/ ˈfʊtbɔːl; NAmE / noun
1.
[ U ] (also formal Asˌsociation ˈFootball ) (both BrE ) (also soc·cer NAmE , BrE ) (also BrE informal footy , footie ) a game played by two teams of 11 players, using a round ball which players kick up and down the playing field (= the pitch ). Teams try to kick the ball into the other team's goal :
to play football
a football match / team / stadium
—see also Gaelic football
2.
[ U ] ( NAmE ) = American football , Canadian football
3.
[ C ] a large round or oval ball made of leather or plastic and filled with air
4.
[ C ] (always used with an adjective) an issue or a problem that frequently causes argument and disagreement :
Health care should not become a political football.