Football

Football is a popular Muggle sport in which two teams of players attempt to score by kicking or heading a ball into the opposing team's goal, or net. Within the wizarding world, it is generally regarded as a peculiar and simplistic pastime, especially when compared to the dominant wizarding sport of Quidditch. Most wizards and witches exhibit little to no knowledge of its rules or cultural significance, often finding its concepts, such as the rule forbidding players from touching the ball with their hands, to be strange.

Despite its general obscurity among wizards, football is mentioned on several occasions, typically highlighting the cultural divide between the Muggle and wizarding worlds or indicating a character's connection to Muggle life.

• Dean Thomas's Fandom: The most prominent connection to the sport is through the Gryffindor student Dean Thomas, a half-blood wizard raised by his Muggle mother. He is an avid supporter of the London-based football club West Ham United F.C.. Throughout his years at Hogwarts, he kept a poster of the team hanging by his bed in the boys' dormitory in Gryffindor Tower, alongside posters of his other teammates.
• A Wizard's Perspective: During the lead-up to the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, Arthur Weasley attempted to explain Quidditch to the Muggle campsite manager, Mr. Roberts. In doing so, he compared it to football, which he described as “the odd game with the ball you're not allowed to touch with your hands.” This illustrates the typical wizard's limited and slightly baffled understanding of the sport.
• Ministry of Magic Interest: Herbert Chorley, a Junior Minister who served as a liaison to the Muggle Prime Minister, was noted to have a “great fondness for Muggle wrestling, and… football.” This suggests that some wizards, particularly those whose work involves regular interaction with Muggles, may develop an appreciation for their sports and culture.

Football stands in stark contrast to Quidditch, the primary sport of the wizarding world. While football is grounded in physical prowess and teamwork within a relatively straightforward set of rules, Quidditch involves flying on broomsticks, multiple types of balls with different functions (Quaffle, Bludger, Golden Snitch), and complex scoring systems. To the average wizard, the single-ball, ground-based nature of football appears far less dynamic and engaging. This cultural preference ensures that football remains a fringe interest, primarily relevant only to those with strong ties to the Muggle world.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Dean Thomas's West Ham United F.C. poster is visually depicted in the Gryffindor dormitory, cementing this aspect of his character on screen (film).
• Author J.K. Rowling has mentioned being a football fan herself and has stated her support for the English team Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (J.K. Rowling on Twitter).