Three sports commonly use the term “field goal” as a scoring play: American football, Canadian football, and basketball. Rugby union and rugby league also have in-play kicks through the posts, but those scores are usually called drop goals, not field goals.
The count depends on whether you mean the exact name or any similar scoring method. Here’s how the sports differ, what counts as a field goal in each, and why the terminology can be confusing.
How many sports have a field goal by that name?
Using the common, specific meaning of field goal, the answer is three: American football, Canadian football, and basketball. In football, it is a kick through the opponent’s uprights. In basketball, it is a successful shot from the court during play.
These scores work differently, so the shared name does not mean the rules are alike. A football field goal is worth points based on the sport’s scoring rules, while a basketball field goal is worth two or three points depending on where the shot is taken.
If you include other sports that have a comparable in-play kick through goalposts, rugby union and rugby league may also come up. Their usual term is drop goal, however, so they are not normally included in a count of sports that use the name “field goal.”
What counts as a field goal in each sport?
| Sport | What the term means | How it scores | Best way to classify it |
|---|---|---|---|
| American football | A placekick or dropkick sent through the uprights and above the crossbar | Three points | A field goal by the standard football definition |
| Canadian football | A kick sent through the uprights and above the crossbar during play | Three points | A field goal by the standard football definition |
| Basketball | A made shot from the court, excluding a free throw | Two or three points | A field goal by the standard basketball definition |
| Rugby union | A drop-kick sent through the posts during play | Three points | Similar in action, but called a drop goal |
| Rugby league | A drop-kick sent through the posts during play | One point | Similar in action, but called a field goal only in some informal descriptions |
Scoring rules can vary between leagues and levels, so the table gives the standard distinction rather than every competition-specific detail. The key difference is that the word field goal has a sport-specific definition; a similar-looking play does not automatically share the same name.
How a field goal works in American football
In American football, the offense can attempt a field goal by kicking the ball through the opponent’s goalposts. The usual method is a placekick: a teammate, called the holder, steadies the ball on the ground for the kicker. A successful kick is worth three points.
Teams often attempt one when they have not reached the end zone but are close enough to try a kick. Coaches weigh the chance of scoring against the possibility of a miss, which gives the other team possession in a favorable position under the applicable rules.
A field goal is different from a point after touchdown. That kick follows a touchdown and is an extra-point attempt; it is not a field goal, even though both plays send the ball through the uprights.
How a field goal works in Canadian football
Canadian football also awards three points for a successful field goal. As in American football, the kick must pass through the uprights and above the crossbar. The two sports share the familiar term, but their rules and field dimensions are not identical.
One detail that can cause confusion is the single point, or rouge, which may be scored on certain kicks that enter the end zone and are not returned out. That is not the same as a field goal. A missed attempt can therefore have a different result from a missed kick in American football, depending on what happens next and the rules in force.
For a quick comparison, focus on the scoring play itself: a successful kick through the posts is a field goal in both codes, while a single awarded after a kick is a separate scoring result.
What a field goal means in basketball
In basketball, a field goal is any made shot from the court during play. A shot inside the three-point line is worth two points; a shot from beyond the line is worth three. A free throw does not count as a field goal because it is a separate type of scoring attempt.
The term can be surprising because there is no goalpost or field involved. Here, “field” means the playing area, and the phrase distinguishes a shot made during play from a free throw.
Statistics use related terms such as field goals made and field goal percentage. Field goal percentage is the number of successful field goals divided by the number of field-goal attempts. It helps describe shooting accuracy, but it does not account for the different point value of two- and three-point shots.
Why rugby drop goals are not usually counted
Rugby union and rugby league both allow a player to kick the ball through the posts during open play using a drop-kick. The ball must touch the ground and be kicked as it rebounds. The standard name for this score is a drop goal.
Because the play resembles a football field goal, broad explanations sometimes group them together. That comparison can be useful, but it changes the question from “Which sports call it a field goal?” to “Which sports have a similar kick-through-the-posts score?” Keeping those questions separate avoids an inflated or inconsistent count.
Rugby codes also have other ways to score, such as tries and conversion kicks. A conversion follows a try, so it is not the same as a drop goal or a football field goal.
Field goal, touchdown, free throw, or drop goal?
These terms describe different scoring actions. The fastest way to tell them apart is to ask what sport is being played and whether the score comes from a kick, a shot during play, or a set attempt.
- Football field goal: a successful kick through the uprights during play, worth three points in American and Canadian football.
- Basketball field goal: a made shot during play, worth two or three points.
- Free throw: a basketball shot taken from the free-throw line after a foul or other qualifying event; it is not a field goal.
- Touchdown: a football score earned by advancing the ball into the opponent’s end zone or catching it there; the follow-up kick is a separate attempt.
- Rugby drop goal: a successful drop-kick through the posts during play, usually described by that name rather than “field goal.”
These distinctions matter when you read a scoreboard or compare statistics. A basketball field goal percentage, for example, cannot be compared directly with the number of football field goals a team has made.
How to settle disagreements about the count
If someone gives a different number, check what they mean by “field goal.” A narrow answer counts sports where the term is standard. A broader answer may include sports with a similar method of scoring, even if they use different names.
- Look for the sport’s official scoring term. “Field goal” is standard in basketball and the two major gridiron football codes discussed here.
- Separate exact names from similar plays. Rugby’s drop goal is comparable in action but distinct in terminology.
- Check the competition’s rules if a detail matters. Scoring outcomes and terminology can differ by league, level, or rule set.
Common misconception: any kick through goalposts is not automatically a field goal. The sport’s rulebook and customary language determine what the play is called. This is especially useful when comparing rugby and football, where the action may look related but the score has a different name and value.
For a quiz or a straightforward general answer, say three sports: American football, Canadian football, and basketball. If the question is about similar scoring plays rather than the exact term, mention rugby separately and explain that its score is called a drop goal.
The clearest answer to how many sports have a field goal is three when the phrase is used in its standard sense: American football, Canadian football, and basketball. Rugby has a comparable in-play kick, but its usual name is a drop goal.
Next time you see the term, check whether it refers to a kick through the uprights or a made basketball shot. That quick distinction will help you interpret the score and statistics correctly.