Soccer in USA Introduction Sports has always been a very significant recreational activity in any society. There are different kinds of sports that different societies enjoy and value. Each sport has a history and a purpose. Sports are aimed at creating camaraderie, sportsmanship and other positive values in the society. Through regular practice in sport related activities, people learn to live healthy and an active lifestyle. Sports are not only a form of entertainment and source of happiness for people, but they also have a purpose and structure that contributes to society. Many types of sports involve the use of different tools and items. One of the most used accessories is a ball used in numerous sports such as basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis and soccer. These international favorite sports are also able to bring countries together by allowing different countries to compete in friendly and competitive tournaments. Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world and it has influenced several countries (Wong, Patricia, and Yan Hong) such as the United States of America and the U.K. It may not be the a national sport of the U.S. but it is a sport that is well loved and practiced by Americans for many years. The most popular games in American include American football and basketball. The United States participates in soccer in many forms and the sport is growing in popularity. History Soccer started at around 1860s in the United States. There were a number of soccer clubs established back then. One of these clubs was known as the Oneida Football Club. Rutgers University and Princeton University were said to have conducted the first soccer match known in the history of the United States. This happened back in 1869 and with a score of 64 where the Rutgers University team won the game. In order for the sport to continue its existence in the country and in order to gain more enthusiasts, athletes and supporters for the sport put together organizations that were established in order to regulate and organize the sport. The first known organization that tried to regulate soccer in the United States was the American Football Association. The American Football Association or AFA was founded back in 1886. It was able to successfully carry out its mission during its first year by conducting the first non-league (sport that does not belong to one of a nations major professional leagues) soccer event in the history of the United States. This non-league event was titled the American Cup. Men were more active and involved when it comes to playing soccer in the United States in the beginning. Today, however, the United States not only run a men’s national soccer team but a women’s national soccer team as well. Both men and women are now actively participating in the sport and competing worldwide. The United States Soccer Federation The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) is the official body of authority that regulates and organize.