Editing Association football (section)

== Domestic competitions ==
{{Main|Geography of association football|Geography of women's association football}}
[[File:Forcejeo Real Madrid - FC Barcelona.jpg|thumb|A 2009 Spanish [[La Liga]] match between [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] and [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]]. The fixture, known as ''[[El Clásico]]'', is one of the most renowned in sport.<ref>{{cite news |last=Philip |first=Tom |date=19 November 2015 |title=What the Hell is El Clásico? |url=https://www.gq.com/story/el-clasico-real-madrid-barcelona-ronaldo-messi |work=[[GQ]] |accessdate=8 September 2023 |archive-date=10 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010150231/https://www.gq.com/story/el-clasico-real-madrid-barcelona-ronaldo-messi |url-status=live}}</ref>]]

In each country, football clubs are usually federated in associations or leagues that organise official tournaments among themselves, from which the champion of each country and the teams that will participate in international club tournaments emerge. There is no single system of competitions, and each national league organises them according to its own traditions.<ref>{{cite web |title=How is European soccer structured with leagues and cup competitions? |url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/faq/what-are-the-rules-and-regulations-of-soccer/how-is-european-soccer-structured-with-leagues-and-cup-competitions-10568 |website=www.bundesliga.com |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250223035347/https://www.bundesliga.com/en/faq/what-are-the-rules-and-regulations-of-soccer/how-is-european-soccer-structured-with-leagues-and-cup-competitions-10568 |archive-date=23 February 2025 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>

The governing bodies in each country operate [[league system]]s in a [[Domestic association football season|domestic season]], normally comprising several [[division (sport)|divisions]], in which the teams gain points throughout the season depending on results, usually [[three points for a win]], one for a draw and zero for a defeat. Teams are put into [[Table (information)|tables]], placed in order according to points accrued. In the [[Old World]] (Africa, Asia and Europe), it is common for each team to play every other team in its league at home and away in each season, in a [[round-robin tournament]]. At the end of a season, which typically runs from August to May, the top team is declared the champion. The top few teams may be [[promotion and relegation|promoted]] to a higher division, and one or more of the teams finishing at the bottom are [[promotion and relegation|relegated]] to a lower division.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Fort |first=Rodney |title=European and North American Sports Differences(?) |journal=Scottish Journal of Political Economy |date=September 2000 |volume=47 |issue=4 |pages=431–55 |doi=10.1111/1467-9485.00172}}</ref>

Some exceptions to this system occur in the [[New World]] (Americas) and Australia:

* The majority of the Latin American leagues (including [[Liga MX]] from Mexico and [[Argentine Primera División|Liga Profesional de Fútbol]] from Argentina) divide football championships into two sections named [[Apertura and Clausura]] (Spanish for ''Opening'' and ''Closing''), awarding a champion for each.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/latinamerica/story/Estudiantes-win-Argentina-Apertura-title |title=Estudiantes win Argentina Apertura title |date=13 December 2010 |work=Fox Sports |agency=Associated Press |quote=Under the system used in Argentina and most of Latin America, two season titles are awarded each year&nbsp;– the Apertura and Clausura. |access-date=4 March 2011 |archive-date=23 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623075034/http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/latinamerica/story/Estudiantes-win-Argentina-Apertura-title |url-status=live}}</ref> After a first phase using points in a round-robin tournament, these leagues usually have a knockout phase, with a final deciding the champion of each Apertura and Clausura tournament. In some countries, such as Uruguay,<ref>{{cite web |title=En Uruguay, Liverpool hizo historia con un ex Boca |url=https://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-internacional/america/liverpool-campeon-uruguayo-2023-uruguay-final-penarol_0_FMaGvJeFmQ.html |website=Olé |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921033848/https://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-internacional/america/liverpool-campeon-uruguayo-2023-uruguay-final-penarol_0_FMaGvJeFmQ.html |archive-date=21 September 2024 |language=es |date=17 December 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> the winners of the Apertura and Clausura play each other in a play-off for the season title.
* The [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A|Brazilian Série A]] ("Brasileirão") uses a single-season double round-robin format to determine the champion, similar to most European leagues, although it is played from April or May to December.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Oliveira |first1=Letícia |title=Como funciona o Campeonato Brasileiro? Veja tudo sobre a competição |url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/reportagem/2024/04/10/c-como-funciona-o-campeonato-brasileiro-veja-tudo-sobre-a-competicao.ghtml |website=ge |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120163547/https://ge.globo.com/futebol/reportagem/2024/04/10/c-como-funciona-o-campeonato-brasileiro-veja-tudo-sobre-a-competicao.ghtml |archive-date=20 January 2025 |location=Rio de Janeiro |language=pt |date=10 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Brazilian clubs also participate in [[State football leagues in Brazil|state leagues]] from January to April, and at least one state league, the [[Campeonato Carioca]] in [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro]], had a [[split season]] format until 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Priori |first1=Jorge |title=Uma solução para os campeonatos estaduais |url=https://monitormercantil.com.br/uma-solucao-para-os-campeonatos-estaduais/ |website=Monitor Mercantil |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118002005/https://monitormercantil.com.br/uma-solucao-para-os-campeonatos-estaduais/ |archive-date=18 January 2025 |language=pt |date=14 January 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, Brazil has never used an Apertura and Clausura system in its national tournament, instead employing various formats with play-offs until 2002.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parrela |first1=Leonardo |title=A história do Campeonato Brasileiro: formatos e campeões |url=https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/esportes/futebol/a-historia-do-campeonato-brasileiro-formatos-e-campeoes/ |website=CNN Brasil |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207212750/https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/esportes/futebol/a-historia-do-campeonato-brasileiro-formatos-e-campeoes/ |archive-date=7 December 2024 |language=pt |date=12 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Major League Soccer]] in the United States and Canada uses a closed league system (without promotion and relegation) and a conference system, similar to that used in other sports leagues in both countries. In each conference, clubs play a round-robin schedule during the regular season, and those with the most points qualify for the play-offs, which conclude with a final to determine the champion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Competition Guidelines |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines |website=MLS soccer |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401063727/https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/competition-guidelines |archive-date=1 April 2025 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>
* The [[A-League Men|A-League]] in Australia also uses a closed league system. At the end of a regular season played in a round-robin format, the clubs with the most points compete in play-offs to determine the league champion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Documents and Rules |url=https://aleagues.com.au/more/official-documents/ |website=A-Leagues |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250314113938/https://aleagues.com.au/more/official-documents/ |archive-date=14 March 2025 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>

The teams finishing at the top of a country's league may also be eligible to play in [[List of association football competitions|international club competitions]] in the following season. Most countries supplement the league system with one or more "cup" competitions organised on a [[single elimination tournament|knock-out]] basis. These include the [[domestic cup]], which may be open to all eligible teams in a country's league system—both professional and amateur—and is organised by the national federation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rueter |first=Jeff |date=22 August 2023 |title=What is the U.S. Open Cup? Soccer tournament history, how to watch and Messi's path to another trophy |url=https://theathletic.com/4795121/2023/08/22/us-open-cup-history-broadcast-messi/ |work=[[The Athletic]] |url-access=subscription |accessdate=8 September 2023 |archive-date=24 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824030057/https://theathletic.com/4795121/2023/08/22/us-open-cup-history-broadcast-messi/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Some countries' top divisions feature highly-paid star players; in smaller countries, lower divisions, and many women's clubs, players may be part-timers with a second job, or amateurs. The top five European leagues – [[Premier League]] (England),<ref>{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=Ian |date=31 March 2008 |title=Premier League conquering Europe |work=BBC Sport |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7321408.stm |url-status=live |access-date=27 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118013022/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7321408.stm |archive-date=18 November 2018}}</ref> [[Bundesliga]] (Germany), [[La Liga]] (Spain), [[Serie A]] (Italy), and [[Ligue 1]] (France) – attract most of the world's best players and, during the 2006–07 season, each of these leagues had a total wage cost in excess of [[Euro|€]]600&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Louise |date=29 May 2008 |title=Leading clubs losing out as players and agents cash in |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/may/29/premierleague |url-status=live |access-date=28 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407130029/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/29/premierleague |archive-date=7 April 2013}}</ref> These leagues also generated a combined €17.2&nbsp;billion in revenue in the 2021–22 season from television contracts, matchday tickets, sponsorships, and other sources.<ref>{{cite news |last=Buckingham |first=Philip |date=14 June 2023 |title=Premier League generated £5.5bn in 2021–22 – more than La Liga and Bundesliga combined |url=https://theathletic.com/4610513/2023/06/14/premier-league-revenue-football-finance/ |work=The Athletic |url-access=subscription |accessdate=1 September 2023 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902032903/https://theathletic.com/4610513/2023/06/14/premier-league-revenue-football-finance/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2022–23 season, clubs in Europe's "[[Big Five (association football)|big five]]" leagues had an aggregate wage cost of €13&nbsp;billion, with each league spending more than €1.8&nbsp;billion in wages. In contrast, the combined revenue of these leagues was €19.6&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Annual Review of Football Finance: Europe's Premier Leagues {{!}} Deloitte UK |url=https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/services/financial-advisory/research/annual-review-of-football-finance-europe-premier-league.html |website=www.deloitte.com |access-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108132111/https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/services/financial-advisory/research/annual-review-of-football-finance-europe-premier-league.html |archive-date=8 January 2025 |language=en |date=25 June 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>