友誼賽或錦標賽
Considered the world’s most popular sport, football, or soccer as it is sometimes called, is a game played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular field called a pitch.
足球，英文可被稱為「football」或「soccer」，被認為是世界上最受歡迎的運動，足球是兩支11人隊伍在被稱為「pitch」的長方形球場較勁的比賽。
court (n.)（籃球、網球、排球等的）球場
Matches are played in two 45-minute halves, with extra periods added during tournaments to allow for one of the teams to win by scoring more goals.
比賽分為兩個45分鐘的半場，賽中還有延長賽，讓其中一邊隊伍可以得到較多分獲勝。
score (n.)分數 (v.) （在運動比賽或考試中）得分goal (n.)進球得分、目標
On the international stage, football matches are played by national teams as either friendlies or as a part of a tournament.
在國際賽階段，足球賽是由國家隊出賽，以友誼賽或是錦標賽的方式進行。
friendly (n.)友誼賽
International friendlies, also called exhibition games, are generally played between nations as warmups for competitive tournaments.
國際友誼賽，又稱為熱身賽，通常是國家間為了正式競賽所進行的熱身比賽。
competitive (adj.)競爭的、好勝的、有競爭力的
This type of game rarely affects teams’ world rankings and acts as a way for players from different football leagues to learn to play on the same team.
這種比賽很少會影響隊伍的世界排名，目的是讓來自不同足球聯盟的選手熟悉在同隊踢球。
ranking (n.)排名act as 有……效果
Friendlies can also be played to provide entertainment, promote the sport or even raise money for a cause.
友誼賽也可以提供娛樂、推廣足球運動、甚至是募款做善事。
entertainment (n.)娛樂、消遣；entertainment industry 娛樂業；entertain (v.)取悅、娛樂
Tournaments, on the other hand, are highly competitive.
另一方面，錦標賽則十分競爭。
on the one hand...on the other hand... 一方面......，另一方面......
As the main international football organization, FIFA regulates different continental confederations, such as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which hold tournaments among member nations, with the best teams winning the associated confederation’s cup.
FIFA作為主要的國際足球協會，負責管理不同洲的足球聯盟，像是亞洲足球聯盟，為會員國舉辦錦標賽，最強隊伍贏得對應的聯盟盃。
continent (n.)洲；continental (adj.)洲的confederation (n.)聯盟
The top teams in each of these confederations will qualify for a chance to win the FIFA World Cup, which is international football’s ultimate prize.
這些聯盟盃賽的最強隊伍將有資格贏得FIFA的世界盃比賽，那是國際足球賽的最高榮耀。
qualify for+(好處) 有資格獲得某好處ultimate (adj.)最極端的、終極的；ultimate goal 終極目標