Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. In most cases this move is one that prevents an opposing player from carrying out what they intend.

In American football and Canadian football to tackle is to physically interfere with the forward progress of a player in possession of the ball, such that his forward progress ceases and is not resumed, or such that he is caused to touch some part of his body to the ground other than his feet or hands, or such that he is forced to go out of bounds. In any such case, the ball becomes dead, the down is over, and play ceases until the beginning of the next play. A tackle is known as a quarterback sack when the quarterback is tackled behind the scrimmage line. Tackle is also the name of player positions on both the offensive and defensive teams. Usually there is a left and right tackle on each team.

In Rugby League a tackle is completed when a player's ball-carrying arm touches the ground at the same time as an opponent has some contact with his body, or when one or more opponents hold a player on his feet so that his momentum (in any direction) ceases. If necessary, the tackled player is then allowed to regain his feet; play continues by means of a play-the-ball.

In Rugby Union the tackle is similar, however the tackled player must release the ball; the ball is not dead and a ruck forms to contest possession of it. Also, players cannot be tackled standing up: they must either be brought to the ground or a maul

In Australian Rules (Aussie Rules) the tackle is again similar. However if the tackled player is taken to the ground in possession of the ball, or concedes a penalty in the tackle (i.e. tries to throw the ball when you are only allowed to "handball" or kick it) there is a handover and the tackler takes possession of the ball for a freekick. There are also rules outlawing pushing in the back making tackling more difficult.

In Association Football (soccer) a player tackles an opponent by taking control of the ball from them. This is achieved by using either leg to wrest possession from the opponent, or to slide in to kick the ball away. Unless the tackle is seen as an illegal one by the referee (if a player makes no contact with the ball, or if he makes contact with his opponent before the ball), play continues following a tackle. Tackles with the use of both legs (rather than just one of them) are often called foul.