Football club (association football)

European clubs in their top division of their countries are allowed to participate in the biggest domestic football stage, The Champions League.

The sport of association football allows teams that partake in some sort of club activity to participate in tournaments such as leagues and other competitions.

Teams must register their players as well as staff and other personnel to be eligible to represent the club in any activity as it regards to association football competitions.

Football clubs exist all over the world on amateur, semi-professional or professional levels of the game.

[3][4] During the early 1860s, there were increasing attempts in England to unify and reconcile the various football games that were played in the public schools as well in the industrial north under the Sheffield Rules.

[5] Due to the scope and popularity of the sport, professional football clubs carry a significant commercial existence, with fans expecting personal service and interactivity, and external stakeholders viewing the field of professional football as a source of significant business advantages.

A football club is an entity which is formed and governed by a committee and has members which may consist of supporters in addition to players.

The capital structure of a football club most closely resembles that of a nonprofit corporation, although it may still be profitable per se to its investors.

[15] Professional football clubs also act as market entities offering a highly sought after product to an entertainment sector audience.

Stadium naming rights are sometimes procured by sponsors to generate additional sources of revenue for the football club.