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In most English-speaking countries, the word "football" usually refers to Association Football , also known as soccer (soccer originally being a slang abbreviation of ''Association''). Of the 45 national FIFA affiliates in which English is an official or primary language, only four — Canada , New Zealand , Samoa and the United States — use soccer in their name, while the rest use football (although the Samoan Federation actually uses both). In Australia , the Governing Body's renaming and increased usage of "football" rather than "soccer" has caused controversy as the word has traditionally been used to refer to Australian rules football or rugby league. In English-speaking countries other that the UK, the word "football" may refer to or Rugby Union . ETYMOLOGY While it is widely believed that the s, as opposed to the Horse-riding sports more often played by Aristocrat s. This explanation is supported by the fact that the word football has always implied a variety of games played on foot, not just those that involved kicking a ball. In fact, in some cases the word has been applied to games which involved carrying a ball and did not allow players to kick it. For example, the English writer William Hone in ''The Every-Day Book'' ( 1825 -26), quotes a passage from the social researcher Sir Frederick Morton Eden , regarding a traditional game (which Hone refers to as "football"), played in the parish of Scone, Scotland : The game was this: he who at any time got the ball into his hands, run with it till overtaken by one of the opposite part; and then, if he could shake himself loose from those on the opposite side who seized him, he run on; if not, he threw the ball from him, unless it was wrested from him by the other party, However, there is no conclusive evidence for either explanation. AUSTRALIA In Australia , "football" and the abbreviation "footy" have different meanings from one region to another. Australians generally fall into four camps when it comes to the use of them:
CANADA In Canada , "football" can refer to either Canadian football or American football, often differentiated as either "CFL" (from the governing Canadian Football League ) or "NFL" (from the US National Football League ). Because of the similarity between the games, many people in both countries do not consider the two styles of football separate sports ''per se'', but rather different codes of the same sport. If a Canadian were to say, "My brother plays football in the US", it would be clear from context that American Football is meant. Association football, which is rapidly gaining in popularity, is called soccer. The usage of football, to mean the local code, is so strong in Canada that Canadian football is referred to as ''le football'' among French -speaking Canadians, and Association football is ''le soccer''. IRELAND In Ireland , "football" can mean association football or Gaelic football, depending on which code predominates within the speaker's community.
Association football, when not called "football", is called "soccer". Gaelic football is often referred to informally as "gaelic" or "gaa" (pronounced (), or less accurately as "GAA" or "GAA football" after its governing body, the Gaelic Athletic Association (which also governs other Gaelic sports). NEW ZEALAND In New Zealand , "football" usually refers to rugby union, but depending on context can also refer to rugby league or association football. It is, however, considered inappropriate to refer to "football" without supporting context as to which code the speaker means, so as to avoid confusion. Association football is called soccer. Australian rules football and American football are not very widespread, and are known as Aussie Rules and Gridiron respectively. SOUTH AFRICA In South Africa , the names "football" and soccer are both used for association football, although "soccer" is more commonly used. Rugby union is called "rugby" (and rugby league has only a small following). UNITED KINGDOM In the United Kingdom , the word "football" almost always means association football. Despite the word "soccer" originating in England , as a term commonly used by Public School boys in addition to '''rugger''' for Rugby , today its use is often frowned upon (and is even seen by many as an Americanism ). However, it does sometimes appear in proper names in the UK, such as the '' Soccer AM '' and '' Soccer Saturday '' programmes on the pay television channel Sky Sports . The vehemence with which followers of association football dislike this usage is exemplified by a British Punk band, Wat Tyler , which in 1992 released a song entitled, "It's Football, Not Fuckin' Soccer". However, rugby league may also be referred to by those who follow it as "football". In the rugby league heartlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire , the names football and rugby are both used in relation to rugby league, although "football" usually refers to Association football. In the rest of the United Kingdom, rugby usually means rugby union (which, as a rule, is called "rugger" only by those educated at Private School s). Alternatively, the two rugby codes may be referred to simply as "league" and "union" (particularly by each other's fans). In Wales , a rugby union stronghold, union is often referred to as football. Until very recently, at Eton College , the word "football" usually referred to the Eton Field Game . At the college, association football is still formally referred to as "association football", and the school’s team is called "the association" both formally and colloquially. UNITED STATES In the United States , the word "football" refers to American Football . Association football is called "soccer". Soccer is a less popular spectator sport, though it does have a considerable following, particularly among younger people and immigrants. Gaelic football, Australian rules football and both of the rugby codes have very small, albeit growing numbers of adherents. However most people in the US are not usually aware of the distinction between rugby union and rugby league, and consequently both are referred to simply as "rugby". Because of the number of American players in the Canadian Football League , a small number of Americans follow Canadian Football , which is occasionally broadcast on American cable channels. Because of the similarity between American and Canadian football, many people in both countries do not consider the two styles of football separate sports ''per se'', but rather different codes of the same sport. If an American were to say, "My brother plays football in Canada", it would be clear from context that Canadian Football is meant. |
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