endzone

The end zone is the scoring area at each end of a gridiron football field, located beyond the goal line. In American football and Canadian football, end zones extend a fixed distance beyond the goal line: 10 yards in American football and 20 yards in Canadian football. The standard American field measures 100 yards of playing field plus two 10-yard end zones, for a total length of 120 yards.

A touchdown is scored when a player in possession advances the ball into the opponent’s end zone or catches the ball while in the end zone, with control, thereby crossing the goal line. After a touchdown, teams attempt an extra point (kick) or a two-point conversion. A safety, worth two points for the defending team, can be scored if the ball becomes dead in a team’s own end zone or if the offense is downed there.

The end zone marks the boundary between the field of play and the scoring zone. The standard rule set requires possession and control to occur within the end zone for a score to count; plays that end in the end zone without proper possession or that step out of bounds may not score. Variations exist between leagues, notably in end-zone depth, with Canadian football using deeper end zones than American football, which influences strategy for running, passing, and defending near the boundary.

The term end zone is specific to gridiron football and is central to scoring, play design, and game strategy.