Do South Africans say soccer or football?

South Africans commonly use both "football" and "soccer," but "soccer" is very prevalent in media and everyday talk (like the Premier Soccer League), while "football" appears in official names (like the South African Football Association) and for other codes (like rugby). You'll hear both, but "soccer" is often preferred to distinguish it from rugby and other "football" codes popular in the country.
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Do they say soccer or football in South Africa?

Only two Germanic languages do not use "football" or a calque thereof as their primary word for association football: Afrikaans — sokker. This echoes the predominant use of "soccer" in South African English.
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Which countries say soccer instead of football?

Countries that call the global sport "soccer" instead of "football" primarily include the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, mainly to distinguish it from their own popular local football codes (American football, Canadian football, Aussie Rules). Other nations using "soccer" or variations include South Africa, New Zealand (though less common now), Ireland (outside Ulster), and parts of Southeast Asia, South Korea, and the Caribbean, with some using both terms.
 
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Is it correct to say football or soccer?

Both refer to the popular sport in which two teams compete by kicking a ball to score goals. However, their usage varies significantly by region. In British English, “football” is the standard term, while in American English, “soccer” is used to distinguish the sport from American football.
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Do Nigerians say soccer or football?

In Pakistan, Liberia, Nigeria and other English-speaking countries, both football and soccer are used both officially and commonly.
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Do Australians call it football or soccer?

Australians use both "football" and "soccer," but context matters: "Soccer" is common to avoid confusion with popular local codes like Aussie Rules (AFL) or Rugby, but "football" is increasingly used for the global game, especially by fans, media, and the governing body (Football Australia), while "footy" often refers to Aussie Rules or Rugby in different regions. 
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Do Koreans say soccer or football?

The word for "soccer" in Korean is 축구 (chukgu). The same term is used for "football."
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Why did Europe stop calling it soccer?

Most British people stopped saying "soccer" because of its American connotations, however, UK broadcaster Sky Sports still used it to brand wildly-popular TV shows "Soccer Saturday" and "Soccer A.M." So, no, it's not wrong to call it "soccer" if you're American.
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Do Asians call it football or soccer?

The Japanese word sakkā (サッカー) comes directly from the English word soccer, and it's what most people call the sport. Though “futtobōru” exists, it's rarely used for the global game.
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Do Canadians say soccer or football?

Canadians predominantly say "soccer" to refer to association football, distinguishing it from Canadian Football or American Football, which are popular in North America. While "football" is used for the gridiron sports, most Canadians use "soccer" for the global sport, though some might use "football" when speaking to people from other countries or if they have European roots. 
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Do Japanese say soccer or football?

Japanese people primarily say "soccer" (サッカー - sakka), derived from the English word, even though the official Japan Football Association (JFA) uses "football" in English, reflecting a global trend where many countries use "soccer" for association football to distinguish it from other forms like rugby or American football. 
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Does New Zealand call it soccer or football?

New Zealand traditionally called it soccer to differentiate from rugby (the dominant sport), but the official governing body changed its name to New Zealand Football (NZF) in 2007, leading to a gradual shift where many now use football, though "soccer" is still common, especially for casual talk, with "footy" usually meaning rugby.
 
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Why do Americans say soccer and not football?

Americans call association football "soccer" primarily to distinguish it from the popular American version of football, a term also used in the U.S. for a different sport, with "soccer" itself originating as British slang from "association football" in the 1880s, a name derived from the Football Association that standardized the rules.
 
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What does bafana mean?

Bafana (and Bafana Bafana) means "the boys, the boys" in Zulu, a Nguni language, and is famously the nickname for South Africa's men's national soccer team, adopted by fans cheering them on after the country's return to international football in the early 1990s. It signifies youth, energy, and national pride, with bafana being the plural of umfana (boy). 
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What do South Africans call shoes?

"Tackie, Takkie, n." Dictionary of South African English. Dictionary Unit for South African English, 2025.
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Do Mexicans call it soccer or football?

Yes, Mexicans call soccer "fútbol," which is the Spanish word derived from the English term "football," and this term is used universally in Mexico and most of the Spanish-speaking world for the sport known as soccer in the U.S. They distinguish it from American football by calling that "fútbol americano". 
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Do Africans say football or soccer?

The sport is universal — the name is not. Across most of the world, it's simply “football.” But in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, the word “soccer” takes over — a term that surprisingly began in England before spreading abroad.
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Do Filipinos say football or soccer?

⚽🇵🇭 In the Philippines, most people say football… but American influence is still strong. Even though the majority of Filipinos naturally use the word football, you still hear many people say soccer, a direct influence from the United States.
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Do Australians say soccer or football?

Terminology. In Australia, "football" may refer to any of several popular codes. These include Australian Football, rugby league, rugby union, and association football. As is the case in the United States and Canada, association football has traditionally been referred to in Australia as soccer.
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Do Germans call it football or soccer?

The word 'football' (or Fussball as soccer is known as in German) refers to an entirely different game (American Football) in the US.
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Do Irish call it football or soccer?

Yes, Ireland uses both "football" and "soccer," often interchangeably, but "soccer" is very common to distinguish it from the hugely popular Gaelic football, with terms varying by region and personal preference, though official bodies like the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) use "football". 
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Do Brazilians say soccer or football?

The most popular sport in Brazil is football (known in America as “soccer”).
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Do Singaporeans call it football or soccer?

Association football, known more popularly as football, is considered the national sport of Singapore. Approximately 49% of the people in Singapore are interested in football. Association football is the most popular sport in Singapore.
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