Why is ‘Soccer’ Called ‘Football’ Outside of the U.S.?

U.S. sports fans call the footed sport “soccer,” but the rest of the world uses a different term for it.

Soccer is called “football” in many countries. | Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images

48 countries from all over the world are convening this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, bringing a host of new cultures, languages and experiences to North America for soccer’s grandest showcase.

For many North American sports fans, though, the biggest culture shock may come from the name of the sport itself. Known as “soccer” in co-hosting U.S. and Canada, Mexico calls the footed sport “fútbol,” which is more in line with other countries around the world. 

“Football” is the term fans will hear frequently across the 16 World Cup cities. That word, or some variation of it—whether the Dutch “voetball”, Spanish “fútbol”, French “le foot,” or German “fußball”— all will represent the sport North Americans tend to call “soccer.” You may even hear the Italian term “calcio” as well, even though Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third straight edition. No matter the term, they all refer to the same beloved game. 

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Soccer—It’s Actually a British Term

The term "soccer" originated at British universities. | IMAGO/Ulmer

Although “soccer” is the common name for the sport in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the word actually comes from the United Kingdom—a country where many wouldn’t dare utter a term other than “football” for the sport. 

“Soccer” is the short form of the sport’s full title: “association football,” a name reportedly coined in England back in 1863 when the newly-created Football Association wrote down the rules of the game. “Soccer” just takes the “soc” from “association” and adds the “er.” At one point, rugby—originally called “rugby football”—even went by “rugger,” following the same method, but has since chosen to go exclusively by “rugby”.

Students at the Oxford and Cambridge Universities in the 1880s made the decision to shorten the title of “association football,” and while “soccer” didn’t stick in the United Kingdom or around much of the world, the once-British term solidified itself in the North American English lexicon. 

So, while you’re watching the 2026 World Cup this summer and want to sound like you know what you’re talking about, you can use either term. And if someone says it’s not called “soccer,” well, now you have the explanation.

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Why Don’t Americans Call it ‘Football’?

The Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl win came in the sport U.S. fans call football. | Jamie Schwaberow/Sports Illustrated

The sport continues to be regarded as “soccer” in the U.S. to avoid confusion with NFL-style football, which is by far the most popular sport in the country.

American football as we know it today was once known as “gridiron football,” a name resulting from the sport’s derivation from both the rules of association football and rugby football. “Gridiron football” was soon shortened to the sport's modern name, though.

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