Each game has a history and origin and the same is with football. The two earliest football games are Association Football and the Rugby Union. Both games share a common history and origin. The two games were first played in Europe.

In 1863, the rules for association football were laid in England by the Association of Football. They gave the name Rugby and Football to differentiate between the different forms of the game. Later the term soccer was coined in the 1880s in England. Therefore, football or soccer in its current form developed in England while Rugby’s existence dates much back in history.

Rugby vs Soccer

The main difference between Rugby and Soccer is that rugby is played by 13 to 15 players at a time with an elongated ball of shape private spheroid while soccer is played by 11 players at a time with a spherical ball. Rugby is popular in British colonies while soccer is popular in America.

Rugby is played between two teams each having 13 to 15 players with an elongated ball. Soccer is played in two teams having 11 players each with a spherical ball.

Comparison Table Between Rugby and Soccer

What is Rugby?

Rugby is a type of football played between two teams of 13 to 15 players each that is at the time of the game there are 26 to 30 players on the field. The field of rugby is 100 meters in length and 70 meters in breadth.

The ball of rugby football is an elongated ball shape of which is known as Prolate Spheroid. The ball is 30 cm long, 62 cm wide and 77 cm in circumference. A rugby game has two halves of 40 minutes each but it does not have any timeouts in between.

In rugby, a player has to pick up the ball and go towards the opponent’s side, the rest of the team helps in moving forward. The team is given 5 points for a try, 3 points for a dropkick and 2 points for conversion kick.  The team is allowed to make seven substitutions in an ongoing match.

The International Rugby Board is the highest authority of the game. Rugby is a dominant game in the countries which were the British colonies. Some of the rugby playing countries are England, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, etc.

What is Soccer?

Soccer, or Football is played between two teams of 11 players, during the match there are 22 players on the field. The field of rugby is 100 to 110 meters in length and 64 to 75 meters in breadth.

The soccer ball is spherical in shape with a circumference of 71 cm. A soccer game has two halves of 45 minutes each without any timeouts in between. The game is played with feet, legs, head and torso without touching the ball with hands. The soccer game is governed by the 17 laws and the referee has to look that the game is being played fair.

In soccer, a team has to put the ball in the opposition’s nets or goal post. One point is awarded to the team for each goal. During the match, a team is allowed to make only three substitutions.

The Federation International de Football Association is the highest authority of the game. Soccer is a popular game in America, Asia and Africa. It is more popular than Rugby.

Main Differences Between Rugby and Soccer

1. Rugby has its popularity in England and the former British colonies such as France, Australia, Italy, Scotland, Wales, etc. whereas Soccer is popular in Europe, America, Africa and Asia.
2. A rugby team has 13 to 15 players whereas a soccer team has 11 players.
3. The dimensions of a rugby field are 100*70 meters whereas the dimensions of a soccer team may vary, the length of the field varies from 100 to 110 meters and the breadth varies from 64 to 75 meters.
4. A Rugby ball has a Prolate Spheroid shape while a Soccer ball is spherical.
5. A rugby ball is 30 cm in length, 62 cm in breadth with a circumference of 77 cm while a soccer ball is 71 cm in circumference.
6. A complete game of rugby has two halves of 40 minutes each while a soccer game has two halves of 45 minutes each.
7. In rugby, there are seven substitutions allowed to a team while in soccer, there are only three substitutions allowed.
8. In rugby, there is a different system of giving points to a team, 5 points are awarded for a try, 2 points for a conversion kick, and 3 points for a dropkick. In soccer, 1 point is awarded for a goal.
9. The highest governing body in rugby is the International Rugby Board while the Federation International de Football Association is the highest governing body of soccer.

Conclusion

The two games share the same history and have originated in England therefore they have some similarities too. Both the games have one referee and two assistant referees. Both the games don’t give any timeouts in between.

Rugby and Soccer with their differences and similarities are interesting games to enjoy, however, soccer also known as football is more popular.

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