Objective of the study is to comprehend the phenomenon of football from a philosophical perspective in order to identify the phenomenological features of this game and understand the resources of football's influence as a ‘soft power’ in the contemporary socio-cultural situation. Methods and structure of the study. In the course of this study, methods of theoretical and systematic analysis and participant observation were used. Results and conclusions. A philosophical study of football will bring us closer to an answer, as it reveals and uncovers many layers in the phenomenon of football: ontological (being-in-play, time and space on the field), existential (freedom of choice, authenticity, absurdity and meaning), phenomenological (the player's physical experience, experiencing the moment), socio-philosophical (team, leadership, identity, value, tradition, shared history), aesthetic (beauty, play as art). Football appears as a rich metaphor for life: an arena where cooperation and competition play out, where there are tragedies of defeat and epics of victory, where each person can find their place in the team and their personal value. It should be noted that the study consists of two parts. The first part introduces the stated issues, while the second part of the article, which will be published later, examines the main issues.