Written by Dania Ghraoui, a translator and language teacher with 10 years of experience.
At A Glance: Football vocabulary in Arabic includes كُرَة القَدَم (kurat al-qadam), مُبَارَاة (mubārāh), فَرِيق (farīq), هَدَف (hadaf), حَكَم (ḥakam), and رَكْلَة جَزَاء (raklat jazāʾ). For World Cup vocabulary, learn كَأْس العَالَم (kaʾs al-ʿālam), مُنْتَخَب (muntakhab), بُطُولَة (buṭūlah), and النِّهَائِيّ (an-nihāʾī).
Football holds a special place in Arabic countries that extends beyond the football pitch. Watching football matches with family and friends is an enjoyable pastime in itself, especially during the World Cup and popular tournaments.
If you join an Arabic-speaking friend or family member, you can expect to hear Arabic commentary from famous commentators like Issam Chaouali and Hafid Derradji, or from the people watching with you.
Certain words will keep coming up: hadaf, ḥakam, mubārāh, and maybe raklat jazāʾ. You can guess some of them from the screen, but it feels better when the Arabic finally connects to the game, and you can join in the fun.
This guide teaches football vocabulary in Arabic in useful groups, so you can follow a World Cup match (or any match really!), read simple captions, and say a few match phrases with more confidence.
Language Note
The Arabic vocabulary and examples taught in this article are all in Modern Standard Arabic. They are widely understood by Arabic speakers, so it is best to learn these forms first before exploring dialectal variations.
You can explore these variations in our blog posts on Levantine Arabic and Egyptian Arabic.
What Does Football Mean in Arabic?
The standard Arabic word for football (or soccer in American English) is كُرَة القَدَم (kurat al-qadam). Literally, it means “ball of the foot.”
You may also hear people say كُورَة (kūra) in everyday speech. The word literally means “ball,” but in many contexts it simply means “football.”
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
football / soccer |
kurat al-qadam |
كُرَة القَدَم |
|
|
ball; often football in casual speech |
kūra |
كُرَة |
|
The word كُورَة (kūra) is common in Egyptian Arabic and is often used to mean “football.” In Levantine dialects, speakers may also use طَابَة (ṭābeh) to mean “ball.” Different dialects also use English loanwords. For example, many Egyptians say ماتش (mātsh) for “match” and جول (gōl) for “goal.”
Top 10 Football Words in Arabic to Learn First
Start with the words that tell the basic story of any match: the teams, the ball, the goal, the score, and the fans. Do not try to memorize every football term at once.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
football / soccer |
kurat al-qadam |
كُرَة القَدَم |
|
|
the ball |
al-kurah |
الكُرَة |
|
|
match / game |
mubārāh |
مُبَارَاة |
|
|
team |
farīq |
فَرِيق |
|
|
national team |
muntakhab |
مُنْتَخَب |
|
|
stadium |
malʿab |
مَلْعَب |
|
|
fans / audience |
jumhūr |
جُمْهُور |
|
|
score / result |
natījah |
نَتِيجَة |
|
|
goal |
hadaf |
هَدَف |
|
|
goal / goal area |
marmā |
مَرْمَى |
|
Learn this first table, then use the words while watching a short football clip. For wider beginner vocabulary practice, you can also review 100 common words in Arabic.
World Cup Words in Arabic
Now, let’s learn more about the World Cup in Arabic, including tournament terms such as national team, qualifiers, group stage, knockout rounds, and the final.
What is World Cup in Arabic?
The Arabic term is كَأْسُ العَالَم (kaʾsu l-ʿālam). The word ʿālam means “world,” and kaʾs means “cup.” Together, they form the expression “World Cup.”
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
World Cup |
kaʾsu l-ʿālam |
كَأْسُ العَالَم |
|
|
tournament / championship |
buṭūlah |
بُطُولَة |
|
|
national team |
al-muntakhab al-waṭanī |
المُنْتَخَب الوَطَنِيّ |
|
|
qualifiers |
taṣfiyāt |
تَصْفِيَات |
|
|
group stage |
marḥalat al-majmūʿāt |
مَرْحَلَة المَجْمُوعَات |
|
|
knockout rounds |
al-adwār al-iqṣāʾiyyah |
الأَدْوَار الإِقْصَائِيَّة |
|
|
quarter-final |
rubʿ an-nihāʾī |
رُبْع النِّهَائِيّ |
|
|
semi-final |
niṣf an-nihāʾī |
نِصْف النِّهَائِيّ |
|
|
the final |
an-nihāʾī |
النِّهَائِيّ |
|
|
the cup / trophy |
al-kaʾs |
الكَأْس |
|
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is a 48-team tournament with 104 matches, so these words will appear often in schedules, news headlines, and fan posts. Check the official FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule for current match context.
Football Positions and Roles in Arabic
The following are Arabic football terms for people or roles in a football match, both on and off the pitch. They are useful because they are often repeated in football commentary:
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
player |
lāʿib |
لَاعِب |
|
|
goalkeeper |
ḥāris marmā |
حَارِس المَرْمَى |
|
|
defender |
mudāfiʿ |
مُدَافِع |
|
|
midfielder |
lāʿib wasaṭ |
لَاعِب الوَسَط |
|
|
striker / forward |
muhājim |
مُهَاجِم |
|
|
coach |
mudarrib |
مُدَرِّب |
|
|
referee |
ḥakam |
حَكَم |
|
|
commentator |
muʿalliq |
مُعَلِّق |
|
|
team captain |
qāʾid al-farīq |
قَائِد الفَرِيق |
|
Understanding these basic words is often enough to follow the general conversation and understand what is happening in the match.
Useful Football Verbs in Arabic
You will also need some Arabic verbs to describe what is happening in a match. The forms below are in the present tense. For many of them, removing the present-tense prefix ya- gives you a good clue to the past tense, although Arabic verb patterns have some exceptions.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
to play |
yalʿab |
يَلْعَب |
|
|
to score |
yusajjil |
يُسَجِّل |
|
|
to win |
yafūz |
يَفُوز |
|
|
to lose |
yakhsar |
يَخْسَر |
|
|
to draw / tie |
yataʿādal |
يَتَعَادَل |
|
|
To qualify |
ta’ahhal |
يتأهّل |
|
|
to pass |
yumarrir |
يُمَرِّر |
|
|
to kick |
yarkul |
يَرْكُل |
|
|
to shoot |
yuṣawwib |
يُصَوِّب |
|
|
to defend |
yudāfiʿ |
يُدَافِع |
|
|
to attack |
yuhājim |
يُهَاجِم |
|
These verbs are useful starting forms for beginners. Later, you can learn how they change with different subjects such as I, you, he, she, and they.
Arabic Match Phrases You Can Use While Watching a Game
These are the kinds of phrases you can actually use while watching a match. Some are in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), so they may sound a little more formal than everyday speech.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
What is the score? |
mā an-natījah? |
مَا النَّتِيجَة؟ |
|
|
Who scored the goal? |
man sajjala al-hadaf? |
مَن سَجَّلَ الهَدَف؟ |
|
|
My team won. |
fāza farīqī |
فَازَ فَرِيقِي . |
|
|
The two teams drew. |
taʿādala al-farīqān |
تَعَادَلَ الفَرِيقَانِ. |
|
|
The match is exciting. |
al-mubārāh muthīrah. |
المُبَارَاة مُثِيرَة. |
|
|
This is a penalty kick. |
hādhihi raklat jazāʾ. |
هَذِهِ رَكْلَة جَزَاء. |
|
|
The referee gave a yellow card. |
al-ḥakam aʿṭā biṭāqah ṣafrāʾ. |
الحَكَم أَعْطَى بِطَاقَة صَفْرَاء. |
|
|
What is your favorite team? |
ma farīquka al-mufaḍḍal? |
ما فَرِيقُكَ المُفَضَّل؟ |
|
|
I love football. |
uḥibbu kurat al-qadam. |
أُحِبُّ كُرَة القَدَم. |
|
|
What channel is the match on? |
ayna tuʿraḍu al-mubārāh? |
أَيْنَ تُعْرَضُ المُبَارَاة؟ |
|
Read these sentences aloud slowly, then try replacing one word, such as farīqī, “my team,” with the name of the team you support. Again, these questions are in MSA, but knowing the differences between dialects and MSA will help you understand them.
How to Talk About World Cup Matches and National Teams in Arabic
When talking about World Cup matches, Arabic speakers often use the words mubārāh (“match”) and muntakhab (“national team”), followed by a country name or nationality adjective. Look at the following examples:
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Today’s match is between Brazil and Morocco. |
mubārātu al-yawmi bayna al-Barāzīli wa-al-Maghrib |
مُباراةُ اليَومِ بَينَ البَرازيل وَالمَغرب |
|
|
The Saudi national team won. |
fāza al-muntakhabu as-saʿūdiyy |
فَازَ المُنتَخَبُ السَّعودي |
|
|
The Qatari national team advanced to the second round. |
intaqala al-muntakhabu al-qaṭariyyu ilā ad-dawri ath-thānī |
اِنتَقَلَ المُنتَخَبُ القَطَري إِلى الدَّورِ الثاني |
|
To learn the names of countries and nationalities in the World Cup of 2026, go to World Cup 2026 Countries and Nationalities in Arabic.
Football Rule Words in Arabic
Rule-related words are useful, but they can get technical quickly. Just learn the Arabic term and understand its basic meaning.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
penalty kick |
raklat jazāʾ |
رَكْلَة جَزَاء |
|
|
free kick |
raklah ḥurrah |
رَكْلَة حُرَّة |
|
|
corner kick |
raklah rukniyyah |
رَكْلَة رُكْنِيَّة |
|
|
offside |
tasallul |
تَسَلُّل |
|
|
foul |
khaṭaʾ |
خَطَأ |
|
|
yellow card |
biṭāqah ṣafrāʾ |
بِطَاقَة صَفْرَاء |
|
|
red card |
biṭāqah ḥamrāʾ |
بِطَاقَة حَمْرَاء |
|
|
stoppage time |
waqt badal ḍāʾiʿ |
وَقْت بَدَل ضَائِع |
|
|
video assistant referee / VAR |
ḥakam al-fīdiyū al-musāʿid |
حَكَم الفِيدْيُو المُسَاعِد |
|
|
final whistle |
ṣafirat an-nihāyah |
صَافِرَة النِّهَايَة |
|
Common Words in Arabic Football Commentary
Arabic football commentators often use short words to describe the action as it happens. You may hear these terms repeated throughout a match, especially during attacks, passes, shots, and saves.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
shot |
tasdīdah |
تَسْدِيدَة |
|
|
header |
tasdīdah bil-raʾs |
تَسْدِيدَة بِالرَّأْس |
|
|
pass |
tamrīrah |
تَمْرِيرَة |
|
|
long pass |
tamrīrah ṭawīlah |
تَمْرِيرَة طَوِيلَة |
|
|
short pass |
tamrīrah qaṣīrah |
تَمْرِيرَة قَصِيرَة |
|
|
cross |
kurah ʿarḍiyyah |
كُرَة عَرْضِيَّة |
|
|
attack |
hajmah |
هَجْمَة |
|
|
counterattack |
hajmah murtaddah |
هَجْمَة مُرْتَدَّة |
|
|
chance |
furṣah |
فُرْصَة |
|
|
dangerous chance |
furṣah khaṭīrah |
فُرْصَة خَطِيرَة |
|
|
dribble |
murāwaghah |
مُرَاوَغَة |
|
|
save / block |
taṣaddin |
تَصَدٍّ |
|
|
inqādh |
inqādh |
إِنْقَاذ |
|
Note: the word تَصَدٍّ often refers to the act of stopping a shot, while إِنْقَاذ emphasizes a goalkeeper’s save.
Commentators may also combine these words into short phrases, such as tamrīrah jamīlah for “a beautiful pass,” tasdīdah qawiyyah for “a powerful shot,” or furṣah ḍāʾiʿah for “a missed chance.”
Review Football Vocabulary
How to Practice Football Vocabulary in Arabic
Try one small practice task at a time:
- Watch a one-minute clip and write five words you recognize.
- Then write two simple sentences, such as “The match is exciting” or “My team won.”
- Group words by match situation: players, rules, results, and fan phrases.
- If transliteration symbols such as ḥ and ʿ slow you down, review an Arabic pronunciation guide before memorizing the tables.
Here is a short clip with Arabic commentary. Watch it and see how many words you can hear.
Final Word
The next time you watch a match in Arabic, listen for the words you learned here. At first, you may catch only hadaf or tasdīdah, but little by little, the commentary will start to make sense, and the match will feel much easier to follow.
Learn with AlifBee
Want to practice Arabic with audio, examples, and guided lessons? Use the AlifBee App to build vocabulary, improve pronunciation, and turn useful Arabic words into simple sentences.
Start with the basics, then come back to football vocabulary when you are ready for a fun topic-based review.
FAQs About Football Vocabulary in Arabic
What is football called in Arabic?
Football in Arabic is كُرَة القَدَم (kurat al-qadam). In everyday speech, many Arabic speakers also say كُورَة (kūra) when the context is clear.
How do you say World Cup in Arabic?
World Cup in Arabic is كَأْس العَالَم (kaʾs al-ʿālam). Kaʾs means cup, and al-ʿālam means the world.
How do you say goal in Arabic?
Goal in Arabic is هَدَف (hadaf). In football, it means a scored goal. In other contexts, it can also mean an aim or objective.
How do you say referee in Arabic?
Referee in Arabic is حَكَم (ḥakam). You may hear al-ḥakam when people refer to the official in a match.
What is offside in Arabic?
Offside in Arabic is تَسَلُّل (tasallul). For beginners, treat it as a rule word you will hear often in match commentary.
