English soccer dictionary for Americans

For new soccer fans, getting a hang of all the lingo can be a little challenging. Even for longtime fans of the sport in the US, when watching games from across the pond you might find yourself scratching your head trying to understand some of the local terminology used. So we’ve put together an English soccer dictionary for Americans for some of the language you’re likely to encounter.

Added Time – noun

The amount of time added on to the end of a half, determined by the referee crew to make up for time when the ball was not in play. Also called “Stoppage Time.”

Administration – noun

A club may “go into administration” when it cannot pay off outstanding debts. Often this is accompanied by a points deduction in the standings and can result in relegation. Frequently assets and league membership are transferred to a new legal company to keep a club playing after this process begins. Some notable clubs to have recently gone into administration are Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic, Derby County, and the biggest, Scotland’s Rangers in 2012.

Aggregate (Score) – adjective

In a two-legged match, the total combined score from both games, used to determine a winner.

Association Football – noun

What Americans (and Canadians, Australians, South Africans, and areas where other forms of football are historically more popular) call the sport of soccer. Usually shortened to just “football.” The word “soccer” actually comes from the “association” part of the name. In the late 1800s the slang term assoccer arose in England, which was then shortened to “soccer.”

Away Goals Rule – noun

Tie-breaking rule applied in some competitions for two-legged matches. If teams are level on aggregate score after both games, the team that scored the most goals away from home is declared the winner.

Banger – noun

1. A really good goal, often a hard-hit shot from distance. (ex: “Another banger from Kane!”)
2. A sausage, often served as part of a “Full English” breakfast, which can be enjoyed watching English soccer in the early morning hours at many pubs across the US.

Banter / Bantz – noun

Mocking, teasing, or similar remarks exchanged with a rival team or supporters; trash talking.

Brace – noun

The act of scoring two goals in one match (ex: “Silva scored his third brace of the season Saturday.”)

Byline – noun

The end line on the field, the shorter side running from corner to corner. Also called the goal line.

Cheeky – adjective

Something that’s clever, sometimes unconventional (ex: “cheeky pass there, right between the defender’s legs!”)

Cracker – noun

1. A very exciting match
2. A much-anticipated upcoming match
3. A great goal (ex: “The second goal by Henderson was a cracker!”)

Cup tie – noun

Informal phrase for a match between two clubs in a cup competition

Cup-tied – adjective

If a player appears for a club during a cup competition, that player is said to be “cup-tied” to that club. If that player transfers to another club from that same competition before its conclusion, they cannot play for their new club as they are “tied” to their previous one.

Double – noun

A club winning its domestic league championship and primary cup competition in the same season is said to have “done the double.” Furthermore, 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 amount of goals. A tie game.

Extra Time – noun

Akin to overtime in American sports. Used only in knockout games where a winner is required if a match is tied after 90 minutes. Played as two 15-minute halves for a total of 30 minutes.

FA Cup – noun

The primary domestic cup competition for teams playing in the English league system. The oldest national football competition in the world, it is open to every club from the ninth level of the English pyramid all the way up to the Premier League. A record 763 clubs competed in the 2011-12 edition of the FA Cup.

Firm – noun

An organized group of supporters of a club, historically associated with hooliganism in the UK. Called “Ultras” across much or Europe, and known as “Barra Bravas” in parts of Latin America. The American equivalent, and much less associated with hooliganism, are supporters groups such as the Timbers Army or Northern Guard.

First-time – adjective

When a player hits a shot or pass without controlling the ball first. Similar to the North American ice hockey terms “one-timer” or “one touch pass.”

Fixture – noun

A specific match listed on the schedule. Or “fixtures” would be a list of scheduled games.

Flick On – verb

When a ball is quickly played without controlling it first, usually with the head.

Football – noun

1. The sport we call soccer – see Association Football
2. The ball itself, used to play the sport

Football League, The – noun

Officially known since 2016-17 as the English Football League (EFL), the Football League was founded in 1888 and is the oldest soccer league competition in the world. It operated the top for divisions of English football until 1992, when the top 22 teams of 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).

Footy – noun

Shorthand slang for football (the sport).

Gaffer, The – noun

Slang term for the manager/head coach of a team.

Ground – noun

A soccer stadium.

Into Touch – preposition

When the ball goes out out-of-bounds, past the sideline a.k.a. touchline (ex: “…and the ball goes into touch and that’ll be a throw in”) – see Touchline

Kit – noun

A soccer uniform. It can also be used in the term full kit wanker, i.e. someone wearing socks, shorts and shirt.

Kop – noun

Steep, terraced stands behind the goals. For example, the most famous one is The Kop behind one of the goalmouths at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium. A Kop is named for 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 corporate sponsored name, such as the Carling Cup, Capital One Cup, or its current name, the Carabao Cup.

Match – noun

Another word for game

Nutmeg – verb

Kicking the ball between the legs of a defender.

Phoenix club – noun

A club that forms to replace an earlier club that has folded. These clubs usually adopt similar colors and names to their processors. Examples include AFC Wimbledon, Hereford FC, Bury AFC, and many others over the years.

Pitch – noun

The field of play.

Premier League – noun

The top division of English football and arguably the top professional league in the world. Founded in 1992, the Premier League is a breakaway from the existing Football League structure. Also see our Premier League beginners guide.

Promotion – noun

Winning a place in a higher league based upon results at the end of a season. A team may be automatically promoted, or based on positioning 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 clubs from League Two are automatically promoted to League One, and one club from the National League is automatically promoted to League Two. At each of these levels, an additional team is promoted by winning a promotion playoff tournament.

Teams cannot win promotion on the field in the North American soccer pyramid. However many have purchased their way into a higher division via buying an expansion franchise – such as the 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 this, the Seattle Sounders (USL->MLS) in 2009.

Relegation – noun

Being sent down to a lower league based upon results at the end of a season. In England, teams are automatically relegated and do not enter a playoff as in some 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 cannot be relegated via results in American soccer (or sports in general), but sometimes teams will voluntarily move to a lower level to reduce costs or lessen travel burdens. The Richmond Kickers, Charleston Battery, Rochester NY FC (formerly the Rhinos) among others have done this in the past.

Supporter – noun

Fan of a club, often but not always referring to the hardcore, more boisterous type of fan.

Table – noun

League standings, ranked in descending order with the team with the most points at the top. Three points are awarded for a win, 1 point for draw, and 0 points for a loss.

Terrace(s) – noun

The standing area of the stadium where fans stand atop concrete steps. Dating from past eras when much of the spectator areas in stadiums were actually just terraced standing areas with no seats. Many smaller grounds still feature standing terraces, but these have been outlawed in the upper levels of English football since the late 1980s after the Hillsborough Disaster.

Touchline – noun

The sideline on the field, running the length of the pitch.