A conference usually refers to a grouping of teams, typically (and loosely) based on geographical location. Sometimes if there are many teams, a conference can be split into divisions.

Examples:

• National Football Conference and American Football Conference of the National Football League
• Conference National, one level below the The Football League. The second tier of which is divided into Conference North and Conference South. Although, this does not meet the above defintion as Conference National is the fifth tier of the English football pyramid whilst Conferences North and South are the sixth.
• Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the National Basketball Association
• Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the National Hockey League
• List of college athletic conferences, for American intercollegiate sport
• In the Philippine Basketball Association where teams do not represent geographical entities, a conference is a tournament within a season.

See also

• List of college athletic conferences — in the United States