What is the most popular sport in the United States?
American football is the most popular sport in the United States. It is a form of gridiron football, and in everyday usage Americans refer to it simply as "football."
Questions about American football in the United States
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many teams are in the National Football League?
The NFL has 32 teams and is currently the only major professional American football league in the United States. It holds the highest revenue and average attendance of any sports league in the world.
Which college football stadium has the highest attendance?
Michigan Stadium at the University of Michigan drew the highest average home attendance of all college football teams in 2025. Eight college stadiums in the United States seat more than 100,000 fans and typically sell out, including stadiums at Penn State, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, and the University of Texas at Austin.
Who was the first woman to play in the Atlantic Coast Football League?
Patricia Palinkas was the first woman to play in the Atlantic Coast Football League, serving as the holder for the Orlando Panthers in 1970. In 2010, Katie Hnida played as the kicker for the Fort Wayne FireHawks in the Continental Indoor Football League.
What is the United Football League and how did it form?
The United Football League is the predominant professional spring football league in the United States, with eight teams. It formed from a merger of the XFL, originally founded in 2020, and the USFL, which launched in 2022; both operated as separate eight-team leagues before agreeing to combine. Mike Repole abolished the XFL and USFL conference brands during the 2025 offseason.
Has the United States national American football team ever won the IFAF World Championship?
The United States national team won the IFAF World Championship in both 2007 and 2011. The 2007 team consisted solely of amateur players who had graduated from college that spring; the 2011 squad allowed some professional players, though no NFL stars participated. The US did not field teams for the first two championships in 1999 and 2003 due to concerns over competitive balance.