Where Did the Word "Soccer" Come From? [March 2025 update]

In Great Britain, they use the term “football” to describe what Americans call “soccer.” So, where did the term soccer come from?

Key Takeaways

• The term “soccer” originated in England as a nickname for Association Football, following a trend of adding “-er” endings to words.
• While Britain moved away from the term, it became standard in the United States to differentiate from American Football.
• Several sports, including rugby, American football, and Australian rules football, evolved from English boarding school traditions.

Origins of the Term Soccer

Football (and soccer) have existed for hundreds of years. In 1863, England’s Football Association wrote its official rules, kicking off Association Football. At the same time, Rugby Football was also a popular sport in the country. To differentiate between the sports, students in Oxford and Cambridge got creative, giving the sports nicknames. It was trendy at the time to add “-er” endings to words, like “foot-er.”

Thanks to this trend, rugby football was referred to as “rugger” and “assoccer” was used for association football. In the end, “assoccer” was further shortened to “soccer.” That name didn’t last in England.

Soccer in the United States

It was a different story in the United States. American association football players adopted “soccer” to refer to their sport because gridiron football (now known as American Football) was growing in popularity. The term soccer stuck as it was the better option for players to distinguish between the two sports.

Rugby, football soccer, American soccer, Australian rules football and Gaelic football all derive from English boarding school culture.

For more, watch this video:

Do you say soccer or football in your country? Whatever term you prefer is fine with us, but we’ll be using soccer since it’s in the name of one of our popular student travel programs in Costa Rica!

Also, click your cleats three times if you want to join our  Soccer and Service Program!

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Why do Americans say “soccer” instead of “football”?
Americans adopted “soccer” to distinguish Association Football from American Football, which was growing in popularity in the U.S. The term stuck, while in England, “football” remained the preferred term.

2. Did the word “soccer” really come from England?
Yes, the term originated in England as a shortened form of “Association Football,” following a trend among students at Oxford and Cambridge who added “-er” to words. Over time, the British stopped using “soccer,” but it remained popular in the U.S.

3. Do other countries use the word “soccer”?
Yes, besides the U.S., countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa also use “soccer” to differentiate it from other forms of football, such as rugby or Australian rules football.