The FIFA World Cup 2026 has brought football fever to North America, but it has also revived an old debate that surfaces every four years: why do Americans and Canadians call the sport “soccer” while most of the world calls it “football”?
Contrary to popular belief, the term “soccer” was not invented in the United States. In fact, the word originated in England itself, where the modern version of the game first took shape in the 19th century.
Researchers and sports historians say the story dates back to the early years of organised football, when different forms of the sport competed for popularity and identity.
The Oxford roots behind the word soccer
According to the BBC, modern football was formally organised in 1863 when England’s Football Association established a standard set of rules for the game. To distinguish it from rugby football, the sport became known as “association football”.
At elite British universities, particularly Oxford, students developed a habit of shortening words and adding “er” to the end. Breakfast became “brekker”, and rugby became “rugger”.
According to historians, students applied the same linguistic trend to association football. They shortened “association” to “soc” and eventually coined the term “soccer”.
Evidence suggests the word was already in circulation by the mid-1880s, appearing in school publications and university slang long before the sport reached global prominence.
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How did soccer become common in North America?
According to the BBC, as football spread across the world, both “football” and “soccer” travelled with it. While Britain gradually moved toward using “football” almost exclusively, several countries retained the term “soccer”.
The United States had a particular reason to do so. By the late 19th century, American football had emerged as a separate sport influenced by rugby. Since “football” was already associated with the American version, “soccer” became the easiest way to distinguish the global game.
Canada followed a similar pattern because Canadian football also developed its own identity. As a result, “soccer” remained firmly embedded in sporting culture across North America.
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Football or soccer? Both are technically correct
According to the BBC, the debate often sparks strong opinions among fans, but historians point out that both terms have legitimate roots in English sporting history.
Research by academics has shown that British newspapers continued using the word “soccer” well into the late 20th century before “football” became the dominant term. In countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the term is still commonly used today.
