A touchdown is worth six points, but that is only the start of the scoring sequence. The kick or play that follows can add another point or two, while a field goal or safety can change the score without a touchdown at all. Here’s how each scoring play works and what to watch for when the ball is near the goal line.
The Main Ways to Score
| Scoring play | Points | How it is scored |
|---|---|---|
| Touchdown | 6 | A player carries, catches, or recovers the ball in the opponent’s end zone under the rules. |
| Extra-point kick | 1 | After a touchdown, the offense kicks the ball through the uprights. |
| Two-point conversion | 2 | After a touchdown, the offense runs or passes the ball into the end zone. |
| Field goal | 3 | A placekick or drop kick passes between the uprights and above the crossbar during a normal down. |
| Safety | 2 | The defense scores when the opposing offense is responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone. |
Touchdown: 6 Points
A touchdown is the most valuable regular scoring play. A ball carrier scores by taking possession of the ball across the plane of the opponent’s goal line before being down. The ball does not need to touch the ground in the end zone: if a runner has possession and the ball breaks the plane, it’s a touchdown.
A touchdown can also come from a pass caught in the end zone, or from a fumble or interception recovered and returned there. Special teams can score, too: a player may return a kickoff or punt for a touchdown. In each case, the player must complete the play in a way that satisfies the rules for possession and being in bounds.
That last detail can make close plays tense. A receiver who catches the ball near the sideline may need to establish control and get the required body part in bounds. If the officials rule the receiver was out before completing the catch, the touchdown does not count. On a close goal-line run, officials check whether the runner was down before the ball crossed the plane.
The Try: 1 or 2 More Points
After a touchdown, the scoring team gets a chance to add points on a play called a try. It can kick for one point or run or pass for two. Broadcasters often call the kick an extra point or point-after attempt, and the running or passing play a two-point conversion.
The kick is usually the safer option, while going for two offers a bigger reward with more risk. Teams may choose based on the score, the time left, their confidence in the offense, and the matchup near the goal line. For example, if a team is down by eight late in a game, scoring a touchdown and converting for two would tie the score. A successful kick would leave it one point short.
The exact spot for a try differs between major rule codes, including the NFL and college football. The basic scoring values are the same: one for a successful kick and two for a successful run or pass. The defense can also score on a try. If it takes possession after a turnover and returns the ball to the opposite end zone, it earns two points.
Field Goal: 3 Points
A field goal is a kick through the goalposts during a regular scrimmage down. Most are attempted with a holder setting the ball for a placekicker, although drop kicks are permitted. The kick must go between the uprights and above the crossbar to count.
Teams often try a field goal when they have moved into range but face a difficult fourth down. A successful kick adds three points; a miss gives the opposing team possession, usually near the spot of the kick, subject to the rules and where the play ends. Distance matters: the farther the kick, the more difficult it is to control its direction and power. A blocked kick may also remain live, giving either team a chance to recover it.
Safety: 2 Points
A safety is awarded to the defense when the offense is responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone. A common example is a quarterback being tackled there while still in possession. A safety can also result from certain offensive fouls in the end zone or a play in which the offense takes the ball backward and it becomes dead there.
The defense gets two points, and the team that gave up the safety must then kick the ball to its opponent. That makes a safety unusual: it changes the score and possession. It is different from a touchback, which occurs when the ball is downed or becomes dead in an end zone under circumstances that give the receiving team possession without awarding points.
Putting the Scoring Together
Because a touchdown can be followed by a try, score changes often arrive in combinations. A touchdown followed by a successful kick is worth seven points. A touchdown followed by a successful two-point conversion is worth eight. A field goal adds three, and a safety adds two.
Suppose a team leads 20–17 and scores a touchdown, then kicks the extra point. Its new lead is 27–17. If it instead completes a two-point conversion, the score becomes 28–17. Those totals can matter late in a game: teams sometimes choose a conversion attempt to reach a particular margin or keep a future field goal from being enough for the opponent to take the lead.
Penalties can affect whether a scoring play stands, where a try is taken, or whether a play is replayed. Officials first determine what happened on the play, then apply any relevant penalty. In overtime, the same scoring values apply, although the rules for how teams receive the ball and how the game ends depend on the competition.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many points is a touchdown worth?
A touchdown is worth six points. The scoring team can then attempt a one-point kick or a two-point conversion.
Can a team score two points without scoring a touchdown?
Yes. A safety is worth two points and is awarded to the defense when the offense is responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone. A defense can also score two points by returning a turnover during a try to the opposite end zone.
Is a field goal worth more than an extra point?
Yes. A field goal during a regular down is worth three points. The kick after a touchdown, known as the extra-point attempt, is worth one.
Can the defense score during an extra-point attempt?
Yes. If the defense gains possession during the try and returns the ball to the opposite end zone, it scores two points. It can happen after an interception or a recovered fumble.
Final Thoughts
Most football scoring comes down to five values: six for a touchdown, one or two on the try that follows, three for a field goal, and two for a safety. Remember that a touchdown is not always the end of the scoring sequence. The conversion decision that follows can shape the margin—and the strategy—for the rest of the game.
Aiden Cross is a sports writer and editor at BeliveSports, covering a broad range of sports with a focus on clear, accurate, and practical information. His work covers rules, techniques, player roles, competitions, equipment, statistics, and the details that help readers better understand how different sports are played. Aiden takes a research-driven approach to sports writing, using reliable sources and established sporting information to provide context rather than simply repeating surface-level facts. His goal is to make complex topics accessible while maintaining the accuracy and depth expected by knowledgeable sports fans. At BeliveSports, Aiden contributes to the site’s editorial standards by focusing on accuracy, clarity, useful context, and reader-first explanations.