsible for maintaining and amending the Laws of the Game, not FIFA alone.

Explanation: FIFA is an acronym for Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the international governing body of association football.

Explanation: FIFA is the global governing body itself, not one of the six continental confederations (AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, UEFA) it recognizes.

Explanation: The FIFA World Cup is recognized as the most-viewed sporting event globally, surpassing even the Olympic Games in terms of viewership.

Explanation: The International Football Association Board (IFAB), formed in 1886, is responsible for maintaining and amending the Laws of the Game for association football.

Explanation: Additional time, also known as stoppage time, is added by the referee at the end of each half to compensate for time lost due to stoppages such as substitutions or injuries, not automatically regardless of stoppages.

Explanation: While penalty shoot-outs are a common tie-breaking method, knockout matches can also be decided by replays or extra time, depending on competition rules.

Explanation: A goal can be scored directly from a direct free kick. For an indirect free kick, the ball must touch another player after the kick before it enters the goal.

Explanation: A yellow card serves as a caution. Only a red card results in immediate dismissal from the field of play. A second yellow card in the same match does result in a red card and dismissal.

Explanation: The advantage rule allows the referee to let play continue if an offense occurs, provided that doing so benefits the team that was fouled. This prevents stopping play for minor infringements that do not disadvantage the non-offending team.

Explanation: Tripping an opponent is considered a penal foul, a more serious offense that typically results in a direct free kick or a penalty kick, depending on its location, rather than an indirect free kick.

Explanation: The primary purpose of the offside rule is to prevent attacking players from gaining an unfair advantage by loitering in advanced positions near the opponent's goal, thereby promoting more dynamic and strategically balanced play.

Explanation: A key responsibility of the fourth official is to assist the referee by managing substitutions and signaling the amount of additional time to be added at the end of each half, typically using a visible board, not making decisions on penalty shoot-outs.

Explanation: A corner kick is awarded to the attacking team when the defending team is the last to touch the ball before it crosses the goal line, provided no goal is scored. A goal kick is awarded when the attacking team last touches it.

Explanation: Additional time, also known as stoppage time, is added by the referee at the end of each half to compensate for time lost due to stoppages such as substitutions or injuries, not automatically regardless of stoppages.

Explanation: While replays, extra time, and penalty shoot-outs are common methods to break ties in knockout matches, the "Golden Goal" rule, which automatically ends the match upon the first goal in extra time, is not explicitly listed as a standard method in the provided information.

Explanation: A goal can be scored directly from a direct free kick. For an indirect free kick, the ball must touch another player after the kick before it enters the goal.

Explanation: If a player receives a second yellow card in a single match, they are immediately shown a red card and dismissed from the field of play. They cannot be replaced by a substitute.

Explanation: The referee applies the advantage rule by allowing play to continue when an offense occurs, provided that doing so benefits the team that was fouled. This prevents stopping play for minor infringements that do not disadvantage the non-offending team.

Explanation: A penal foul, such as deliberately handling the ball, is considered a serious offense and is typically punished with a direct free kick. If the foul occurs within the offending player's own penalty area, it results in a penalty kick.

Explanation: The primary purpose of the offside rule is to prevent attacking players from gaining an unfair advantage by loitering in advanced positions near the opponent's goal, thereby promoting more dynamic and strategically balanced play.

Explanation: A key responsibility of the fourth official is to assist the referee by managing substitutions and signaling the amount of additional time to be added at the end of each half, typically using a visible board.

Explanation: A goal kick is awarded to the defending team when the attacking team is the last to touch the ball before it crosses the goal line, provided no goal is scored.

Explanation: The official specifications for a football used in association football mandate a circumference between 68 and 70 cm, not 60-65 cm.

Explanation: The Laws of the Game explicitly define only one player role: the goalkeeper. Other positions such as forwards, midfielders, and defenders are tactical evolutions rather than formally defined roles within the rules.

Explanation: The Laws of the Game specify that a football pitch for international adult matches must have a length between 100 and 110 meters, significantly longer than the 50-60 meter range mentioned.

Explanation: A football used in association football must weigh between 410 and 450 grams (14-16 oz) according to official specifications.

Explanation: The Laws of the Game explicitly define only one player role: the goalkeeper. Other positions such as forwards, midfielders, and defenders are tactical evolutions rather than formally defined roles within the rules.

Explanation: For international adult matches, a football pitch must have a length between 100 and 110 meters according to the Laws of the Game.

Explanation: The term "soccer" originated from Oxford "-er" slang in the late 19th century as a shortening of "association," indicating it has historical roots in English slang.

Explanation: Association football is commonly called "soccer" in countries where other codes of football, such as American football or rugby, are prevalent, to distinguish it from those sports.

Explanation: The FA's 1921 ban on women playing on association members' pitches was a significant impediment and did not end in 1930; it remained in place for decades, hindering the sport's development.

Explanation: The nickname "the beautiful game" signifies not only association football's widespread global appeal but also the inherent artistry and aesthetic quality of play, characterized by moments of exceptional skill, creativity, and teamwork.

Explanation: The FA's 1921 ban on women playing on association members' pitches was a significant impediment and did not lead to widespread acceptance; rather, it hindered the sport's development for decades.

Explanation: The term "soccer" is believed to be a shortening of the word "association," derived from "association football," originating from Oxford "-er" slang.

Explanation: Association football is commonly referred to as "soccer" in countries where other codes of football, such as American football, are prevalent, including the United States.

Explanation: The FA cited that the sport was considered "unsuitable for females" as the reason for its 1921 ban on women playing on association members' pitches.

Explanation: The nickname "the beautiful game" signifies not only association football's widespread global appeal but also the inherent artistry and aesthetic quality of play, characterized by moments of exceptional skill, creativity, and teamwork.

Explanation: A significant consequence of the FA's 1921 ban was that women's football games were compelled to be played on rugby grounds, as their pitches were prohibited for use by women's teams.