Soccer, as a sport, has tremendous popularity all over the world. It has great fame throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America, and Central America.
Around the world, across over 200 countries, soccer has about 3.5 billion fans. It is estimated by FIFA, going by registered players and referees in leagues worldwide, that there are about 270 million players in the sport.
Just as the sport’s fan base cuts across continental lines, the sport has diverse ways to refer to it in different languages. This article focuses on how the sport is officially called in different languages worldwide.
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How to Call Soccer in Different Languages?
With over 6,000 recognized languages globally, soccer is pronounced in different ways.
For instance, the Japan Football Association has its official name that includes “football” but in actual practice, sakkā (サッカー), derived from “soccer”, is more popular than futtobōru (フットボール). Therefore, Nippon Sakkā Kyōkai is the JFA’s Japanese name.
In the continents of North & South America, the official and national languages include English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French. However, this does not undermine the indigenous languages spoken by people on the continents.
Many Europeans have Spanish, French, German, English, Latin, etc., as second languages. The European Union official has and recognizes 24 languages.
The Australian continent has the highest number of rapidly disappearing languages globally. The Papuan and Austronesian are the two major language groups in the Pacific Islands. English, however, appears to be the most popular national and official language of the continent.
Official and national languages in Africa and Asia are so diverse. The African Union considers all African languages as official languages in the African continent.
Asia, a continent that also envelopes the Middle East, has its fair share of numerous languages.
For better understanding, countries will be categorized along continental lines. Here are ways some countries of the world call the game of soccer!
Note: Some countries are multilingual and may have several official languages. To avoid bias, major languages in these countries will be highlighted, together with the country’s Lingua franca, where applicable.
America
Countries in America | Languages | How to call soccer |
Anguilla (UK) | English | Football |
Antigua and Barbuda | English | Football |
Argentina | Spanish | Fútbol |
Aruba | Dutch | Voetbal |
Bahamas | English | Football |
Barbados | English | Football |
Belize | English | Football |
Bolivia | Spanish | Fútbol |
Brazil | Portuguese | Futebol |
Canada | English, French | Soccer, le football |
Chile | Spanish | Fútbol |
Columbia | Spanish | Fútbol |
Costa Rica | Spanish | Fútbol |
Cuba | Spanish | Fútbol |
Dominica | English | Football |
Dominican Republic | Spanish | Fútbol |
Ecuador | Spanish | Fútbol |
El Salvador | Spanish | Fútbol |
Guatemala | Spanish | Fútbol |
Haiti | French, Creole | Le football, Foutbòl |
Honduras | Spanish | Fútbol |
Jamaica | English | Football |
Mexico | Spanish | Fútbol |
Nicaragua | Spanish | Fútbol |
Panama | Spanish | Fútbol |
Paraguay | Spanish | Fútbol |
Peru | Spanish | Fútbol |
Puerto Rico | Spanish, English | Fútbol, soccer |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | English | Football |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | English | Football |
Suriname | Dutch | Voetbal |
Trinidad and Tobago | English | Football |
Uruguay | Spanish | Fútbol |
US Virgin Islands (USA) | English | Soccer |
USA | English | Soccer |
Venezuela | Spanish | Fútbol |
Africa
Countries in Africa | Languages | How to call soccer |
Algeria | Arabic | كرة القدم (kurat al qadam) |
Angola | Portuguese | Futebol |
Benin | French | Football |
Burkina Faso | French | Football |
Burundi | French, Swahili | Football, soka |
Cameroon | English, French | Football |
Central African Republic | French | Football |
Chad | French | Football |
Comoros | French | Football |
Congo | French | Football |
Côte d’Ivoire | French | Football |
Djibouti | French | Football |
Egypt | Arabic | كرة القدم (kurat al qadam) |
Equatorial Guinea | Spanish | Fútbol |
Gabon | French | Football |
Guinea | French | Football |
Lesotho | Sesotho, Zulu, Xhosa, English | Bolo ea maoto, ibhola, ibhola ekhatywayo, soccer |
Liberia | English | Football and soccer |
Libya | Arabic | كرة القدم (kurat al qadam) |
Madagascar | Malagasy | Baolina kitra |
Mali | French | Football |
Mauritania | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Morocco | Arabic, French | Kurat al qadam, football |
Mozambique | Portuguese | Futebol |
Namibia | Afrikaans | sokker |
Niger | French | Football |
Nigeria | English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo | Football, {wallon} afa, boolu afesegba, bol |
Rwanda | Kinyarwanda, French, English | Umupira w’amaguru, football |
Senegal | French | Football |
Seychelles | English, French | Football |
Somalia | Somali, English | Kubada cagta, soccer |
South Africa | Afrikaans, English | Sokker, soccer |
South Sudan | Arabic, Nubian | Kurat al qadam, maen bal |
Togo | French | Football |
Tunisia | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Asia and The Middle East
Countries in Asia and The Middle East | Languages | How to call soccer |
Afghanistan | Pashto | فوټبال |
Armenia | Armenian | ֆուտբոլ) |
Azerbaijan | Azerbaijani | futbol |
Bahrain | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Bangladesh | Bengali | Football (in Bengali writing) |
Cambodia | Balteat | បាល់ទាត់ |
China | Mandarin | 足球 |
Cyprus | Greek-cypriot | “mappa” (μάππα) |
Georgia | Georgian | Pekhburti |
India | Hindi | futabol |
Indonesia | Bahasa Indonesia | Sepak bola |
Israel | Hebrew | kaduregel |
Japan | Japanese | sakkā or futtobōru |
Jordan | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Kazakhstan | Kazakh | Fwtbol |
Korea, South | Korean | Chuggu |
Kuwait | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Kyrgyzstan | Kyrgyz | janibarlar |
Lao PDR | Lao | ban-te |
Lebanon | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Malaysia | Malayalam, Bhasa Melayu | Phutball, bolasepak |
Mongolia | Khalkha Mongol | хөлбөмбөг (khölbömbög) |
Myanmar | Burmese | Ball-pwe |
Nepal | Nepali | Phutabala |
Oman | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Pakistan | Punjabi, English | Phutabāla, football and soccer |
Palestinian territories | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Philippines | English | Soccer |
Qatar | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Russian Federation | Tajik | футбол – futbol |
Saudi Arabia | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Singapore | English | Football and soccer |
Sri Lanka | Sinhala | පා පන්ද |
Syria | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Tajikistan | Tajik | футбол – futbol |
Thailand | Thai | ฟุตบอล – fút-bol |
Turkey | Turkish | Futbol |
United Arab Emirates | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Uzbekistan | Uzbek | Futbol |
Vietnam | Vietnamese | “bóng đá” and “đá banh” |
Yemen | Arabic | (kurat al qadam) كرة القدم |
Australia and Oceania
Countries in Australia and Oceania | Languages | How to call soccer |
American Samoa | English | Soccer |
Australia | Australian English | Soccer and football |
New Caledonia | French | Football |
New Zealand | English, Maori | Soccer and football, poikiri |
Samoa | Samoan | Soka |
Vanuatu | French | Football |
Europe
Countries in Europe | Languages | How to call soccer |
Albania | Albanian | futboll |
Andorra | Catalan | futbol |
Austria | German | Fußball |
Belarus | Belarusian | футбол – futbol |
Belgium | Dutch | Football |
Bosnia–Herzegovina | Bosnian | Nogomet |
Bulgaria | Bulgarian | футбол |
Croatia | Croatian | nogomet |
Cyprus | Greek | ποδόσφαιρο |
Czech Republic | Czech | Fotbal, kopaná |
Denmark | Danish | fodbold |
Estonia | Estonian | jalgpall |
Finland | Finnish | jalkapallo |
France | French | Football |
Germany | German | Fußball |
Greece | Greek | ποδόσφαιρο |
Hungary | Hungarian | Labdarúgás, futball |
Iceland | Icelandic | fótbolti or knattspyrna |
Ireland | Irish | Peil |
Italy | Italian | Calcio |
Latvia | Latvian | Futbols, kājbumba |
Liechtenstein | German | Fußball |
Lithuania | Lithuanian | Futbola |
Luxembourg | Luxembourgish | Futbolas |
Malta | Maltese | Football |
Monaco | French | Football |
Netherlands | Dutch | Voetbal |
Poland | Polish | piłka nożna |
Portugal | Portuguese | Futebol |
Romania | Romanian | Fotbal |
Russia | Russian | футбол – futbol |
San Marino | Italian | Calcio |
Scotland | Scots Gaelic | Soccer |
Serbia | Serbian | фудбал – fudbal |
Slovakia | Slovak | Futbal, kopaná |
Slovenia | Slovenian | Nogomet |
Spain | Spanish | fútbol |
Sweden | Swedish | fotboll |
Switzerland | German | fußball |
Turkey | Turkish | Futbol |
Ukraine | Ukrainian | футбол – futbol |
Wales | Welsh | pêl-droed |
Conclusion
In club tournaments, language barriers have been broken due to a common official language shared by countries from separate continents. It has also been achieved as a result of deliberate effort undertaken by the players to learn other languages to improve their entire performance.
Of a truth, the love for the game of soccer has cut across barriers. Irrespective of the name it is called globally, one cannot downplay its unifying effect.
Hi there, I’m Jay.
The Pitch is Ours is a new beginning for me and a stepping stone to prepare before retiring from the professional soccer team. Soccer is everything in my life! My friends and I have created this blog with all our enthusiasm, passion, and understanding after years of playing pro soccer. Hope you will enjoy it!