Why Is Football Called Soccer in the US and Canada?

Football is deeply loved by millions worldwide, but in the United States and Canada, the sport goes by a different name: soccer. This naming difference raises questions, especially since both countries are co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.

Stefan Szymanski, an emeritus professor at the University of Michigan who grew up in England during the 1960s and 1970s, recalls that the term soccer was widely accepted back then. He found the football versus soccer debate rather odd and started asking friends if there was ever any issue with the word. The consensus pointed to no significant problem with the term during that era.

The Roots in England's Elite Schools

Football’s origins trace back to 1863 when the Football Association was founded by Oxford graduates from prestigious public schools. The sport they organized was called association football to set it apart from rugby football, another popular game at the time.

John M Cunningham notes in the Encyclopaedia Britannica that the name 'association football' helped distinguish these two types of football. Rugby football was often shortened to "rugger," a slang created by adding '-er' to words, a habit among wealthy university students in the late 19th century.

Following this pattern, 'soccer' likely emerged from taking 'soc' from the middle of 'association' and attaching '-er.' Though no one can be absolutely sure, many historical records suggest this word originated at Oxford.

Early Appearances and Spread

Sports historian Andy Mitchell found mentions of soccer or socker in English school magazines from 1885. He suspects the word was already in spoken use before appearing in print. Eventually, the variant 'socker' faded while 'soccer' stuck around.

As football spread globally, so did the term soccer. It became common in places like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada. In the US, the reason soccer took hold ties back to the popularity of American football, a sport that developed from rugby but includes aspects similar to soccer.

Szymanski explains these sports are like close relatives, which might explain why American football gained traction just as the word soccer was coined.

The Shift in Terminology

British newspapers used soccer alongside football well into the 1980s before football took precedence. Today, the term football dominates in the UK, though Americans often apologize for saying soccer when speaking with Brits, thinking it might offend them. Szymanski says he reassures students that soccer is an English word and they should feel comfortable using it.

"I think it’s very polite of them to apologize, but I tell them: It’s an English word—feel free to use it."

The naming difference remains a curious example of how language and culture evolve around the same sport in different parts of the world.