Touchdown A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football . Whether running , passing , returning a kickoff or punt , or recovering a turnover , a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent ' s end zone . Description . To score a touchdown , one team must sack take the football into the opposite end zone . The touchdown is scored the instant the ball crosses the plane of the goal line — that is if any part of the ball is in the space on , above , or across the goal line — while in possession of a player whose team is trying to score in that end zone . The play is dead and the touchdown scores the moment the ball crosses the goal line in possession of a player , or the moment the ball comes into possession of an offensive player in the end zone ( having established possession by controlling the ball and having one or both feet or another part of the body on the ground ) . The slightest part of the ball being over the goal line is sufficient for a touchdown to score . However only the ball — not a player ' s helmet , foot , or other part of the body — counts . Touching one of the pylons at either end of the goal line with the ball constitutes " breaking the plane " as well . Touchdowns are usually scored by the offense by running or passing the ball . However , the defense can also score a touchdown if they have recovered a fumble or made an interception and return it to the opposing end zone . Special teams can score a touchdown on a kickoff or punt return , or on a return after a missed or blocked field goal attempt or blocked punt . In short , any play in which a player legally carries the ball across the goal line scores a touchdown , the manner in which he gained possession is inconsequential . In the NFL , a touchdown may be awarded by the referee as a penalty for a " Palpably Unfair Act " such as a player coming off the bench during a play and tackling the runner who would otherwise have scored . A touchdown is worth six points . The scoring team is also awarded the opportunity for an extra point or a two - point conversion . Afterwards , the team that scored the touchdown kicks off to the opposing team , if there is any time left . Unlike a try scored in rugby union or rugby league , and contrary to the event ' s name , the ball does not need to touch the ground when the player and the ball is inside the end zone . History . When the first uniform rules for American football were enacted by the newly - formed Intercollegiate Football Association just following the 1876 Rugby season , a touchdown counted for 1 / 4 of a kicked goal ( except in the case of a tie ) plus it allowed the offense the chance to kick for goal by placekick or dropkick from a spot along a line perpendicular to the goal line and passing through the point where the ball was touched down , or through a process known as a " punt - out " , where the attacking team would kick the ball from the point where it was touched down to a teammate . If the teammate could fair catch the ball sack , he could follow with a try for goal from the spot of the catch , or resume play as normal ( in an attempt to touch down the ball in a spot more advantageous for kicking ) . The governing rule at the time read : " A match shall be decided by a majority of touchdowns . A goal shall be equal to four touchdowns , but in the case of a tie , a goal kicked from [ after ] a touchdown shall take precedence over four touchdowns . " In 1881 , the rules were modified so that a goal kicked from a touchdown took precedence over a goal kicked from the field in breaking ties . In 1882 , four touchdowns were determined to take precedence over a goal kicked from the field . Two safeties were equivalent to a touchdown . In 1883 , points were introduced to football , and a touchdown counted as four points . A goal after a touchdown also counted as four points . In 1889 , the provision requiring the ball to actually be touched to the ground was removed . A touchdown was now scored by possessing the ball beyond the goal line . In 1897 , the touchdown scored five points , and the goal after touchdown added an additional point . In 1900 , the definition of touchdown was changed to include situations where the ball becomes dead on or above the goal line . In 1912 , the value of a touchdown was increased to six points . The end zone was also added . Before the addition of the end zone , forward passes caught beyond the goal line resulted in a loss of possession and a touchback . ( The increase from five points to six did not come until much later in Canada , and the touchdown remained only five points there until 1956 . ) The ability to score a touchdown on the point - after attempt ( two - point conversion ) was added to NCAA football in 1958 , high school football in 1969 , and the NFL in 1994 .