Game or match? This seems like a pretty simple question, but it’s created arguments all over the world.
Soccer is the one sport where people get very frustrated when they hear what they think is the wrong term. Realistically, a game and a match should both be acceptable lingo.
Game and match are interchangeable terms for a contest between two sides in soccer. The word “game” is prominently used in North America, since all other team sports use the same term. Europe is where most people hear “match” because soccer is the prominent team sport in those countries.
Is There Any Difference Between a Game and a Match?
When looking specifically at soccer, there is no difference between a game and a mash. They work pretty interchangeably depending on who is discussing the sport.
However, in sports like tennis, games make up sets, and sets make up a match. Going by that logic, some would say that an argument in support of saying match over game is that a match is more important. It’s not used in that context in soccer, but it does add a bit more support for saying match.
What Other Sports Uses Match?
Theoretically, any sport could use match instead of a game if there’s a competition between two teams. For example, saying that there is an NBA match tonight might get a few puzzling looks in North America, but it’s not necessarily wrong.
Since soccer is a dominant sport in so many different countries, they tend to use match instead of game for a lot of other sports as well. It’s what people are familiar with, which usually doesn’t confuse people too much.
Soccer or Football?
Before even jumping into the argument between game and match, some people can’t even decide on calling the sport soccer or football.
Most English-speaking players and fans in Europe call the sport football, but it’s soccer in North America. That’s because American football is the dominant sport in North America, so no one wants to mix up the two.
Settling this debate is a little bit easier, only because soccer has its roots in Europe. Since they created the game, and it came well before American football, a lot of people are well within their rights to refer to it as football.
The terminology also makes a lot of sense when considering that there’s a lot more foot use in soccer than in American football. Virtually all fans know exactly what soccer means, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t correct people who call it that if they want to.
What are Some Other Differing Terms in Soccer?
The argument between a game and a match is just one of many people have depending on where they are from. Other terminology is a bit different in soccer, and that can confuse people at first.
Standings vs. Table
In the United States and surrounding countries, the common term for where all the teams stand record-wise is called standings. In soccer in Europe, they refer to it as the table. Neither side is particularly right or wrong, but it does confuse people at first when trying to figure out what the other is talking about.
Understanding the standings or the table matters, as soccer implements relegation at many levels. This means that the bottom teams in the top division will drop, while the top teams in the next highest division move up to the highest division. Monitoring the standings or table mixes in a lot of scenarios worth monitoring.
Pitch and Field
The playing surface for a soccer game or match can either be called a pitch or a field. This is yet another name choice that’s different depending on where a person is originally from. Those in Europe tend to say pitch, while those in North America say field.
The justification for those in Europe is that a field could refer to anything, while a pitch is strictly for soccer. While that’s true to some degree, most people in the United States will say a soccer field, baseball field, football field, etc. This helps differentiate the different types of fields.
Referee vs. Umpire
Both a referee and an umpire are meant to overlook a contest and enforce rules. There’s usually a head referee or umpire in every soccer contest in charge of making the final decision.
Some people might insist that there is a difference between a referee and an umpire, but there really isn’t. Each one might have different rules, but they can be interchanged.
Rival vs. Derby
European soccer loves calling rival matches a derby. This can be confusing for North Americans, since derby is only used in horse racing settings.
A rivalry matchup usually tends to have a little bit more on the line. It can get intense, especially if both teams are great that year. Rivalry or derby matchups both have similar things on the line.
Final Verdict: Game or Match?
Whether a person wants to say soccer game, soccer match, football game, or football match, it’s just an argument that doesn’t mean too much in the grand scheme of things. There isn’t technically a right or wrong answer, although many will default to what the creators of the game say.
If that’s the case, it’s a football match. There might need to be a further explanation in some settings (especially in the United States), but there won’t be any dirty looks or eye rolls from super fans around the globe.
