Discovering 10 Alternative Names for Soccer Around the Globe
As I watched the Philippines women's national team—affectionately known as the Filipinas—make history by qualifying for their first World Cup during the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, it struck me how this beautiful game connects us across cultures despite being called by different names. Having traveled to over 30 countries studying football culture, I've collected fascinating alternative names for what Americans call soccer and what much of the world calls football. Let me share with you ten remarkable variations that reveal how this sport has woven itself into local cultures worldwide.
In England, where I spent three years researching football history, they naturally call it football—the original name dating back to the 19th century when formal rules were established. But across the Atlantic, my American friends insist on soccer, a term that actually originated in England as university slang before crossing the ocean. What many don't realize is that both terms were used interchangeably in Britain until about the 1970s, when soccer gradually became distinctly American. During my research in Australia, I discovered they make a clear distinction—football means Australian rules football while what Americans call soccer is... well, soccer. This distinction becomes crucial during international competitions like the World Cup, where Australia fields both the Socceroos and Matildas.
My personal favorite discovery came during my stay in Italy, where they call it calcio, derived from an ancient Roman ball game. The Italians play with such artistic flair that the name feels perfectly suited. Similarly poetic is the Brazilian Portuguese term futebol, which rolls off the tongue as smoothly as their players move the ball. I'll never forget watching children in Rio's favelas shouting "futebol!" while playing with makeshift balls—the passion transcends language barriers. In Spain, it's fútbol, and having attended matches at both Camp Nou and Santiago Bernabéu, I can confirm the energy surrounding this word is absolutely electric. The Spanish pronunciation carries a distinctive intensity that matches their technical, possession-based style of play.
During my Southeast Asian travels, I noticed fascinating adaptations. In the Philippines, where the Filipinas' historic qualification occurred, they use both football and soccer interchangeably—a reflection of American and global influences. Their recent success actually reminds me of how Japan transformed their football culture after establishing the J-League in 1992. The Japanese call it sakkā, directly borrowed from English, yet they've developed a uniquely disciplined playing style. Meanwhile, in Germany, where I studied coaching methodologies, it's Fußball—the capitalization and ß character making it distinctly German, much like their efficient, systematic approach to the game.
The French call it football, pronounced with that characteristically elegant French accent, though my Parisian friends sometimes joke about "le foot" in casual conversation. What surprised me during my research was discovering that Ireland has two terms—sacair in Irish Gaelic alongside the English football, reflecting the nation's linguistic diversity. This duality mirrors how the sport itself has multiple dimensions, from grassroots community games to elite tournaments like the World Cup that the Filipinas recently qualified for. Their achievement demonstrates how football's global language transcends what we call it—the passion remains universal.
Having witnessed everything from Premier League matches to village games in Ghana where they call it bɔɔl, I've come to believe the name matters less than the shared experience. The Filipinas' World Cup qualification during the 2022 tournament—and the upcoming separate qualification process for 2027—proves that no matter what we call this sport, its power to inspire crosses all borders. Whether you call it soccer, football, or any of its dozens of local names, the beautiful game continues to write new stories of triumph and connection across our wonderfully diverse world.
