This story appears in the February 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine. Miles from the main roads, in rural Africa, soccer balls bounce unevenly. Playing fields are arid, lush, weedy, sandy ...
A soccer ball is round, and must measure between 27-28" in circumference and weigh between 14 and 16oz. How big must a soccer field be? What do all the markings mean? What must the pitch be made of?