What does SAF mean in FOOTBALL

Some of the main differences between traditional soccer and SAF include the size of the field, number of players, and type of equipment used. The field for SAF is slightly smaller than that for traditional soccer, allowing for more intense and fast-paced play. Additionally, SAF typically only involves seven players per team instead of eleven like in regular soccer. Lastly, rather than using a traditional leather ball as in regular soccer, SAF utilizes an artificial ball made out of synthetic material.

Like most forms of football, the general goal is to score points by getting the ball into your opponent's goal area. In SAF specifically though, players must dribble or pass the ball with their feet or lower legs, and are not allowed to use their hands or arms at any point during gameplay. Additionally, unlike regular soccer where there is no time limit on play time at each level (i.e. first half vs second half), SAF has two 15 minute halves which each have 5 minutes halftime break period in between them.

Adoption of SAF has increased substantially over time due its perceived safety benefits compared to regular football. As such it has become increasingly popular among schools throughout Europe and other parts of the world since its introduction in 1996 due to its shorter length games as well as lack of reliance on physical ability since much less protective padding is required when playing this version compared to more traditional forms such as rugby or classic football pitches from 18th century England.