# FIFA

/ˈfɪfɑ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fifa
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. sports governing body

noun · CEFR B1

Stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. The international group that manages world football and the World Cup.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. The global governing body for association football, futsal, and beach soccer.

- FIFA announced the host cities for the next World Cup yesterday.
- The committee submitted a formal complaint to FIFA regarding the eligibility of several players during the qualifying rounds.

Usage: Usually treated as a singular proper noun without an article, though 'the FIFA World Cup' is a common compound.

Teaching tip: Explain to students that although the name is French, it is used globally in English to refer to the organization.

### 2. video game series

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

A popular series of football video games played on computers and consoles.

For teachers: A long-running series of association football simulation video games developed by EA Sports.

- We spent the whole afternoon playing FIFA on the new console.
- The latest edition of FIFA introduced significant improvements to the player physics engine and tactical AI.

Usage: Often used metonymically to refer to the game itself rather than the organization.

Teaching tip: Note that while the branding changed to 'EA Sports FC' recently, many speakers still colloquially refer to the game as FIFA.

## Examples

- The next World Cup is organized by FIFA.
- National teams must follow the rules set by FIFA to compete in international tournaments.
- The organization of the tournament required years of coordination between the host nation and FIFA to ensure the infrastructure met international broadcasting standards.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.