query: Rabat is a city.

pos: Rabat Rabat ( الرِّبَاط , ; Eṛṛbaṭ , ⴻⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ ) is the capital city of Morocco and its second largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 ( 2014 ) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million . It is also the capital city of the Eṛṛbaṭ-Sla-Qniṭra administrative region .   The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg . On the facing shore of the river lies Salé , the city 's main commuter town . Rabat , Temara , and Salé form a conurbation of over 1.8 million people . Silt-related problems have diminished Rabat 's role as a port ; however , Rabat and Salé still maintain important textile , food processing and construction industries . In addition , tourism and the presence of all foreign embassies in Morocco serve to make Rabat one of the most important cities in the country .   Once a reputed corsair haven , Rabat served as one of the many ports in North Africa for the Barbary pirates , who were particularly active from the 16th through the 18th centuries .   Rabat is accessible by train through the ONCF system and by plane through the nearby Rabat -- Salé Airport .   The Moroccan capital was ranked at second place by CNN in its `` Top Travel Destinations of 2013 '' . It is one of four Imperial cities of Morocco , and the medina of Rabat is listed as a World Heritage Site .

neg: Ir David Foundation Ir David Foundation , commonly known as Elad -LSB- El ` ad -RSB- ( אלע '' ד , an acronym for '' אל עיר דוד '' , meaning `` to the City of David '' ) is a Jerusalem-based , Israeli association which aims to strengthen the Jewish connection to Jerusalem , create a Jewish majority in Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem and renew the Jewish community in the City of David , which is also part of the neighborhood of Silwan . The foundation works to achieve its goals by tourism , education , archaeological excavations and obtaining homes in the area to establish a Jewish presence .

neg: Morocco World News Morocco World News is an Arabic , French and English language e-newspaper with its headquarters in New York City . It was founded in 2011 by Samir Bennis and Adnane Bennis . It operates from Rabat in Morocco . ''

neg: North Africa North Africa is the term given to a group of Mediterranean countries situated in the northern-most region of the African continent . The term `` North Africa '' has no single accepted definition . It is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Morocco in the west , to the Suez Canal and the Red Sea in the east . Others have limited it to the countries of Morocco , Algeria , and Tunisia , a region known by the French during colonial times as `` Afrique du Nord '' and by the Arabs as the Maghreb ( `` West '' ) .   The most commonly accepted definition includes Morocco , Algeria , and Tunisia , as well as Libya and Egypt , It should be noted however that the term `` North Africa '' , when commonly used in North Africa and the Middle East , often refers only to the countries of the Maghreb and Libya . Egypt , due to its greater Middle Eastern associations , is typically viewed separately . The countries of North Africa share a common ethnic , cultural and linguistic identity that is unique to this region .   North west Africa has been inhabited by Berbers since the beginning of recorded history , while the eastern part of North Africa has been home to the Egyptians . Following the Muslim conquest in the seventh century C.E. , the region underwent a process of Arabization and Islamization that has defined its cultural landscape ever since .   The distinction between North Africa and much of Sub-Saharan Africa is historically and ecologically significant because of the effective barrier created by the Sahara Desert for much of modern history . From 3500 BC , following the abrupt desertification of the Sahara due to gradual changes in the Earth 's orbit , this barrier has culturally separated the North from the rest of the continent . As the seafaring civilizations of the Phoenicians , Greeks , Romans , Muslims and others facilitated communication and migration across the Mediterranean Sea , the cultures of North Africa became much more closely tied to Southwestern Asia and Europe than Sub-Saharan Africa . The Islamic influence in the area is also significant , and North Africa is a major part of the Muslim world .   Some researchers have postulated that North Africa rather than East Africa served as the exit point for the modern humans who first trekked out of the continent in the Out of Africa migration .

neg: Rabbel II Soter Rabel II Soter ( ar-Rabil ) was the last ruler of the Nabataean kingdom , ruling from 70 to 106 .   After the death of his father , Malichus II , ar-Rabil still a child , ascended to the throne . His mother , Shaqilath , assumed control of the government in the early years . His sister Gamilath became queen of the Nabataeans . Ar-Rabil gave himself the Greek title `` Soter '' , meaning `` Savior '' , or `` the one who has given life and deliverance to his people '' .   After his death in 106 , the Roman emperor Trajan faced practically no resistance and conquered the kingdom on 22 March 106 . It became the Roman province of Arabia Petraea , with Bosra becoming its provincial capital .

neg: Sidi Kacem Sidi Kacem ( -LSB- سيدي قاسم , sidi qasəm -RSB- ) is a city in Rabat-Salé-Kénitra , Morocco . It is the capital of Sidi Kacem Province .

neg: Taroudant Taroudant is a city in the Sous Valley in southern Morocco . It is situated east of Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and the Sahara desert and south of Marrakesh . The town is known as the `` Grandmother of Marrakesh '' because it looks like a smaller Marrakesh with its surrounding ramparts . In the sixteenth century , the Saadians briefly used Taroudant as a capital before they moved onwards to Marrakesh . Today , the city has the feel of a small fortified market town on a caravan route .   Taroudant is known for its local crafts , including jewellery and carpets .   Unlike Marrakesh , almost the entire city of Taroudant is located inside its walls . A new part of the city is being developed outside the city walls around the campus of a faculty of the Ibn Zohr University of Agadir .

neg: Medina quarter A medina quarter ( المدينة القديمة `` the old city '' ) is a distinct city section found in many North African cities . The medina is typically walled , with many narrow and maze-like streets . The word `` medina '' itself simply means `` city '' or `` town '' in modern-day Arabic .

neg: 1985 Pan Arab Games The 6th Pan Arab Games were held in Rabat , Morocco between August 8 and August 16 , 1985 . 3442 athletes from 17 countries participated in events in 18 sports .

neg: City-state A city-state is a sovereign state that consists of a city and its dependent territories . Historically , this included cities such as Rome , Athens , Carthage , and the Italian city-states during the Renaissance -- but today only a handful of sovereign city-states exist , with some disagreement as to which are city-states . A great deal of consensus exists that the term properly applies to Singapore , Monaco , and Vatican City .   A number of other small states share similar characteristics , and therefore are sometimes also cited as modern city-states . Namely , Qatar , Brunei , Kuwait , Bahrain , and Malta , which each have an urban center comprising a significant proportion of the population , though , all have several distinct settlements and a designated or de facto capital city . Occasionally , other small states with high population densities , such as San Marino , are also cited , despite lacking a large urban centre characteristic of traditional city-states .   Several non-sovereign cities enjoy a high degree of autonomy , and are sometimes considered city-states . Hong Kong and Macau , along with independent members of the United Arab Emirates , most notably Dubai and Abu Dhabi , are often cited as such .

neg: Arab League The Arab League , formally the League of Arab States , is a regional organization of Arab countries in and around North Africa , the Horn of Africa and Arabia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members : Kingdom of Egypt , Kingdom of Iraq , Transjordan ( renamed Jordan in 1949 ) , Lebanon , Saudi Arabia , and Syria . Yemen joined as a member on 5 May 1945 . Currently , the League has 22 members , but Syria 's participation has been suspended since November 2011 , as a consequence of government repression during the Syrian Civil War .   The League 's main goal is to `` draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them , to safeguard their independence and sovereignty , and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries '' .   Through institutions , such as the Arab League Educational , Cultural and Scientific Organization ( ALECSO ) and the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League 's Council of Arab Economic Unity ( CAEU ) , the Arab League facilitates political , economic , cultural , scientific , and social programmes designed to promote the interests of the Arab world . It has served as a forum for the member states to coordinate their policy positions , to deliberate on matters of common concern , to settle some Arab disputes and to limit conflicts such as the 1958 Lebanon crisis . The League has served as a platform for the drafting and conclusion of many landmark documents promoting economic integration . One example is the Joint Arab Economic Action Charter , which outlines the principles for economic activities in the region .   Each member state has one vote in the League Council , and decisions are binding only for those states that have voted for them . The aims of the league in 1945 were to strengthen and coordinate the political , cultural , economic and social programs of its members and to mediate disputes among them or between them and third parties . Furthermore , the signing of an agreement on Joint Defence and Economic Cooperation on 13 April 1950 committed the signatories to coordination of military defence measures . In March 2015 , the Arab League General Secretary announced the establishment of a Joint Arab Force with the aim of counteracting extremism and other threats to the Arab States . The decision was reached while Operation Decisive Storm was intensifying in Yemen . Participation in the project is voluntary , and the army intervenes only at the request of one of the member states . The growing militarization of the region and the increase in violent civil wars as well as terrorist movements are the reason behind the creation of the JAF , financed by the rich Gulf countries .   In the early 1970s , the Economic Council of the League of Arab States put forward a proposal to create the Joint Arab Chambers of Commerce across the European states . That led , under the decree of the League of Arab States no . K1175/D52/G , to the decision by the Arab governments to set up the Arab British Chamber of Commerce which was mandated to `` promote , encourage and facilitate bilateral trade '' between the Arab world and its major trading partner , the United Kingdom .

neg: Mechra Bel Ksiri Mechra Bel Ksiri is a town in Sidi Kacem Province , Rabat-Salé-Kénitra , Morocco . According to the 2010 census it has a population of 29,601 .

neg: Republicanism in Morocco In the history of Morocco , there have been a few attempts to establish republican forms of government :  Moor refugees from Andalusia formed in Salé and Rabat the Republic of Bou Regreg , a base for piracy ( 1627-1668 ) .  Berber natives in the Rif Region first established the Rif Republic for six years ( 1921-1926 ) under Abd el-Krim against Spanish and French invasions of Morocco . The Berber Rif republic lasted until 1925 when the rebels tried to take the city of Fes , in a failed attempt to expand the republic into French-occupied Morocco .  In 1971 army cadets under General Mohamed Medbouh and Lieutenant-colonel M'hamed Ababou attacked king Hassan II in the Shkirat palace . A republic was proclaimed on Radio Rabat , was but suppressed by General Mohamed Oufkir . However , in 1972 Oufkir initiated his own coup d'état ; the Air Force tried multiple times to bring down the king 's airplane , attacked the Rabat airport and bombed the royal palace in Rabat . The coup ultimately failed .  During the 2011 -- 12 Moroccan protests , a few protesters chanted republican slogans . They were mainly from the Al Adl Wa Al Ihssane Islamist movement and the Ila Al Amame Communist party . These slogans were n't repeated by the vast majority of the protesters .

neg: Regraga The Regraga are a sub-tribe of the Masmuda Berber tribal confederacy . They are also one of three tribes that formed the population of Essaouira , Morocco . The Regraga came from the Jbel Hadid mountains and introduced Islam to the region ; the other tribes were the Berber Haha and the Chiadma . In Tachelhit , the term Regraga refers to those who are imbued with the spiritual force called Baraka . The tribe became known by this name because in pre-Islamic times they held a prominent religious role in the region , and because of it were considered nobility .   In modern times , the term also refers to a pilgrimage made annually by the Chiadma tribes of the Jbel Hadid and the Haha tribes who live southeast of Essaouira . It takes place in spring and lasts 40 days . During those weeks , pilgrims visit a series of local shrines , from the mouth of the Tensift river south of Safi to the northern outskirts of the High Atlas , including the city of Essaouira itself . They join either of two different groups on a tour of the shrines , stopping at each shrine on the way . One group must adorn at every shrine a holy tent made of fan palm fibres and dyed with henna , the other group arrives in a procession with a muqaddim ( religious leader ) riding a white horse .

neg: Ras Rumman Ras Rumman is a neighborhood of Manama in Bahrain . Historically it was a separate village of its own , however with the expansion of Manama , it became incorporated into the capital city as one of its neighbourhoods . It lies to the east of the Manama Souq and roughly south of the Diplomatic Area . It has traditionally had an identity with a tradition of Pomegranate cultivation . The Name Ras Rumman translates to `` Head of Pomegrante '' this was related to the large fields starting Ras Rumman and ending near Budaiya.The British Embassy of Bahrain is located in Ras Rumman . It also contains the Ras Rumman Mosque .   Category : Neighborhoods of Manama

neg: Marrakesh Menara Airport Marrakesh Menara Airport ( ⴰⵣⴰⴳⵯⵣ ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛ ⵎⵉⵏⴰⵕⴰ , Aéroport Marrakech Ménara , مطار مراكش المنارة , ) is an international airport serving Marrakesh , the capital city of the Marrakesh-Tensift-El Haouz region in Morocco . It is an international facility that receives several European flights as well as flights from Casablanca and some of the Arab world nations . The airport served over 4 million passengers in 2014 .

neg: Skhirat Skhirat ( الصخيرات ⵙⵅⵉⵕⴰⵜ Sjirat ) is a small seaside town situated between the administrative capital Rabat and the economic capital Casablanca , known within Morocco for its idyllic beaches on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean .   Within the past decade it has steadily developed ; especially with high class beach properties .   Life in Skhirat is distinguished between the rural population living from agricultural products , the agile municipal town center and the ocean site , where an authentic small harbour provides work for many fisherman .   The main beach , right beside the summer palace of the Moroccan King is a well-known spot for vacationers and weekend retreat for visitors from the capital Rabat . It has become a key rallying point for surfers from the whole region .   Two associations ( Associations de Surf Skhirat Plage and Association des Jeunes Surfeurs de Skhirat ) offer surf courses for all levels . They are located directly beside the beautiful `` L'Amphitrite Palace Resort and Spa . ''   This luxury hotel offers a private beach , first-class comfort and a great relaxing atmosphere , appreciated by vacationers as well as international business travellers , because of its proximity to the CIC Mohammed VI ( Le Centre Internationale des Conferences Mohammed VI ) .   CIC Mohamed VI is one of the largest convention centers in North Africa , located at Skhirat beach . It recently hosted the ceremony dedicated to the signature of the political agreement to form a Libyan national unity government , dated December 17 , 2015 .   Also located in Skhirat is the summer palace of the Moroccan King Mohammed VI , venue of a failed military coup against King Hassan II in July 1971 , organised by General Medbouh and M'hamed Ababou .

neg: Oujda Oujda is the capital city of the Oriental region of eastern Morocco . It is located about 15 km west of the Algerian border and about 55 km south of the Mediterranean Sea .

neg: Palestinian territories `` Palestinian territories '' and `` occupied Palestinian territories '' ( OPT or oPt ) are descriptions often used to describe the West Bank ( including East Jerusalem ) and the Gaza Strip , which are occupied or otherwise under the control of Israel . Israeli governments have maintained that the area involved is within territorial dispute . The extent of the territories , while subject to future negotiations , have frequently been defined by the Green Line .   The term `` Palestinian Territory , Occupied '' was used by the United Nations ( UN ) and other international organizations between 1998 to 2013 in order to refer to areas controlled by the Palestinian National Authority . In December 2012 , UN Secretariat communications replaced this by the term State of Palestine . The ISO adopted the name change in 2013 . But , as of August 2015 , the UN Security Council continues to treat Palestine as a non-sovereign entity ; This prevents its admission to UN General Assembly membership .   Israel occupied the territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the Six-Day War of 1967 and has since maintained control . Previously , these territories had been occupied by Jordan and Egypt , respectively , since the 1948 founding of Israel . In 1980 , Israel officially absorbed East Jerusalem and has proclaimed the whole of Jerusalem to be its capital . The inclusion , though never formally amounting to legal annexation , was condemned internationally and declared `` null and void '' by the United Nations Security Council . The Palestinian National Authority , the United Nations , the international legal and humanitarian bodies and the international community regard East Jerusalem as part of the West Bank , and consequently a part of the Palestinian territories . The Palestinian National Authority never exercised sovereignty over the area , although it housed its offices in Orient House and several other buildings as an assertion of its sovereign interests .   Israel shut them down in response to the Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing . Israeli sovereignty , however , has not been recognized by any country , since the unilateral annexation of territory occupied during war contravenes the Fourth Geneva Convention . The cost of the occupation for Israel over four decades ( 1967 -- 2007 ) is estimated to amount to $ 50 billion . The World Bank estimates the annual cost in 2013 to the Palestinian economy of Israeli occupation at $ 3.4 billion .   In 1988 , with the Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO ) intention to declare a Palestinian State , Jordan renounced all territorial claims to the West Bank , including East Jerusalem . Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988 , 135 UN Member Nations have recognized the State of Palestine , comprising the Palestinian territories . It has not been recognized by Israel and some Western nations , including the United States .   In 1993 , following the Oslo Accords , parts of the territories politically came under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority ( Areas A and B ) . Israel still exercises full military control and , civil control over 61 % of the West Bank ( Area C ) . The Oslo Accords established access to the sea for Gaza within 20 nautical miles from the shore . The Berlin Commitment of 2002 reduced this to 12 mi . In October 2006 Israel imposed a 6-mile limit , and at the conclusion of the Gaza War restricted access to a 3-nautical-mile limit , beyond which a no-go zone exists . As a result , more than 3,000 Palestinian fishermen are denied access to 85 % of the maritime areas agreed to in 1995 . The majority of the Dead Sea area is off-limits to Palestinian use , and Palestinians are denied access to its coast line .   Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005 , however the international community considers the West Bank and the Gaza Strip still to be occupied by Israel . The Hamas takeover of Gaza in 2007 divided the Palestinian territories politically . Abbas 's Fatah largely ruled the West Bank and was recognized internationally as the official Palestinian Authority ( see : Fatah-Hamas conflict ) . In 2014 , the two political groups agreed to hold elections and form a compromise unity government . The 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict intervened ; however , the unity government survived .

neg: Amman Amman ( -LSB- langpronɑːˈmɑːn -RSB- عمّان ) is the capital and most populous city of Jordan , and the country 's economic , political and cultural centre . Situated in north-central Jordan , Amman is the administrative centre of the Amman Governorate . The city has a population of 4,007,526 and a land area of 648.7 sqmi . Today , Amman is considered to be among the most liberal and westernized Arab cities . It is a major tourist destination in the region , particularly among Arab and European tourists .   The earliest evidence of settlement in the area is a Neolithic site known as ` Ain Ghazal . Its successor was known as `` Rabbath Ammon '' , which was the capital of the Ammonites , then as `` Philadelphia '' , and finally as Amman . It was initially built on seven hills but now spans over 19 hills combining 27 districts , which are administered by the Greater Amman Municipality headed by its mayor Aqel Biltaji . Areas of Amman have either gained their names from the hills ( Jabal ) or the valleys ( Wadi ) they lie on , such as Jabal Lweibdeh and Wadi Abdoun . East Amman is predominantly filled with historic sites that frequently host cultural activities , while West Amman is more modern and serves as the economic center of the city .   Approximately 2 million visitors arrived in Amman in 2014 , which ranked it as the 93rd most visited city in the world and the 5th most visited Arab city . Amman has a relatively fast growing economy , and it is ranked Beta − on the global city index . Moreover , it was named one of the Middle East and North Africa 's best cities according to economic , labor , environmental , and socio-cultural factors . The city is among the most popular locations in the Arab world for multinational corporations to set up their regional offices , alongside Doha and only behind Dubai . It is expected that in the next 10 years these three cities will capture the largest share of multinational corporation activity in the region .

neg: TAS de Casablanca Tihad Athlétique Sport de Casablanca is a Moroccan football club based in Casablanca . Of the 3 clubs in Casablanca they are the most popular in the city behind Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca .   Category : Football clubs in Morocco  Category : Football clubs in Casablanca  Category :1947 establishments in Morocco  Category : Sports clubs in Morocco


query: Through November and December, the playoffs for the Major League Soccer happens.

pos: Major League Soccer Major League Soccer ( MLS ) is a men 's professional soccer league , sanctioned by U.S. Soccer , that represents the sport 's highest level in both the United States and Canada . MLS constitutes one of the major professional sports leagues of the United States and Canada . The league comprises 22 teams -- 19 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada . The MLS regular season runs from March to October , with each team playing 34 games ; the team with the best record is awarded the Supporters ' Shield . The postseason includes twelve teams competing in the MLS Cup Playoffs through November and December , culminating in the championship game , the MLS Cup . MLS teams also play in other domestic competitions against teams from other divisions in the U.S. Open Cup and in the Canadian Championship . MLS teams also compete against continental rivals in the CONCACAF Champions League .   Major League Soccer was founded in 1993 as part of the United States ' successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup . The first season took place in 1996 with ten teams . MLS experienced financial and operational struggles in its first few years : The league lost millions of dollars , teams played in mostly empty American football stadiums , and two teams folded in 2002 . Since then , MLS has expanded to 22 teams , owners built soccer-specific stadiums , average MLS attendance exceeds that of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) and National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , MLS secured national TV contracts , and the league is now profitable .   Instead of operating as an association of independently owned teams , MLS is a single entity in which each team is owned and controlled by the league 's investors . The investor-operators control their teams as owners control teams in other leagues , and are commonly ( but inaccurately ) referred to as the team 's owners . The league has a fixed membership , like most sports leagues in the United States and Canada , which makes it one of the world 's few soccer leagues that does not use promotion and relegation , a practice that is uncommon in the two countries . MLS headquarters is located in New York City .

neg: 2015 Major League Soccer season The 2015 Major League Soccer season featured 20 total clubs ( 17 based in the United States , 3 based in Canada ) . The regular season was held from March 6 through to October 25 , whereas the MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 28 and ended with MLS Cup 2015 on December 6 . The defending MLS Cup champions were the LA Galaxy , while Seattle Sounders FC were the defending Supporters ' Shield winners .   It was the first season for expansion teams Orlando City SC and New York City FC , who both joined the Eastern Conference , while both the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City moved from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference . Chivas USA folded at the end of the 2014 season .   At the end of the regular season , the New York Red Bulls of the Eastern Conference won the Supporters ' Shield , while the team on top of the Western Conference was FC Dallas . The Portland Timbers won their first MLS Cup , winning 2 -- 1 at Columbus Crew SC .

neg: 2003 D.C. United season The 2003 D.C. United season was the clubs ' ninth year of existence , as well as their seventh season in Major League Soccer .   Led by Ray Hudson , D.C. United 's 2003 campaign was highlighted by the club 's return to the MLS Cup Playoffs , their first postseason appearance since 1999 . In the playoffs , United who did n't qualify for the playoffs until the final day of the regular season , took on the Eastern Conference regular season champions , Chicago Fire . The Fire defeated United 4 -- 0 on aggregates in the conference semifinals , winning each leg by a 2 -- 0 margin of victory .

neg: 2016 National Women's Soccer League season The 2016 National Women 's Soccer League season is the fourth season of the National Women 's Soccer League , the top division of women 's soccer in the United States . Including the NWSL 's two professional predecessors , Women 's Professional Soccer ( 2009 -- 2011 ) and the Women 's United Soccer Association ( 2001 -- 2003 ) , it is the tenth overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women 's soccer in the United States . The league is operated by the United States Soccer Federation and receives major financial backing from that body . Further financial backing is expected to be provided by the Canadian Soccer Association . Both national federations pay the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations .   To accommodate the 2016 Olympics the league suspended play for most of the month of August . In addition , the league did not schedule games during FIFA windows , leaving the 20-game , 19-week regular season ending in late September for the second year in a row .

neg: CONCACAF The Confederation of North , Central America and Caribbean Association Football ( CONCACAF , -LSB- ˈkɒn.kəkæf -RSB- ) is the continental governing body for association football in North America , that includes Central America and the Caribbean regions . Three South American entities -- the independent nations of Guyana and Suriname and the French department of French Guiana -- are also members . CONCACAF 's primary functions are to organize competitions for national teams and clubs , and to conduct Men 's World Cup and Women 's World Cup qualifying tournaments .   CONCACAF was founded in its current form on 18 September 1961 in Mexico City , Mexico , with the merger of the NAFC and the CCCF , which made it one of the then five , now six continental confederations affiliated with FIFA . Canada , Costa Rica , Cuba , El Salvador , Guatemala , Haiti , Honduras , Mexico , Netherlands Antilles ( Curaçao ) , Nicaragua , Panama , Suriname and United States were founding members .   CONCACAF is the third-most successful FIFA confederation . Mexico dominated CONCACAF men 's competition early on and has since won the most Gold Cups since the beginning of the tournament in its current format . The Mexican national team is the only CONCACAF team to win an official FIFA tournament by winning the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup . They have also reached the Round of 16 for the past 6 World Cups . While the U.S. is the only country outside of Europe and South America to receive a medal in the World Cup , finishing third in 1930 , they also reached the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals and the 2009 Confederations Cup final . Between them , Mexico and the U.S. have won all but one of the editions of the CONCACAF Gold Cup . In recent years Costa Rica has become a power in the region and in 2014 became the 4th CONCACAF country after the United States , Cuba , and Mexico to make the World Cup quarterfinals . The United States has been very successful in the women 's game , being the only CONCACAF member to win all three major worldwide competitions in women 's football -- the World Cup ( 3 ) , the Olympics ( 4 ) , and the Algarve Cup ( 10 ) . Canada is the only other member to win at least one of the major competitions , winning the Algarve Cup in 2016 .

neg: 2011 MAC Men's Soccer Tournament The 2011 MAC Men 's Soccer Tournament was a college soccer postseason tournament for the Mid-American Conference to determine the MAC 's champion and automatic berth into the 2011 NCAA Division I Men 's Soccer Championship . The tournament will be held in Akron , Ohio at the University of Akron 's FirstEnergy Stadium . The tournament will be held from November 11 -- 13 , 2011 .   Northern Illinois won the championship . Akron would also qualify fort the NCAA Tournament through an at-large bid .

neg: Soccer Bowl 2014 Soccer Bowl 2014 was the North American Soccer League 's postseason championship match of the 2014 season to determine the NASL Champion . The event was contested in a one-game match between the San Antonio Scorpions ( Fall Season champions ) and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers . San Antonio defeated the New York Cosmos 2-1 in their semi-final match while Fort Lauderdale defeated Minnesota United FC ( Spring Season champions ) in a penalty shootout 5 -- 4 after a 1 -- 1 tie in the other semi-final game .  The match was played on November 15 , 2014 at Toyota Field , in San Antonio , Texas and televised live on ESPN3 , ONE World Sports , NASLLive.com as well as on San Antonio 's MeTV KSAT 12.2 and Fort Lauderdale 's Sofloradio.com . This was the Scorpions first Soccer Bowl championship . The Soccer Bowl trophy is the third oldest men 's professional outdoor soccer league prize in the United States .

neg: Nicaraguan Primera División Liga Nicaragüense de Futbol is the top division of the Federación Nicaragüense de Fútbol , it was created in 1933 .   It is played in two parts , Torneo de Apertura from August through November and Torneo de Clausura from January through May . Each of the regular seasons is followed by a play-off of the top 4 teams over a 2-legged semi-final and subsequent final . The relegation end has the bottom team of the aggregate table dropped as well as the loser of the play-off of the 8th and 9th places .

neg: 2006 K League The 2006 season of the K-League kicked off on March 12 . The season and playoff format will be the same as the one used in the 2005 season . The playoff fixtures are set to take place in early November , with the Final being played on two legs in late November .   The league will take a break for the World Cup in June and July . The championship series will take place in November .

neg: Slovakia at the FIFA World Cup This is a record of Slovakia 's results at the FIFA World Cup . The FIFA World Cup , sometimes called the Football World Cup or the Soccer World Cup , but usually referred to simply as the World Cup , is an international association football competition contested by the men 's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association ( FIFA ) , the sport 's global governing body . The championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930 , except in 1942 and 1946 , due to World War II .   The tournament consists of two parts , the qualification phase and the final phase ( officially called the World Cup Finals ) . The qualification phase , which currently take place over the three years preceding the Finals , is used to determine which teams qualify for the Finals . The current format of the Finals involves 32 teams competing for the title , at venues within the host nation ( or nations ) over a period of about a month . The World Cup Finals is the most widely viewed sporting event in the world , with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the 2006 tournament final .   Slovakia have appeared in the finals of the FIFA World Cup on one occasion in 2010 where they reached the second round .

neg: 2011 AFC Champions League knockout stage A total of 16 teams , 8 from West Asia and 8 from East Asia , competed in the 2011 AFC Champions League knockout stage . They included the 8 group winners and the 8 group runners-up from the group stage .   Each round of this single-elimination tournament was played over one or two matches . In the round of 16 , each tie was played in one match , hosted by the winners of each group against the runners-up of another group . In the quarter-finals and semi-finals , each tie was played over two legs on a home-and-away basis . The final was hosted by one of the finalists , decided by draw . The away goals rule ( for two-legged ties ) , extra time ( away goals do not apply in extra time ) and penalty shootout would be used to decide the winner if necessary .   The matchups for the round of 16 were decided prior to the group stage draw . After the completion of the round of 16 , the draw for the quarter-finals , semi-finals , and final was held in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia on 7 June 2011 . In this draw , the `` country protection '' rule was applied : if there are exactly two clubs from the same country , they may not face each other in the quarter-finals ; however , if there are more than two clubs from the same country , they may face each other in the quarter-finals .

neg: 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup The 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 100th edition of the oldest ongoing competition in American soccer . Qualification began in November 2012 in the fifth tier , although the United States Soccer Federation did not announce the format until March 5 , 2013 .   The defending champions were Sporting Kansas City , who were knocked out of the competition in the Fourth Round . D.C. United received a $ 250,000 cash prize and a berth into the 2014 -- 15 CONCACAF Champions League for winning the tournament , while Real Salt Lake received $ 60,000 for being the runner-up . Three teams received $ 15,000 for being the top finisher from each lower division - FC Tucson ( USL PDL ) , Orlando City ( USL Pro ) , & Carolina RailHawks ( NASL ) .

neg: Salvadoran Primera División The Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League ) , more commonly known as La Liga Mayor or La Primera , is the top professional football league in El Salvador . It was established in 1969 and in 2011 had 10 clubs . Initially the league was run as a year-long tournament , but since 1998 there are two tournaments each year , much like in many other football leagues in the Americas . The Apertura season runs from August to December , while the Clausura season runs from February to July .

neg: MLS Supplemental Draft The MLS Supplemental Draft had a number of incarnations :   From 1996 to 1999 , all players playing in the United States currently playing professionally in the United Soccer Leagues were eligible for the MLS Supplemental Draft , where they could be selected by all Major League Soccer teams . Players graduating college were entered into a separate MLS College Draft . The division between the two was eliminated in 2000 , when they were combined into a single MLS SuperDraft .   1996 MLS Supplemental Draft  1997 MLS Supplemental Draft  1998 MLS Supplemental Draft  1999 MLS Supplemental Draft   In 2003 , MLS held a Supplemental draft to distribute players who were signed by the league after the SuperDraft .   2003 MLS Supplemental Draft   From 2005 to 2008 , with the expansion of developmental rosters , the creation of reserve teams , and contractual limits on the length of the MLS Superdraft included in the MLS Players Union Contract , MLS re-instituted the Supplemental draft , which was held after the SuperDraft those years .   2005 MLS Supplemental Draft  2006 MLS Supplemental Draft  2007 MLS Supplemental Draft  2008 MLS Supplemental Draft   In 2009 and 2010 , due to roster changes resulting in fewer developmental spaces , MLS again discontinued the Supplemental Draft .   In January 2011 it was announced that the Supplemental Draft would be re-instated . The first two rounds of the Supplemental Draft replaced the last two rounds of the SuperDraft .   2011 MLS Supplemental Draft  2012 MLS Supplemental Draft  2013 MLS Supplemental Draft

neg: 1978 North American Soccer League playoffs The 1978 North American Soccer League playoffs began on August 8 and ended on August 27 with Soccer Bowl '78 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford , New Jersey . 16 out of 24 teams qualified after a 30-match regular season , eight from each conference .

neg: 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro Série C In 2011 , the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C , the third level of the Brazilian League , will be contested by 20 clubs divided in four groups , followed by a playoff round , during July 16 and November 13 . The top four clubs , the ones which qualifies to the semiifinals , will be promoted to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B to be contested in 2012 . Meanwhile , the bottom four clubs , the ones that finish in last place of each group , will be relegated to 2012 Série D.

neg: 2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season The 2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season was the club 's 18th year of existence as well as their 17th season in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) and their 17th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer . The Galaxy entered the season as both the defending MLS Cup and Supporters ' Shield winners .   The 2012 campaign was highlighted by the Galaxy successfully defending their MLS Cup title , defeating Houston Dynamo , 3 -- 1 , in the MLS Cup final to win their fourth ever MLS Cup championship , tying D.C. United for the most league championships in MLS history , and the second most in North American history .   Although Los Angeles defended their MLS Cup trophy , the club failed to defend the Supporters ' Shield , losing on point differential to their upstate rivals , the San Jose Earthquakes on point total . Most of this is to blame due to poorer performance early on in the season , before a second-half season resurgence .   Elsewhere , the Galaxy also competed in 2012 Desert Diamond Cup , winning the preseason tournament , the 2011 -- 12 and 2012 -- 13 CONCACAF Champions League , as well as the 2012 U.S. Open Cup . In the 2011 -- 12 edition of the Champions League , the Galaxy reached the quarterfinals before losing 4 -- 3 on aggregate to Canadian side , Toronto FC . In the 2012 -- 13 edition , the Galaxy won their group for the second straight year , and reached the knockout round , which will be played during the 2013 campaign . Finally , the Galaxy were eliminated in the third round proper of the Open Cup losing to second-tier North American Soccer League outfit , Carolina RailHawks .   In noncompetitive tournaments , the Galaxy hosted Spanish club , Real Madrid , in the 2012 World Football Challenge , losing the exhibition match , 1 -- 5 .

neg: 1999 MLS Supplemental Draft The 1999 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft took place at the Fort Lauderdale Airport Hilton on the afternoon of Sunday , February 7 . The second and third rounds of the 1999 MLS College Draft had taken place at the hotel earlier that morning . This supplemental draft was notable for the number of teams which passed in the second and third rounds . Consequently in 2000 , MLS merged the college and supplemental draft into the 2000 MLS SuperDraft .

neg: 1976–77 NFL playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 1976 season began on December 18 , 1976 . The postseason tournament concluded with the Oakland Raiders defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI , 32 -- 14 , on January 9 , 1977 , at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena , California .

neg: MLS Cup '98 MLS Cup '98 was the final playoff match of the 1998 Major League Soccer season , the 3rd season of first-division professional soccer in the United States since the collapse of the original North American Soccer League .   The match took place on Sunday , 25 October 1998 , at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena , California , between Chicago Fire Soccer Club and D.C. United . It was the third consecutive appearance in the MLS Cup final by D.C. United and the first appearance by an expansion club ( Chicago ) in the final . Chicago Fire won the match 2-0 , with goals from Jerzy Podbrożny and Diego Gutiérrez . In doing so , Chicago became the first expansion club to win MLS Cup , astonishingly in the team 's inaugural season . The win also completed a domestic double for the Fire , the first American club to win both a league championship and the U.S. Open Cup in a single season . DC in turn became the first team to reach three consecutive finals ( still standing as of date ) and the first club to fail to score .   As the top two finishers in the MLS Cup Playoffs , both D.C. United and Chicago Fire earned the right to represent the United States in the 1999 CONCACAF Champions ' Cup . The clubs faced off once again in the third-place match of the continental tournament , almost a year after meeting in MLS Cup ' 98 . That game ended in a 2-2 draw .

neg: 2017 Canadian Championship The 2017 Canadian Championship ( officially the Amway Canadian Championship for sponsorship reasons ) is a soccer tournament hosted and organized by the Canadian Soccer Association .   The 2017 edition sees the introduction of a rule that requires three players to be named in the starting eleven of each participating team who are eligible ( and have declared their intention , if they have otherwise played for another national team ) to play for the Canada men 's national soccer team .   Due to the restructuring of the CONCACAF Champions League , the winner of the 2017 Canadian Championship will advance to a playoff against Toronto FC , the winner of the 2016 Canadian Championship , to be hosted by Toronto FC on August 9 , 2017 , for a place in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League . If Toronto FC were to win the 2017 Canadian Championship then no playoff game will be necessary , and Toronto will have earned a place in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League automatically .


query: Super Bowl XLVI was played in 2012.

pos: Super Bowl XLVI Super Bowl XLVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League ( NFL ) champion for the 2011 season . The Giants defeated the Patriots by the score of 21 -- 17 . The game was played on February 5 , 2012 , at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis , the first time that the Super Bowl was played in the state of Indiana .   In addition to winning their fourth Super Bowl in team history , the Giants set a new record for the lowest regular season record ( 9 -- 7 , win percentage of 56.3 % ) by a Super Bowl champion . The Patriots entered the game with a 13 -- 3 regular season record , and were also seeking their fourth Super Bowl win . The game was also a rematch of Super Bowl XLII , in which New York also won , 17 -- 14 , to spoil New England 's run at a perfect 2007 season in what is now considered to be one of the greatest upsets in sports history . Super Bowl XLVI also marked the third consecutive matchup between teams from divisions with the same cardinal directions , with the Giants/Patriots from the NFC/AFC East , Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers/Pittsburgh Steelers from the NFC/AFC North , and Super Bowl XLIV between the New Orleans Saints/Indianapolis Colts from the NFC/AFC South . Two years later , the Seattle Seahawks/Denver Broncos , from the NFC/AFC West , would continue this trend when they met each other for Super Bowl XLVIII .   The Giants jumped to a 9 -- 0 lead in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVI before the Patriots scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17 -- 9 lead in the third quarter . But the Giants prevented the Patriots from scoring again , and two consecutive New York field goals chipped away New England 's lead , 17 -- 15 , late in the third quarter . The Giants capped off an 88-yard drive with running back Ahmad Bradshaw 's 6-yard game-winning touchdown with 57 seconds left in the game . Eli Manning , who completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards , one touchdown , and no interceptions , was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career . He became the third consecutive quarterback to win the award after Aaron Rodgers in Super Bowl XLV and Drew Brees in Super Bowl XLIV .   The broadcast of the game on NBC broke the then record for the most-watched program in American television history , previously set during the previous year 's Super Bowl . Super Bowl XLVI was watched by an estimated average audience of 111.3 million US viewers and an estimated total audience of 166.8 million , according to Nielsen , meaning that over half of the American population watched at least some of the initial broadcast . The game also set the record for most tweets per second during a sporting event , with 13.7 million tweets from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ( PST ) .

neg: National Football League regular season The National Football League ( NFL ) regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day in early September and ends in December or early January . It consists of 256 games , where each team ( 32 total ) plays 16 games during a 17-week period . Since 2012 , the NFL schedule generally has games in one of five time slots during the week . A game played on Thursday night , kicking off at 8:25 PM ( ET ) . The majority of games are played on Sunday , most kicking off at 1:00 PM ( ET ) , some late afternoon games starting at 4:05 or 4:25 PM ( ET ) . Additionally , one Sunday night game is played every week at 8:30 PM ( ET ) . One Monday night game then starts at 8:30 PM ( ET ) every week with the exception of the first week of the regular season , in which two Monday night games are played back-to-back ( the second game always occurring on the West coast ) , as well as the last week of the season , in which no Monday night game is held . In addition to these regularly scheduled games , there are occasionally games at other times , such as a Saturday afternoon or evening , or the annual Thanksgiving Day games in which three games are played . During the final week of the regular season , all games are held on Sunday .   In place since 2006 , the current broadcasting contract establishes broadcast partners for each game . The Sunday afternoon games are broadcast either on CBS or Fox . CBS has the broadcast rights for teams in the American Football Conference while Fox has the rights for teams in the National Football Conference . In games where teams from both conferences play each other , the network with the broadcast rights for the `` away '' team will broadcast the game . In each local television market , three Sunday afternoon games are played . One of the two networks gets a doubleheader , while the other network has the right to broadcast a single game ; the networks alternate weeks when each has the right to the doubleheader . Doubleheader games are broadcast at 1:00 ( ET ) and 4:25 PM ( ET ) . The network with the single game will have an official kick-off time at either 1:00 PM ( ET ) or 4:05 PM ( ET ) . In addition to the regular Sunday afternoon games , there are three prime time games each week . The Thursday night game is broadcast by the NFL Network ( with , starting in 2016 , five of those Thursday games also being simulcast by CBS and another five on NBC ) . The Sunday night game is broadcast by NBC , while the Monday night game is broadcast by ESPN .   The NFL uses a strict scheduling algorithm to determine which teams play each other from year to year , based on the current division alignments and the final division standings from the previous season . The current formula has been in place since 2002 , the last year that the NFL expanded its membership . Generally , each team plays the other three teams in its own division twice , all four teams from a single division in the AFC once , all four teams from a single division in the NFC once , and two additional intraconference games based on the standings from the previous season .

neg: History of American football The history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football . Both games have their origin in varieties of football played in Britain in the mid-19th century , in which a football is kicked at a goal or kicked over a line , which in turn were based on the varieties of English public school football games .   American football resulted from several major divergences from association football and rugby football , most notably the rule changes instituted by Walter Camp , a Yale University and Hopkins School graduate who is considered to be the `` Father of American Football '' . Among these important changes were the introduction of the line of scrimmage , of down-and-distance rules and of the legalization of interference . In the late 19th and early 20th centuries , gameplay developments by college coaches such as Eddie Cochems , Amos Alonzo Stagg , Parke H. Davis , Knute Rockne , and Glenn `` Pop '' Warner helped take advantage of the newly introduced forward pass . The popularity of college football grew as it became the dominant version of the sport in the United States for the first half of the 20th century . Bowl games , a college football tradition , attracted a national audience for college teams . Boosted by fierce rivalries and colorful traditions , college football still holds widespread appeal in the United States .   The origin of professional football can be traced back to 1892 , with William `` Pudge '' Heffelfinger 's $ 500 contract to play in a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . In 1920 the American Professional Football Association was formed . This league changed its name to the National Football League ( NFL ) two years later , and eventually became the major league of American football . Primarily a sport of Midwestern industrial towns in the United States , professional football eventually became a national phenomenon .   The modern era of American football can be considered to have begun after the 1932 NFL Playoff game , which was the first American football game to feature hash marks , the legalization of the forward pass anywhere behind the line of scrimmage , the first indoor game since 1902 , and the movement of the goal posts back to goal line . Other innovations to occur immediately after 1932 , were the introduction of the AP Poll in 1934 , the tapering of the ends of the football in 1934 , the awarding of the first Heisman Trophy in 1935 , the first NFL draft in 1936 and the first televised game in 1939 . Another important event was the American football game at the 1932 Summer Olympics , which combined with a similar demonstration game at 1933 World 's Fair , led to the first College All-Star Game in 1934 , which in turn was an important factor in the growth of professional football in the United States . American football 's explosion in popularity during the second half of the 20th century can be traced to the 1958 NFL Championship Game , a contest that has been dubbed the `` Greatest Game Ever Played '' . A rival league to the NFL , the American Football League ( AFL ) , began play in 1960 ; the pressure it put on the senior league led to a merger between the two leagues and the creation of the Super Bowl , which has become the most watched television event in the United States on an annual basis .

neg: Super Bowl XXXVIII Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League ( NFL ) champion for the 2003 season . The Patriots defeated the Panthers by the score of 32 -- 29 , winning their second Super Bowl championship in three years . The game was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston , Texas , on February 1 , 2004 . At the time , this was the most watched Super Bowl ever with 144.4 million viewers .   The Panthers were making their first ever Super Bowl appearance after posting an 11 -- 5 regular season record . They also made it the second straight year that a team from the NFC South division made the Super Bowl , with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning Super Bowl XXXVII . The Patriots were seeking their second Super Bowl title in three years after posting a 14 -- 2 record .   NFL fans and sports writers widely consider this game one of the most well-played and thrilling Super Bowls ; Sports Illustrated writer Peter King hailed it as the `` Greatest Super Bowl of all time . '' Although neither team could score in the first and third quarters , they both ended up with a combined total of 868 yards and 61 points . The game was scoreless for a Super Bowl record 26:55 before the two teams combined for 24 points prior to halftime . The clubs then combined for a Super Bowl record 37 points in the fourth quarter . The contest was finally decided on New England kicker Adam Vinatieri 's 41-yard field goal with four seconds left . Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in three years . He set a Super Bowl record for the most pass completions ( 32 ) , completing 66.7 percent of his passes and accumulating 354 passing yards , 3 touchdowns , and 12 rushing yards . Jake Delhomme for his part overcame the poor start with 323 passing yards and three touchdowns . The 61 combined points stood as a Super Bowl record until the 62 points scored in Super Bowl LI in 2017 .   The game is also known for its controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson 's breast , adorned with a nipple shield , was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a second , in what was later referred to as a `` wardrobe malfunction '' . Along with the rest of the halftime show , it led to an immediate crackdown by the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) , and widespread debate on perceived indecency in broadcasting .

neg: Charles Haley Charles Lewis Haley ( born January 6 , 1964 ) is a former American football linebacker and defensive end who played in the National Football League ( NFL ) for the San Francisco 49ers ( 1986 -- 1991 , 1998 -- 1999 ) and the Dallas Cowboys ( 1992 -- 1996 ) .   A versatile defensive player , Haley began his career as a specialty outside linebacker , eventually progressing to pass-rusher and finally full-fledged defensive end . He is the first five-time Super Bowl champion , and is one of only two such players , the other being Tom Brady . Haley was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015 .

neg: Super Bowl VII Super Bowl VII was an American football game between the American Football Conference ( AFC ) champion Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference ( NFC ) champion Washington Redskins to decide the National Football League ( NFL ) champion for the 1972 season . The Dolphins defeated the Redskins by the score of 14 -- 7 , and became the first and still the only team in NFL history to complete a perfect undefeated season . They also remain the only Super Bowl team to be shut out in the second half and still win . The game was played on January 14 , 1973 , at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles , the second time the Super Bowl was played in that city . At kickoff the temperature was 84 F , making the game the warmest Super Bowl ever .   This was the Dolphins ' second Super Bowl appearance after losing Super Bowl VI . They posted an undefeated 14 -- 0 regular season record before defeating the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs . The Redskins were making their first Super Bowl appearance after posting an 11 -- 3 regular season record and playoff victories over the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys . Despite being undefeated , the Dolphins were actually one point underdogs , largely based on the weakness of their regular season schedule .   Super Bowl VII was largely dominated by the Dolphins , and remains the lowest-scoring Super Bowl to date with a total of only 21 points ( 3 touchdown and 3 extra points ) . The only drama was during the final minutes of the game , in what was later known as `` Garo 's Gaffe '' . Miami attempted to cap off their 17 -- 0 perfect season with a 17 -- 0 perfect score shutout with a 42-yard field goal by Garo Yepremian , but instead the game and the season was jeopardized when his kick was blocked . Instead of falling on the loose ball , the Dolphins kicker picked it up , attempted a forward pass , but batted it in the air , and Redskins ' cornerback Mike Bass ( who was Garo 's former teammate on the Detroit Lions years earlier ) caught it and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown . This game also remains as the longest period in a Super Bowl for one team to be shut out , as Washington was held scoreless until 2:07 remained in the fourth quarter.The previous Super Bowl with the longest period for being shut out was in 1969 , where the Jets held the Colts scoreless until 3:19 left in the game . Don Shula was head coach on the losing side that time , so he held the record for the longest period to be held under a shut out as well as the longest period to hold a shut out .   Dolphins safety Jake Scott was named Most Valuable Player . He recorded two interceptions for 63 return yards , including a 55-yard return from the end zone during the 4th quarter . Scott became the second defensive player in Super Bowl history ( after linebacker Chuck Howley in Super Bowl V ) to earn a Super Bowl MVP .

neg: 1969 NFL Championship Game The 1969 NFL Championship Game was the 37th and final championship game prior to the AFL -- NFL merger , played January 4 , 1970 , at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington , Minnesota , a suburb south of Minneapolis . The winner of the game earned a berth in Super Bowl IV in New Orleans against the champion of the American Football League .   The Minnesota Vikings of the Western Conference hosted the Cleveland Browns of the Eastern Conference . It was the Vikings ' first appearance in the title game , while the Browns were making their second straight appearance and fourth of the 1960s .   Minnesota had a regular season record of 12 -- 2 , including a 51 -- 3 defeat of the Browns eight weeks earlier on November 9 . The Vikings defeated the Los Angeles Rams 23 -- 20 in the Western Conference championship a week earlier at Met Stadium . They were coached by Bud Grant and led on offense by quarterback Joe Kapp and wide receiver Gene Washington . The defense allowed only 133 points ( 9 1/2 per game ) during the regular season and their four defensive linemen were known as the `` Purple People Eaters . ''   Cleveland was 10 -- 3 -- 1 during the regular season and had upset the Dallas Cowboys 38 -- 14 at the Cotton Bowl for the Eastern Conference title . The Browns were coached by Blanton Collier ; Bill Nelsen was the starting quarterback and Gary Collins and Paul Warfield were star wide receivers for the team .   Although not as severe as the `` Ice Bowl '' of 1967 , the weather conditions were bitterly cold at 8 F , with a sub-zero wind chill factor . Cleveland linebacker Jim Houston suffered frostbite during the game and was hospitalized .   Minnesota was favored by nine points to win the title game at home , and they won , 27 -- 7 .   Of the four NFL teams that joined the league during the AFL era ( 1960s ) , Minnesota was the sole winner of a pre-merger NFL championship . The Dallas Cowboys entered the league in 1960 and lost two NFL title games to the Green Bay Packers , in 1966 and 1967 . The expansion Atlanta Falcons ( 1966 ) and New Orleans Saints ( 1967 ) did not qualify for the postseason until 1978 and 1987 , respectively .   Starting with the season , the NFL champion was determined in the Super Bowl , beginning with Super Bowl V.

neg: Super Bowl XXV Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference ( AFC ) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference ( NFC ) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League ( NFL ) champion for the 1990 season . The Giants defeated the Bills by the score of 20 -- 19 , winning their second Super Bowl . It is the only Super Bowl decided by one point .   The game was held at Tampa Stadium in Tampa , Florida , on January 27 , 1991 , during the height of the Gulf War . It was thus played under much patriotic fervor , highlighted by a rousing rendition of `` The Star-Spangled Banner '' by Whitney Houston during the pre-game ceremonies . The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) , who broadcast the game in the U.S. , did not broadcast the Super Bowl XXV halftime show ( headlined by the American boy band New Kids on the Block ) live . Instead , the network televised a special ABC News report anchored by Peter Jennings on the progress of the war , and then aired the halftime show on tape delay after the game .   The Bills and their explosive no-huddle offense were making their first Super Bowl appearance after finishing the regular season with a 13 -- 3 record , and leading the league in total points scored with 428 . In advancing to their second Super Bowl , the Giants also posted a 13 -- 3 regular season record , but with a ball-control offense and a defense that allowed a league-low 211 points .   The game is best remembered for Bills placekicker Scott Norwood 's last-second field goal attempt which went wide right of the uprights , leading to a Giants victory , and starting a four-game losing streak in the Super Bowl for the Bills . The Giants set a Super Bowl record holding possession of the ball for 40 minutes and 33 seconds . The Giants also overcame a 12 -- 3 second-quarter deficit , and made a 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed a Super Bowl-record 9:29 off the clock . Giants running back Ottis Anderson , who carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards and one touchdown , was named Super Bowl MVP . He was the first awardee to receive the newly named `` Pete Rozelle Trophy '' ( named for the former commissioner ) . Anderson also recorded one reception for seven yards . This is the first Super Bowl to feature two teams representing the same state . It was also the first Super Bowl in which neither team committed a turnover .

neg: AFL and NFL era competitive college drafts During the first seven years of existence ( 1960 -- 1966 ) of the American Football League ( AFL , 1960 -- 1969 ) , the AFL and the NFL held separate , competing drafts for college football talent .   These drafts were conducted differently in each league , with the AFL , as a new league , starting its existence with the 1960 AFL draft that was actually held in December , 1959 and had 33 rounds . Each AFL team had `` territorial rights '' to players from its general region for a `` bonus '' draft selection , so that teams could sign players who were known to their fans . These were not `` picked '' as such , but agreed on by consensus . The 1960 AFL draft proceeded with teams selecting by lot and player position , e.g. , each team selected quarterbacks from the available list , then running backs , etc. . These were not listed in order of selection , but alphabetically in two groups called `` First Selections '' and `` Second Selections '' by each team . Minneapolis-Saint Paul was originally included in the AFL draft on November 22 , 1959 . When the Minneapolis-Saint Paul owners reneged on their agreement to join the AFL and jumped to the NFL , some of the remaining AFL teams signed several players from the deserters ' draft list . To compensate for this , after the Oakland Raiders ' AFL franchise was granted , an allocation draft was held , to permit the Raiders to stock their team with players from the other seven AFL teams .   The established NFL held drafts more similar to the present day , in which the team with the worst record from the previous year selected first , and the reigning league champion selected last . Starting in 1961 , the AFL also followed this procedure .   Because of the competition between the leagues , unlike today 's drafts , they were held soon after the end of the football season in each league , often before the college bowls were over . Many players , such as LSU 's Billy Cannon signed pro contracts `` under the goalposts '' at bowl games ; and in the College East-West Game and other all-star college bowls , many players wore the helmets of the professional team that they had signed with .   The AFL was at a disadvantage in name-recognition with the established NFL , but contrary to common belief , during this period , its franchises signed a significant number of stars away from the older league . These included Cannon , as well as eventual Hall of Famers Lance Alworth , Buck Buchanan , Jim Otto , Billy Shaw , and Nick Buoniconti , and such standouts as Matt Snell , Tom Sestak , Charley Hennigan , Abner Haynes , Johnny Robinson and many others .   Category : American Football League draft  Category : National Football League Draft

neg: 1997 NFL season The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League . The Oilers relocated from Houston , Texas to Nashville , Tennessee . The newly renamed Tennessee Oilers played their home games during this season at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis , Tennessee while a new stadium in Nashville began construction . Houston would rejoin the NFL with the expansion Texans in 2002 .   This was the last season to date that TNT broadcast NFL games , as well as the last for NBC until 2006 . When the TV contracts were renewed near the end of the season , Fox retained the National Football Conference package , CBS took over the American Football Conference package and ESPN won the right to televise all of the Sunday night games .   Due to Game 7 of the 1997 World Series , the Chicago Bears -- Miami Dolphins game at Pro Player Stadium was delayed one day to Monday , October 27 .   The Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers both changed their uniforms , and the new uniforms for both teams were introduced during this season .   The season ended with Super Bowl XXXII when the Denver Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers 31-24 at the Qualcomm Stadium . This broke the National Football Conference 's streak of 13 consecutive Super Bowl victories .

neg: American football American football , referred to as football in the United States and Canada , and also known as `` gridiron football '' or simply `` gridiron '' , is a sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end . The offense , the team with control of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with or passing the ball , while the team without control of the ball , the defense , aims to stop their advance and take control of the ball for themselves . The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs , or plays , or else they turn over the football to the opposing team ; if they succeed , they are given a new set of four downs . Points are primarily scored by advancing the ball into the opposing team 's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent 's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of a game wins .   American football evolved in the United States , originating from the sports of association football and rugby football . The first game of American football was played on November 6 , 1869 , between two college teams , Rutgers and Princeton , under rules based on the association football rules of the time . During the latter half of the 1870s , colleges playing association football switched to the Rugby Union code , which allowed carrying the ball . A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the `` Father of American Football '' , established the snap , eleven-player teams , and the concept of downs ; later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football .   American football as a whole is the most popular sport in the United States . Professional football and college football are the most popular forms of the game , with the other major levels being high school and youth football . , nearly 1.1 million high school athletes and 70,000 college athletes play the sport in the United States annually , almost all of them men , with a few exceptions . The National Football League , the most popular American football league , has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world ; its championship game , the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events in the world , and the league has an annual revenue of around US$ 10 billion .

neg: Mass Transit Super Bowl The Mass Transit Super Bowl was a public transportation plan and marketing strategy conceived for Super Bowl XLVIII and Super Bowl Week , a series of events leading up to the February 2 , 2014 , football game between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks . It was originally projected that over 400,000 people would come to the New York -- New Jersey region for the game and related activities , and that over 80,000 would attend the game itself ; actual patronage of the metropolitan area during that time was projected to be over 500,000 . Metropolitan area transit agencies worked with the National Football League , organizers of the event , and developed special services , schedules , fares , and maps to promote the use of mass transit during the week , which began with the arrival of teams on January 26 .   On game day , those traveling by train experienced overcrowding and long delays due to miscalculated estimations and an unanticipated surge of passengers , leading to much criticism of the plan .

neg: 2001–02 NFL playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 2001 season began on January 12 , 2002 . The postseason tournament concluded with the New England Patriots defeating the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI , 20 -- 17 , on February 3 , at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans , Louisiana .   For the first time , the NFL scheduled prime time playoff games for the first two rounds in an attempt to attract more television viewers . Saturday wild card and divisional playoff games were moved from 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST to 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. , respectively . Thus , the league abandoned its practice of scheduling colder , northern playoff games for daylight hours only ; any stadium , regardless of evening January temperatures , could host prime time playoff games .

neg: 2012 NCAA football bowl games In college football , 2012 NCAA football bowl games may refer to :   2011 -- 12 NCAA football bowl games , for games played in January 2012 as part of the 2011 season .  2012 -- 13 NCAA football bowl games , for games played in December 2012 as part of the 2012 season .

neg: NFC East The NFC East is a division of the National Football League ( NFL ) 's National Football Conference ( NFC ) . It currently has four members : the Philadelphia Eagles , the New York Giants , the Dallas Cowboys , and the Washington Redskins .   The division was formed in 1967 as the National Football League Capitol Division , keeping with the theme of having all of the league 's divisions starting with the letter `` C. '' The division was so named because it was centered on the capital of the United States , Washington , D.C. . In 1967 and 1969 the teams in the NFL Capitol Division were Dallas , Philadelphia , Washington and the expansion New Orleans Saints , which had been replaced by the New York Giants for the 1968 season . Its most recent Super Bowl champions are the New York Giants .

neg: 2004 NFL Draft The 2004 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players . It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting . The draft was held April 24 -- 25 , 2004 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City . No teams chose to claim any players in the supplemental draft that year .   The draft was shown on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2 both days . The draft began with the San Diego Chargers selecting Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning with the first overall selection . Manning was later traded to the New York Giants for their first selection , fourth overall pick Philip Rivers of NC State . There were 32 compensatory selections distributed among 16 teams , with the Eagles , Rams , and Jets each receiving 4 compensatory picks . The draft set several records , including the most wide receivers selected in the first round , with seven . Another record set by the draft was the most trades in the first round , with twenty-eight trades . The University of Miami set an NFL record for the most first rounders drafted with 6 . Ohio State set an NFL draft record having 14 total players selected through all rounds . As of 2012 , this draft also has two other records attached to it : it became the draft with the shortest time between having multiple quarterbacks being drafted and starting for Super Bowl winners ( Ben Roethlisberger for the 2005 Steelers , and Manning for the 2007 Giants ) and it has become the first draft ever to have produced two QBs who each won multiple Super Bowls ( with Roethlisberger winning his second in 2008 and Eli his second in 2011 ) . The 255 players chosen in the draft were composed of :   __ TOC __

neg: 2013 Rose Bowl The 2013 Rose Bowl , the 99th edition of the annual game , was a college football bowl game played on Tuesday , January 1 , 2013 , at the same-named stadium in Pasadena , California . The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association is the organizer of the game . The game matched Big Ten Conference Champions Wisconsin Badgers against the Pac-12 Conference Champions Stanford Cardinal , a rematch of the same two teams in the 2000 Rose Bowl . The Cardinal defeated the Badgers 20 -- 14 for the Rose Bowl Championship . This was Wisconsin 's third consecutive Rose Bowl defeat .   Because of sponsorship by Vizio , the first game in the 2013 edition of the Bowl Championship Series was officially titled the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO . The contest was televised on ESPN with a radio broadcast on ESPN Radio and XM Satellite Radio , which began at 1:30 PM ( PST ) with kickoff at 2:10 PM ( PST ) .   The Rose Bowl Game , themed `` Oh , the Places You 'll Go ! '' , was a contractual sell-out , with 64,500 tickets allocated to the participating teams and conferences . The remaining tickets went to the Tournament of Roses members , sponsors , City of Pasadena residents , and the general public .

neg: 2011 TicketCity Bowl The 2011 TicketCity Bowl was a college football bowl game played at Cotton Bowl in Dallas , Texas . The game was played on January 1 , 2011 , at 12:00 p.m. ET and was telecast on ESPNU . This game replaced the Cotton Bowl Classic , which moved from its long-time home to Cowboys Stadium in nearby Arlington in 2010 , and pitted the Northwestern Wildcats from the Big Ten Conference against the Texas Tech Red Raiders from the Big 12 Conference . The game was originally labeled `` The Dallas Football Classic , '' but on November 8 , 2010 , a deal was announced for TicketCity to become the title sponsor of the bowl .

neg: 1994–95 NFL playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 1994 season began on December 31 , 1994 . The postseason tournament concluded with the San Francisco 49ers defeating the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX , 49 -- 26 , on January 29 , 1995 , at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami , Florida .

neg: 1996 NFL season The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end . The season ended with Super Bowl XXXI when the Green Bay Packers defeated the New England Patriots 35-21 at the Louisiana Superdome .

neg: 2012 Miami Dolphins season The Miami Dolphins season was the franchise 's 43rd season in the National Football league ( NFL ) , and the 47th overall in the American Football Conference Eastern Division ( AFC East ) . The season concluded with the Dolphins finishing second in the AFC Eastern Division with a 7 -- 9 record , and no postseason play for the fourth consecutive season .   The Dolphins entered the season under new head coach Joe Philbin , with hopes of revitalizing the franchise from three consecutive losing seasons under head coach Tony Sparano . The team started with drafting quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the first round of the NFL draft , to compete for the starting job against incumbent Matt Moore and free agent David Garrard . Tannehill was eventually named the team 's regular season starter heading in the second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers . The team finished the preseason with an 0 -- 4 record for the third time in franchise history .   The Dolphins opened the regular season with a disappointing 10 -- 30 loss against the Houston Texans , but a week later ended up with an impressive 35 -- 13 win over the Oakland Raiders . Following the win , the Dolphins lost two close overtime games against the Arizona Cardinals and division rival New York Jets . However , Miami was able to come back and win three consecutive games including a blow out rematch with the New York Jets , but after close critical loses to the Indianapolis Colts , division rival Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots , the Dolphins were unable to achieve a winning season .   Ryan Tannehill became the first rookie quarterback in Dolphins history to complete a full season as the team 's starting quarterback . During the week four game against the Arizona Cardinals , Tannehill broke former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino 's single-game rookie passing record with 431 passing yards and came one yard short of breaking Cam Newton 's NFL rookie single-game passing record . In the same game wide receiver Brian Hartline broke the Dolphins single-game receiving record with 12 reception for 253 yards .