3 Reasons Soccer Is the Easiest Sport (To Play and Learn)

Figuring out what the easiest sport to play is can be challenging. Over the years, I’ve participated in many different sports. Today, I want to share three specific reasons I believe one sport stands out as being more accessible than any other.

Soccer is the easiest sport. Because soccer is simple to learn, accessible to players of all skills and ages, and is not as physical as many other sports, it is the easiest sport for anyone to play.

The fact that soccer is the most popular sport worldwide for people of all ages and abilities may be enough to convince you.  

But to leave you in no doubt, I want to give you three more reasons that show why playing soccer is so straightforward.

1. Soccer is Easy to Learn

People often wonder what sport is the easiest to learn. 

Soccer is the easiest sport to learn. The basic elements of the game are simple to understand, and anyone can explain them even to a young child. Most people only take a few sessions to learn how to play.

Sure, it’s a little bit more complicated than just kicking a ball, but even beginners can quickly pick up the sport of soccer with enough practice.

It isn’t even just about it being the easiest game to play; it’s also one of the easiest sports to watch. 

Sports like football and baseball can often be confusing for people who aren’t familiar with the sport. So you’ll hear newcomers to these games frequently asking others to explain something to them. 

Misunderstanding the essentials of soccer isn’t an issue that people have with soccer. 

The fundamental rules of soccer are pretty basic. 

• The typical game lasts 90 minutes, 
• The objective of the game is to get as many goals as possible during this time. 
• A player isn’t allowed to use their hands. 
• The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins. 

It’s just that simple to understand.

Even younger kids can very easily understand this. 

Of course, there are more complex rules that you can learn as you spend more time observing the game.

Rules such as offsides, penalties, and yellow and red cards are worth understanding. But these things can come after you learn the basics of the sport.

Soccer is a highly competitive sport, but the role of most positions is pretty easy to understand. 

This simplicity makes it incredibly easy for the casual player to pick up and play just as they want. 

However, once you have been playing for a while, you can choose to learn more.

Even the more in-depth rules of the game are relatively easy to understand. The more you play and watch the sport, the better you will appreciate and enjoy everything involved. 

2. Soccer is Accessible to Players of All Skills or Ages

Another reason soccer is so easy is due to how inclusive it is.

Soccer is the easiest sport to play because there is very little equipment needed. It is also affordable for anyone, and most people have access to an appropriate playing area.

Soccer is the easiest sport because it’s an accessible sport. What this means is that you don’t need much to play it. You really just need a ball and markers for a goal post. 

It’s true that in any league, you need to be sure that you have the proper gear like soccer cleats, shin guards, and soccer socks.

However, it’s not a very expensive sport typically. Anyone can pick it up.

You also don’t even need a dedicated soccer field. I’ve played soccer everywhere, from my living room to a dusty piece of ground in Thailand. 

Accessibility isn’t the standard for many sports. 

Sports like hockey can be extremely expensive for parents as they support their kids playing their favorite sports.

Depending on where you live, it can be tough to find an ice rink!

Soccer is an affordable and accessible option for parents who want to keep their kids active without going broke over playing sports.

Its accessibility is one of the reasons why this is such a popular sport across the globe, even in poorer countries.

It’s not only accessible because of how inexpensive this sport can be; it’s also accessible because people of all abilities can play.

As I’ve already mentioned, it’s very easy to grasp the basic concepts of the sport, making it accessible for people of all ages and skill ranges.

You can pick it up at any point, and as long as you practice regularly, you can easily do well playing this sport. 

The accessibility of this sport is another reason why soccer is the easiest sport.

3. Soccer Is Not as Physical as Other Sports

A final thing that makes soccer an easy sport to play is because it’s just not as physical as other sports.

Sports like hockey or football tend to require you to have a lot of strength to play competitively.

This high level of physicality can make it more difficult for some people to play.

In addition, these sports are often harder on a technical level than soccer is for beginners. People should consider this when deciding whether or not soccer is the best sport for them. 

Check out my comparison of soccer and football to understand this in more detail.

With soccer, you don’t necessarily need to have the brawn that other sports require to succeed. To a certain extent, you don’t even need to have a lot of brains either. 

However, having the brains to play the sport well can be very helpful if you plan on going pro, and I would argue it may even be more critical than having brawn. 

Soccer is more straightforward because it doesn’t require the physicality that other sports do.

In fact, you may even be more successful if you just have the intelligence to play the game at a high level.

This means being able to quickly spot your teammates and creating the best play in their minds for that specific moment.

You don’t need to be an incredibly fit athlete to enjoy playing soccer or even to do decently well in it. You can just have the passion and brains to succeed. 

You only need to start considering either the strength or intelligence to play the game successfully when you have been playing the game for a while.

For example, some soccer players are muscular athletes that can deftly maneuver out on the field. Other players may not have all the muscles but are capable of intelligent play on the field. 

However, to begin playing soccer, you don’t need to worry about your level of physicality to enjoy this sport.

If you do want to improve your physicality, check out my article – How to Get in Shape for Soccer.

More Information

Whether you are looking for a hobby for yourself or trying to decide on a sport for your child to play, soccer can be an excellent option to consider. 

To see how basketball compares to soccer, have a look at this comparison I put together – Is basketball harder than soccer?