Key Terms

FIFA: The acronym for Federation Internationale de Football Association. It is the world governing body for corresponding football/soccer.

 

Pay-for-Play: A model adopted for organized youth soccer in the United States in which money is exchanged for kids to attend expensive soccer academies, travel teams, clubs, and other fees.

 

Football/Soccer: A game that consists of two teams with eleven players on a rectangular field as a round ball travels by one’s feet without the usage of hands. Only the goalkeeper for both teams can touch the ball with their hands. Object of the game is to score more goals than the opponent by either kicking or heading the ball. Full regulation time usually consists of 90 minutes and extra time if needed.

 

American Exceptionalism: An idea that the United States is superior in its ideologies, history, beliefs, and culture over other nations.

 

Import: A service or product invented or produced in another country which is then brought over or purchased in one’s country.

 

Sports Space: How a sport’s significance and presence is developed or carried throughout a country’s culture.

 

Culture: Shared features which include values, material traits, shared attitudes, social, racial, or religious groups that describe the daily existence of a time or place.

 

Socioeconomic: In relation to an alignment of economic and social components.

 

Sociopolitical: In relation to an alignment of political and social components

 

Disinterest: Something that influences someone or something to exhibit a lack of or no interest 

 

Niche: A status or place in which something or someone fits well or is very suitable.

 

MLS: Major League Soccer is professional soccer league based in the United States with its inception in 1996 and is currently comprised of 29 teams.

 

FIFA World Cup: A global football/soccer competition run by the Federation Internationale de Football Association in a host country every four years that includes 32 national teams. The limit for the number of national teams will expand to 48 teams for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.