<P> A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in American football and Canadian football . To score a field goal the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar . American football requires that a field goal must only come during a play from scrimmage, while Canadian football retains open field kicks and thus field goals may be scored at any time from anywhere on the field and by any player . The vast majority of field goals, in both codes, are place kicked . Drop kicked field goals were common in the early days of Gridiron football but are almost never done in modern times . In most leagues, a successful field goal awards three points (a notable exception is in six - man football where, due to the difficulty of making a successful field goal because of the small number of players available to stop the opposing team from attempting a block, a field goal is worth four points). </P> <P> A field goal may also be scored through a fair catch kick, but this is extremely rare . Since a field goal is worth only three points, as opposed to a touchdown, which is worth six points, it is usually only attempted in specific situations (see Strategy). </P> <P> The goal structure consists of a horizontal crossbar suspended 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with two vertical goalposts 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart extending vertically from each end of the crossbar . In American football the goals are centered on each end line; in Canadian football the goals are centered on each goal line . </P> <P> As a field goal is worth only three points, while a touchdown scores at least six (which usually becomes seven with a successful conversion, and potentially 8 with a two - point conversion), teams will generally attempt a field goal only in the following situations: </P>

How wide are the goal post in the nfl