Why Is Football Called Soccer in the US and Canada?

Football means everything to millions globally, yet in two nations co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, it's often called something else: soccer. Why does this happen, especially in the US and Canada?

Stefan Szymanski, a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan who grew up in England during the 1960s and 1970s, recalls that soccer was a common term back then. He found it curious how the debate between football and soccer seemed odd. Investigating further, he learned that the word wasn’t controversial in his youth.

Elite Origins of Football

Football’s roots trace back to 1863 in England where the Football Association was founded by Oxford graduates from elite schools. The game was originally called association football to set it apart from rugby football, another popular sport.

“There were two games: one called rugby football, and the other association football,” Szymanski explained.

From 'Association' to 'Soccer'

In the late 19th century, upper-class students had a habit of shortening words and adding '-er' as slang. For example, breakfast became 'brekker,' rugby was 'rugger.' They applied the same to association football, taking the 'soc' from 'association' and adding '-er,' creating the word soccer.

Szymanski admits no one knows for sure, but many historical records confirm soccer originated at Oxford.

Spread Across Continents

Sports historian Andy Mitchell found soccer or its variant 'socker' appearing in English school magazines as early as 1885. Over time, 'socker' faded, but soccer stuck. As football spread worldwide, so did the term soccer, especially in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada.

In the United States, football typically means American football, which evolved from rugby but includes some soccer-like elements. Both sports are closely related, which is why soccer became the preferred word there when American football rose in popularity in the late 1800s.

The Term's Popularity Over Time

British media used both terms well into the 1980s, with football eventually becoming dominant. Today, Americans often apologize for saying soccer around Brits, fearing sensitivity about the word. Szymanski points out this politeness is appreciated but unnecessary, as soccer is originally an English term.