Sports are an integral part of our global culture, as everyone is united because of sports despite physical boundaries. Two of the widely played sports are soccer and basketball. While there are debates about soccer vs. basketball, know that they are closely similar at some point and vary in some angles, making them unique in their own ways.

In this blog, we will delve into the world of soccer and basketball. You will learn about the similarities and differences between these two, including their rules, positions, gameplay, origin, and many more. So, you should not miss it!

Similarities Between Basketball and Soccer

Most people would think soccer and basketball are vastly different from each other, but these two globally loved sports have striking common grounds. Among the similarities between basketball and soccer are the nature of the game, some rules, and so on.

Of course, we should not miss that both sports revolve around their goals— shooting the ball into the basket or goalpost. Although they have different scoring systems, they use a ball to make a point. Before going into details, let us first dive into their main similarities.

Check out the bulleted points below to know the rest of the similarities between soccer and basketball.

• Basketball and Soccer are Team Sports

First of all, both sports require team coordination and dynamics. Although individual skills are essential, the ability of the team to communicate and use their potential for the betterment of the group is equally vital.

No matter how good the players are, they do not stand a chance to win if they are not good at collaborating with the other players. Hence, team success depends on your ability to sync with your teammates.

• Basketball and Soccer are Fast-Paced Games

The nature of these sports requires alertness both mentally and physically. It means that basketball and soccer players have to act quickly to gain an advantage in the game. They need to be quick at making points and defending the ball.

Not only that, both sports require quick and intelligent decision-making skills because even a delayed move can cost you your game trophy. That’s why basketball and soccer players have a good balance of mental and physical alertness.

• Both Basketball and Soccer are Physically Demanding

The key to winning in these games is having holistic physical preparedness since both require rigid routines and moves. You need to withstand the physical demands of the sports to outmaneuver your opponent.

Not only are you required to be fast and alert, but you also need to have excellent agility, jumping, dribbling, running, and a lot more. Hence, you have to be in your most physically fit state to stay ahead in these sports.

• Both Basketball and Soccer Are Competitive by Nature

Most of all, be prepared to build your competitive spirit if you decide to join these games. The common goal of these sports is two take the scoring lead, which makes every game intense and fueled with a burning passion.

The competitive nature of these games makes them loved by people worldwide. You are required to be motivated, driven to succeed, and focused when you play these sports. Hence, players like you push themselves to be the best to lead their team to the championship.

Differences Between Basketball and Soccer

Basketball and soccer are two of the most famous sports worldwide, that’s why there are soccer players vs. basketball players debates these days. Even though they are both highly competitive, they differ in some technicalities.

One of the differences between basketball and soccer is that they use different body parts while at play. Basketball players require hand-handling, while soccer players dribble the ball with their feet. Now in soccer vs. basketball, which is harder? Let’s learn more about it in the latter part.

What Equipment They Used

First of all, the equipment that soccer and basketball use are different. Since they have varying game area dimensions and use different parts of the body, it is only just for them to use different equipment.

Below are the specific difference between basketball and soccer equipment.

• Ball Size

The ball size of soccer and basketball vary. The size of the ball the professional basketball payers use is 29 inches and weighs 27 ounces. Meanwhile, professional soccer players use a 27-inch ball that weighs approximately 16 ounces.

• Basketball Hoop vs. Soccer Goal

Another difference is the scoring equipment they have. Basketball players can get the point by shooting a ball into a hoop that stands 10 feet tall. Meanwhile, soccer players need to get a ball inside a vertical post with a horizontal crossbar that is 7.26 meters in size.

• Basketball Shoes vs. Cleats

Another thing is that they have different shoe types. The difference between soccer and basketball shoes is that basketball players usually play on an indoor court, so they also need indoor basketball shoes that adapt to the wooden surface. Meanwhile, soccer players use cleats to provide traction to the grass field.

• Basketball Court vs. Soccer Field

A basketball court is undeniably smaller in size and dimension than a soccer field. Basketball courts measure 94 feet by length and 50 feet by length. Meanwhile, soccer fields measure 100-130 yards by length and 50-100 yards by width.

Number of Players

The rules of basketball and soccer in terms of the number of players vary. According to the NBA website, a roster basketball team may be composed of a maximum of 15 players, while only five players can play for a team on the court. A total of 10 players will play on a basketball court at the same time.

Meanwhile, professional soccer leagues can have a maximum of 25 players in a squad, but only 11 players from each team should be present on the field. In other words, there will be 22 players on a field all at once.

How Scoring Works

The scoring systems of basketball and soccer are different from each other, aside from the fact that it is easier to score in basketball than in soccer. Basketball players can make one, two, or three points with just a single successful scoring attempt.

Meanwhile, soccer games consider a successful attempt as one point. Hence, staying ahead in the game is very challenging because every successful shoot is equivalent to one point. Plus, you have to remember that a soccer field is vast.

Time Limits

Basketball games typically last 48 minutes, broken up into four quarters of 12 minutes each. In addition, there are 15-minute halftime intervals between the second and third quarters. When play is stopped—for a timeout, a foul, or when the ball crosses the goal line, for example—the clock stops.

If there is a tie at the end of regulation time, overtime periods are used to extend the game. The game continues until one team has accrued more points than the other after each 5-minute overtime period.

The typical soccer game lasts 90 minutes, split into two 45-minute halves. Only injury time, added by the referee after each half to account for any lapses in play, causes the clock to stop during each half. Injury time might change from game to game depending on variables, including the number of substitutes, the number of goals scored, and other play-stopping incidents.

Several soccer events allow extra time to be played in two 15-minute sessions if the score is tied at the end of regulation time. After extra time, a penalty shootout may be utilized to decide the winner if the score is still tied.

Physical Demands

The debate around soccer vs. basketball salary is tied to the physicality of the sports. Well, both basketball and soccer games are physically demanding. There is no such thing as A being more physically demanding than B.

Despite that, they differ when it comes to physical demands. Basketball usually uses the upper extremities of the body, while soccer games require more leg strength. Hence, they differ in terms of the parts of the body they use during a game.

Which Sport is More Popular Between Soccer and Basketball?

Since both sports are world-famous, fans are asking: is basketball more popular than soccer? Although basketball dominates in the United States, soccer will always have the lead in the soccer vs. basketball popularity race.

According to WorldAtlas, soccer has accumulated a total of 3.5 billion fans worldwide. Meanwhile, basketball lags with only 800 million fans. Basketball may seem more popular since it has more media coverage, but soccer is undeniably the most loved sport globally.

Wrapping Things Up: Soccer vs. Basketball: Similarities and Differences Between Sports

In terms of soccer vs. basketball, they only share common ground on the nature of the games, such as the intensity, competitiveness, etc. However, they vary in the technicalities, like the rules and equipment—making them unique.

Hence, you should not compare these two sports because they have key points that make them stand out. At the end of the day, they are equally exciting, nerve-wracking, and fun to watch!

We hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, be sure to check out our other basketball FAQ articles here.