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48 nations from across the globe are gathering this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, introducing a wealth of new cultures, languages and experiences to North America for soccer's most prestigious event.
For many North American sports enthusiasts, however, the greatest culture shock may stem from the name of the sport itself. Referred to as "soccer" in co-hosting nations the U.S. and Canada, Mexico calls the foot-based sport "fútbol," which aligns more closely with terminology used in other countries worldwide.
"Football" is the term fans will encounter repeatedly across the 16 World Cup host cities. That word, or some variation of it—whether the Dutch "voetball", Spanish "fútbol", French "le foot," or German "fußball"—will all represent the sport that North Americans typically call "soccer." You might also hear the Italian term "calcio," despite Italy failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive tournament. Regardless of the term used, they all refer to the same cherished game.
Soccer—It's Actually a British Term
Although "soccer" is the widely used name for the sport in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the word actually originates from the United Kingdom—a country where many would never dare use any term other than "football" for the game.
"Soccer" is a shortened version of the sport's full name: "association football," a title reportedly coined in England in 1863 when the newly-established Football Association first documented the rules of the game. "Soccer" simply takes the "soc" from "association" and appends the "er." At one time, rugby—originally known as "rugby football"—even went by "rugger," following the same naming convention, but has since settled exclusively on "rugby".
Students at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in the 1880s opted to abbreviate the name "association football," and while "soccer" never caught on in the United Kingdom or much of the rest of the world, the once-British term firmly embedded itself in the North American English vocabulary.
So, while you're watching the 2026 World Cup this summer and want to sound knowledgeable, feel free to use either term. And if someone insists it shouldn't be called "soccer," well, now you have the full explanation.
Why Don't Americans Call it 'Football'?
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
The sport remains known as "soccer" in the U.S. to prevent confusion with NFL-style football, which is overwhelmingly the most popular sport in the country.
American football as we recognize it today was once referred to as "gridiron football," a name derived from the sport's roots in both association football and rugby football rules. "Gridiron football" was eventually shortened to the sport's current name, however.