For new soccer fans, mastering all the lingo can be a little challenging. Even for long-time fans of the sport in the US, when watching games from across the pond, they may be scratching their heads trying to understand some of the local terminology used. So we’ve put together an English to American soccer dictionary for some of the languages you’re likely to encounter.
Added time – noun
The amount of time added at the end of a half, determined by the officiating team to make up time when the ball was out of play. Also called “Detention Time”.
administration – noun
A club can “go into administration” when it is unable to pay outstanding debts. This is often accompanied by a deduction of ranking points and may result in relegation. Frequently, the league’s assets and membership are transferred to a new legal company for the club to continue playing after this process begins. Some notable clubs that have recently gone into administration are Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic, Derby County and the biggest, Scottish Rangers in 2012.
Aggregate (punctuation) – adjective
In a two-legged match, the combined total score from both games is used to determine a winner.
Football Association – noun
What Americans (and Canadians, Australians, South Africans, and areas where other forms of soccer are historically more popular) call the sport of soccer. It is usually abbreviated to simply “football”. The word “football” actually comes from the “association” part of the name. In the late 1800s, the slang term assoccer emerged in England, later shortened to “soccer”.
Away goals rule – noun
Tie-break rule applied in some competitions for matches of two legs. If the teams are tied on the total score after both games, the team that scored the most away goals is declared the winner.
banger – noun
A really good goal, often a strong shot from distance. (eg: “Another Kane Slam!”) A sausage, often served as part of a “full English” breakfast, which can be enjoyed watching early morning English football in many pubs across the US .
Banter/Bantz – noun
Teasing, taunting, or similar comments exchanged with a rival team or supporters; talk trash.
brace – noun
The act of scoring two goals in a match (for example: “Silva scored his third brace of the season on Saturday”).
Byline – noun
The final line on the field, the shorter side running from corner to corner. Also called goal line.
Cheeky – adjective
Something that is clever, sometimes unconventional (eg: “Sassy pass there, right between the defender’s legs!”)
cookie – noun
A very exciting game A highly anticipated next game A great goal (for example: “Henderson’s second goal was a crack!”)
top tie – noun
Informal phrase for a match between two clubs in a cup competition
Tied to the cup – adjective
If a player appears for a club during a cup competition, that player is said to be “cup level” with that club. If that player transfers to another club of the same competition before its conclusion, he cannot play in his new club since he is “tied” to the previous one.
double – noun
A club that wins its domestic league championship and its main cup competition in the same season is said to have “done double”. Also, a treble is winning three trophies in one season. Winning a treble in one season is incredibly rare.
draw – noun
A match that ends with both teams having scored the same number of goals. A tie game.
Overtime – noun
Similar to overtime in American sports. It is used only in knockout games where a winner is required if a match is tied after 90 minutes. Played in two 15 minute halves for a total of 30 minutes.
FA Cup – noun
The main domestic cup competition for teams playing in the English league system. The oldest national soccer competition in the world, it is open to all clubs from the ninth level of the English pyramid up to the Premier League. A record 763 clubs competed in the 2011-12 edition of the FA Cup.
Signature – noun
An organized group of supporters of a club, historically associated with hooliganism in the UK. Called “Ultras” in much of Europe, and known as “Barra Bravas” in parts of Latin America. The American equivalent, let alone associated with hooliganism, are supporter groups like the Timbers Army or the Northern Guard.
first time – adjective
When a player hits a shot or pass without previously controlling the ball. Similar to the North American ice hockey terms “one-timer” or “one touch pass”.
accessory – noun
A specific match listed on the schedule. Or “accessories” would be a list of programmed games.
Flick On – verb
When a ball is played quickly without first controlling it, usually with the head.
football – noun
The sport we call football – see Association Football The ball itself, which is used to play this sport
Football League, The – noun
Officially known from 2016-17 as the English Football League (EFL), the Football League was founded in 1888 and is the oldest football league competition in the world. It operated the top of English football divisions until 1992, when the top 22 teams in the First Division broke away to form the Premier League we know today. The current EFL is divided into the Championship (Division 2), League One (Division 3) and League Two (Division 4).
Footie – noun
Abbreviated slang for soccer (sport).
Gaffer, The – noun
Slang term for the manager/head coach of a team.
Earth – noun
A football stadium.
Into Touch – preposition
When the ball goes out of bounds, beyond the sideline, also known as the touchline (for example: “…and the ball goes into touch and that will be a throw-in”) – see Touchline
kit – noun
A soccer uniform. It can also be used in the term full kit wanker, that is, someone who wears socks, shorts and a t-shirt.
kop – noun
Steep, stepped stands behind the goals. For example, the most famous is The Kop behind one of the goals at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool. A Kop is named after a hill in South Africa that was the site of the Battle of Spion Kop.
League Cup – noun
The secondary cup competition in England (after the FA Cup), open only to clubs in the top four divisions (Premier League, EFL Championship, League One and League Two). Since 1981, it has often been officially known by a company-sponsored name, such as the Carling Cup, the Capital One Cup, or its current name, the Carabao Cup.
party – noun
another word for game
nutmeg – verb
Kick the ball between the legs of a defender.
phoenix club – noun
A club that is formed to replace a previous club that has folded. These clubs often adopt colors and names similar to their processors. Examples include AFC Wimbledon, Hereford FC, Bury AFC and many others over the years.
tone – noun
The playing field.
Premier League – noun
The top division of English soccer and arguably the best professional league in the world. Founded in 1992, the Premier League is a break from the existing structure of the Football League. Also check out our beginner’s guide to the Premier League.
promotion – noun
Earn a place in a higher league based on results at the end of a season. A team can be automatically promoted or, based on ranking, enter a playoff to determine who earns a promotion spot. Two teams are automatically promoted from the EFL Championship to the Premier League and from League One to the Championship. Three League Two clubs are automatically promoted to League One and one National League club is automatically promoted to League Two. At each of these levels, an additional team is promoted by winning a promotion playoff tournament.
Teams cannot earn promotion up the field in the North American soccer pyramid. However, many have bought their way to a higher division by purchasing an expansion franchise, such as Portland Timbers (USL->MLS), Minnesota United FC (NASL->MLS), Detroit City FC (NISA->USL) , The Miami FC (NISA->USL), and the first team to do so, the Seattle Sounders (USL->MLS) in 2009.
relegation – noun
Being sent to a lower league based on results at the end of a season. In England, teams are automatically relegated and do not go into a play-off like in other countries. The bottom three teams are relegated from the Premier League to the EFL Championship, three from the Championship to League One, four from League One to League Two, and two from League Two to the National League. You can’t be relegated through results in football (or sports in general), but sometimes teams will voluntarily move to a lower tier to reduce costs or travel charges. Richmond Kickers, Charleston Battery, Rochester NY FC (formerly Rhinos), among others, have done this in the past.
supporter – noun
Club fan often, but not always, refers to the more boisterous, hardcore type of fan.
table – noun
League ranking, ranked in descending order with the team with the most points at the top. Three points are awarded for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss.
Terrace(s) – noun
The standing area of the stadium where fans stand on concrete steps. It dates from days gone by when much of the spectator areas in stadiums were really just terraced standing areas with no seats. Many smaller pitches still feature permanent terraces, but they have been banned at the top levels of English football since the late 1980s after the Hillsborough disaster.
contact line – noun
The sideline on the field, running the length of the pitch.
