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Football and fan culture glossary

500+ terms, from offside and gegenpressing to tifo, capos and away days. Short and clear, for people who live football in the stands and in the game.

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12th man Fan culture
A metaphor for the fans, whose support is like an extra player.
3-4-3 Tactics and technique
Three defenders, four midfielders and three forwards: an attacking system with wing-backs.
3-5-2 Tactics and technique
Three centre-backs, wing-backs on the flanks and two strikers.
4-2-3-1 Tactics and technique
Two holding midfielders, three attacking midfielders and one striker; the most common shape of the 2010s.
4-3-3 Tactics and technique
A system with three central midfielders and three forwards, the base of positional football.
4-4-2 Tactics and technique
The classic shape with two banks of four and a strike pair. Simple and solid in defence.
5-3-2 Tactics and technique
A defensive shape with five at the back; the wing-backs push up in attack.
50+1 rule Fan culture
The German rule that club members must keep a majority of voting rights over investors.

A

Abandoned match Rules and refereeing
A match stopped before full time because of weather, crowd trouble or other reasons; it is replayed or a result is awarded.
Abilities Terrace Wars terms
Strong move, Feint, Counter stance, Rally, Guard break, plus Cover and Captain’s call in team fights. They cost stamina.
Academy graduate Players and positions
A player who came through the club’s own youth academy.
Added time Rules and refereeing
Minutes added to a half for substitutions, injuries, VAR checks and time-wasting. Also called stoppage time.
Advantage Rules and refereeing
The referee lets play continue after a foul when stopping it would hurt the team that was fouled.
Against modern football Fan culture
A fan movement against commercialisation: high prices, TV-driven kick-off times and corporate control.
Aggregate Rules and refereeing
The combined score of a two-legged tie that decides who goes through.
AI fans Terrace Wars terms
Bots that fill the stands of smaller clubs (up to 100 per club); every new player takes a bot’s place.
All-seater stadium Fan culture
A stadium with no standing areas.
Anti-discrimination Fan culture
Campaigns against racism and all discrimination in stadiums.
Armchair fan Fan culture
Someone who only watches football on TV.
Assist Rules and refereeing
The final pass before a goal, counted in statistics alongside goals.
Assistant coach Players and positions
The head coach’s aide in training and match preparation.
Assistant referee Rules and refereeing
The flag-carrying official on the touchline who signals offsides, throw-ins and fouls in their zone.
Atmosphere Fan culture
The noise and energy of the stands; the reason people go to the ground.
Attack and guard lanes Terrace Wars terms
Each round a fighter picks one lane to push (high, centre, left, right) and two to guard. A hit into a guarded lane loses most of its force.
Attacking midfielder Players and positions
A player behind the strikers responsible for the final pass and shots from outside the box.
Attendance Stadium and match day
The number of spectators at a match.
Away allocation Fan culture
The number of tickets the home club must give to visiting fans.
Away count Fan culture
The number of away games a fan has been to.
Away day Stadium and match day
A trip to watch your team play away.
Away end Stadium and match day
The separated section for visiting supporters.
Away following Fan culture
The fans who travel to support their team in another city.
Away goals rule Rules and refereeing
An old tiebreaker: in two-legged ties the side with more away goals went through. Scrapped in UEFA competitions in 2021.

B

Back four Tactics and technique
The most common defence: two centre-backs and two full-backs.
Back three Tactics and technique
A defence of three centre-backs, usually with wing-backs outside them.
Back-pass rule Rules and refereeing
A goalkeeper may not handle the ball after a deliberate kick or throw-in from a teammate.
Ball boy Stadium and match day
A helper at the touchline who returns the ball quickly.
Ball in play Rules and refereeing
Time when the ball is on the field and play is running; on average about 55–60 minutes per match.
Ballon d’Or Competitions and stats
Football’s best-known individual award for the player of the year.
Bandiera Fan culture
A player-symbol who stays loyal to one club for his whole career (Italian for “flag”).
Banning order Fan culture
A court or club order barring a fan from attending matches.
Banter Football slang
Friendly teasing between fans of different clubs.
Bargain Football slang
A cheap signing who shines.
Barra brava Fan culture
Latin American organised fan groups known for huge displays and drums.
Behind closed doors Rules and refereeing
A match played in an empty stadium, often as a punishment for fan misconduct.
Bench-warmer Football slang
A player who hardly ever plays.
Between the lines Tactics and technique
The space between the opponents’ defence and midfield where attackers are dangerous.
Bicycle kick Tactics and technique
An acrobatic overhead kick with the back to goal. Also called an overhead kick.
Booing Fan culture
The crowd whistling or jeering a player, coach or opponent.
Bore draw Football slang
A goalless game with no chances.
Bosman ruling Players and positions
A 1995 EU court ruling that lets out-of-contract players leave for free and removed limits on EU players.
Bottle Football slang
Nerve and courage under pressure.
Bottle it Football slang
To crumble or throw away a lead when it matters.
Bottle job Football slang
A title or result thrown away at the end.
Bottlers Football slang
A jibe at a team that often collapses at the end.
Bottom corner Football slang
A low shot into the corner, hardest for a keeper to reach.
Bound item Terrace Wars terms
Epic, legendary and strong crafted gear binds to the character when worn. A bound item cannot be listed on the market.
Box-to-box midfielder Players and positions
A tireless central midfielder who covers ground from one penalty area to the other.
Boycott Fan culture
Fans refusing to attend or support as a protest.
Brace Rules and refereeing
Two goals by one player in a single match.
Build Terrace Wars terms
How you spend points and choose gear, which defines your style: Powerhouse, Wall, Runner, Reader, Capo, Playmaker, Tactician or a hybrid.
Build-up play Tactics and technique
Starting attacks with short passes from the goalkeeper and defenders.
Bus welcome Stadium and match day
The tradition of greeting the team bus at the ground with songs and flares.
Butterfingers Football slang
A goalkeeper who cannot hold on to the ball.

C

Call and response Fan culture
A chant where one stand starts and another answers.
Cannon Football slang
A player’s powerful shot.
Capacity Stadium and match day
The maximum number of places in a stadium.
Capo Fan culture
The stand’s leader who faces the crowd with a megaphone and starts the songs.
Captain Players and positions
The team leader on the pitch, wearing the armband, who speaks to the referee and takes the coin toss.
Captain’s armband Rules and refereeing
The armband worn by the team captain, who speaks to the referee for the players.
Card accumulation Rules and refereeing
Collecting a set number of yellow cards in a competition, which triggers a one-match ban.
Caretaker manager Players and positions
An interim coach in charge after a sacking until a permanent appointment.
Casual brands Fan culture
Labels linked to the subculture: Stone Island, C.P. Company, Fred Perry, Lacoste.
Casuals Fan culture
A 1980s subculture of fans in expensive sportswear without club colours to avoid police attention.
Catenaccio Tactics and technique
An Italian defensive system with a libero and man-marking, built on security and counter-attacks.
Central midfielder Players and positions
A player in the middle of the pitch who links defence and attack.
Centre circle Rules and refereeing
The 9.15 m circle in the middle of the pitch that opponents must stay outside at kick-off.
Centre-back Players and positions
A defender in the middle of the back line: tackling, heading and covering teammates.
Centre-forward Players and positions
The central striker, often the number 9, who battles defenders and plays in the box.
Champions League Competitions and stats
Europe’s top club competition, run by UEFA.
Chant Fan culture
A short crowd song or shout, often to a well-known tune.
Chip Tactics and technique
A soft lofted shot over the goalkeeper.
Choreo Fan culture
A pre-planned display where everyone in the stand raises a card or flag on cue.
Choreo designer Fan culture
The person who designs displays and lays out the cards across the sections.
Clean sheet Rules and refereeing
A match in which a team or goalkeeper concedes no goals.
Clinical Football slang
A striker who converts almost every chance.
Club anthem Stadium and match day
The song played before kick-off, like “You’ll Never Walk Alone” or “Hala Madrid”.
Club championship Terrace Wars terms
The season-long race of clubs by stand battles and match-day points, normalised by fan base size.
Club colours Fan culture
The colour combination fans wear with pride: red and white, blue and white and so on.
Club crest Fan culture
The club badge, a symbol of its history.
Club doctor Players and positions
The team doctor who decides whether a player can continue.
Club legend Fan culture
A player or coach who wrote himself into a club’s history.
Club mascot Stadium and match day
A costumed character who entertains the crowd.
Club nickname Fan culture
A club’s informal name, like the Gunners or the Red Devils.
Club projects Terrace Wars terms
Shared fan goals for match day — tifo and supplies — that give the whole club a bonus.
Club reputation Terrace Wars terms
A fan’s personal contribution to their club through match days, stands and crews.
Coach trip Fan culture
Travelling to a game as a group by coach.
Coins Terrace Wars terms
The main game currency for the shop, market, crafting and crews.
Combat statuses Terrace Wars terms
One-round effects — Exposed, Off Balance, Pressured and Inspired — that change damage, dodge and stamina.
Comeback Competitions and stats
Winning or drawing after being behind.
Compactness Tactics and technique
Keeping short distances between players and lines so opponents have no space.
Concussion substitute Rules and refereeing
An extra substitution allowed when a player has a suspected concussion, on top of the normal ones.
Conference League Competitions and stats
UEFA’s third European club competition, launched in 2021.
Consumables Terrace Wars terms
Food and sports nutrition that restore health and energy or give a 20–60 minute boost. One food buff and one pharmacy boost of each kind at a time.
Copa Libertadores Competitions and stats
South America’s top club competition.
Corner kick Rules and refereeing
A restart from the corner arc, given when the ball last touched a defender and crossed the goal line outside the goal.
Counter-attack Tactics and technique
A fast attack after winning the ball, before the opponents can get back.
Crafting Terrace Wars terms
Making gear and supplies in the workshop from resources. An order takes time, up to three can queue. Only crafting gives quality — Fine, Exceptional or Legendary (up to 110%).
Crew (in game) Terrace Wars terms
A community of players from one club: treasury, reputation, roles, emblem, a 7-building base and district wars. Can be founded from level 3.
Crew war Terrace Wars terms
A series of objectives in the defender’s three-hour window: 3 v 3 skirmishes, stand battles, supplies and a final push.
Cross Tactics and technique
A pass from the flank into the penalty area, usually in the air.
Crossbar Rules and refereeing
The horizontal bar of the goal, 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground.
Cult hero Fan culture
A player fans adore for his character as much as his skill.
Cup Competitions and stats
A knockout competition where the loser of each tie is eliminated.
Curva Stadium and match day
The curved stand behind the goal at Italian grounds and home of the ultras: Curva Sud, Curva Nord.
Curva Nord Fan culture
The north curve: home of the ultras of Inter, Lazio and others.
Curva Sud Fan culture
The south curve: the ultras end of many Italian clubs such as Roma and Milan.
Cut-back Tactics and technique
A pass pulled back from near the goal line to a teammate arriving in the box.

D

Daily tasks Terrace Wars terms
Six tasks of which any three earn the reward; they reset at midnight UTC.
Dangerous play Rules and refereeing
Play that risks injury, such as a high boot near an opponent’s head, even without contact. Punished with an indirect free kick.
Dark arts Football slang
Tricks on the edge of the rules: wind-ups, simulation and time-wasting.
Day-tripper Fan culture
A one-off visitor who comes for the experience.
Dead ball Tactics and technique
The ball out of play, before a set piece or after a stoppage.
Dead cat bounce Football slang
A brief recovery before the slide continues.
Dead rubber Competitions and stats
A match whose result no longer matters.
Deadline day Football slang
The last day of the transfer window and its rush of deals.
Defensive midfielder Players and positions
The player in front of the defence who breaks up attacks and starts his own team’s play. Also called a holding midfielder.
Depth Tactics and technique
Runs in behind that force the defensive line to drop.
Derby Competitions and stats
A match between fierce rivals, usually from the same city or region.
Derby (in game) Terrace Wars terms
A match between clubs from the same city or a classic rivalry. In a derby fan points and match-day rewards are ×1.25.
Divisions Terrace Wars terms
Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Elite and Legend — the steps of the arena rating.
DOGSO Rules and refereeing
Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Usually a red card; inside the box a genuine attempt to play the ball reduces it to a yellow.
Double Competitions and stats
Winning the league and the domestic cup in the same season.
Double pivot Tactics and technique
A pair of holding midfielders in front of the defence.
Draw Competitions and stats
The random pairing of opponents or groups.
Dribble Tactics and technique
Taking the ball past an opponent with skill and pace.
Dropped ball Rules and refereeing
Restart after the referee stops play without a foul; the ball is dropped for a player of the team that last had it.
Drummer Fan culture
The fan who keeps the beat of the support on a drum.
Dugout Stadium and match day
The touchline shelter for coaches and substitutes.

E

Early doors Football slang
The opening stages of a match.
El Clásico Competitions and stats
Spain’s name for its greatest rivalry, above all Real Madrid v Barcelona.
Energy Terrace Wars terms
Spent on fights and actions; it refills over time and with food.
Engine Football slang
A tireless midfielder who runs all game.
Equaliser Rules and refereeing
A goal that levels the score.
Europa League Competitions and stats
UEFA’s second-tier European club competition.
European Championship Competitions and stats
Europe’s national-team tournament, held every four years. The Euros.
Extra time Rules and refereeing
Two halves of 15 minutes played in knockout ties that are level after 90 minutes.

F

Fair play Fan culture
Honest play and respect for opponents, on the pitch and in the stands.
False nine Players and positions
A centre-forward who drops deep, pulling defenders out and creating space for teammates.
False winger Tactics and technique
A player nominally on the wing who actually plays centrally.
Fan Fan culture
A devoted supporter for whom the club is a way of life; in Russia the word means the active core of the stand.
Fan City Terrace Wars terms
The fictional city whose districts crews fight for; each district gives its owners a bonus.
Fan culture Fan culture
The traditions, symbols, music, clothing and codes of football supporters.
Fan embassy Fan culture
A help service for fans at major tournaments: information, translation and support.
Fan ID Stadium and match day
A personal pass that some countries require to enter a stadium.
Fan march Stadium and match day
A procession of supporters to the stadium. Also called a corteo.
Fan podcast Fan culture
A podcast in which supporters discuss their club.
Fan token Fan culture
A club’s digital token for polls and perks. Not the same as Terrace Wars match tokens, which cannot be bought.
Fan violence Fan culture
Fights and disorder around matches. In real life it is a crime; in Terrace Wars rivalry is a fictional game.
Fan zone Stadium and match day
An official area for supporters with screens and entertainment.
Fanzine Fan culture
A fan-made magazine about the club and the terraces.
Far post Tactics and technique
The goalpost furthest from the ball.
Favourite Competitions and stats
The team considered stronger before a match.
Fergie time Football slang
The last minutes of added time, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United loved to snatch wins.
FIFA Competitions and stats
Football’s world governing body, which organises the World Cup.
Final Competitions and stats
The deciding match of a knockout competition.
Firm Fan culture
An organised hooligan group tied to a club. In Terrace Wars it is a player community within a club, with no real violence.
Fixture Competitions and stats
A scheduled match with a date and an opponent.
Flag ban Fan culture
Restrictions on flags, drums and banners imposed by clubs or police.
Flag waving Fan culture
Big flags on poles waved during the support.
Flare Fan culture
A signal firework that burns with a bright flame; dangerous and banned by UEFA rules.
Flick-on Tactics and technique
A glancing header that helps a long ball on to a teammate.
Floodlights Stadium and match day
The stadium lights for evening games.
Flop Football slang
An expensive signing who fails to deliver.
Football special Fan culture
A train chartered by fans for an away trip.
Foreign player Players and positions
A player from abroad in a domestic league. In Russian, a “legionnaire”.
Form Competitions and stats
A team’s recent results, e.g. WWDLW.
Formation Tactics and technique
How players are arranged in lines, e.g. 4-3-3: four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards.
Fortress Stadium and match day
A home ground where the team is almost impossible to beat.
Foul Rules and refereeing
An offence against an opponent such as tripping, pushing, kicking or holding, punished with a free kick or penalty.
Fourth official Rules and refereeing
The official between the dugouts who shows added time and substitutions and controls the technical areas.
Free agent Players and positions
A player without a contract who can join any club without a fee.
Free kick Rules and refereeing
A restart from the spot of a foul with opponents at least 9.15 m away. Direct free kicks can be scored straight away; indirect ones need a second touch.
Friendly Competitions and stats
A match with nothing at stake in a competition.
FSE Fan culture
Football Supporters Europe, the network that represents fans before UEFA.
Full-back Players and positions
A defender on the flank who, in modern football, also joins attacks.
Full-time Stadium and match day
The end of normal time.

G

Game management Tactics and technique
Seeing out a result through tempo, possession and well-timed fouls.
Gap Football slang
An unguarded space in the defence. Also “a hole”.
Gear Terrace Wars terms
Items in 11 slots, from head to flag. Club items take your club’s colours; rare ones need a fitting build.
Gear set Terrace Wars terms
3–4 items of one style, one per body part and close in level. Wearing 2, 3 and 4 pieces gives a growing bonus to attack, armour and health.
Gegenpressing Tactics and technique
Pressing immediately after losing the ball, before the opponents can organise. Also called counter-pressing.
Gemellaggio Fan culture
The Italian word for a twinning between fan groups.
Giant-killing Competitions and stats
A cup win by a small club over a big one.
Glory hunter Fan culture
Someone who follows whichever club is winning and switches with the trophies.
Goal area Rules and refereeing
The 5.5 × 18.3 m box at the goal from which goal kicks are taken. Also called the six-yard box.
Goal difference Competitions and stats
Goals scored minus goals conceded; usually the first tiebreaker on points.
Goal kick Rules and refereeing
A restart from the goal area after the ball crosses the goal line having last touched an attacker.
Goal line Rules and refereeing
The short boundary line. A goal is scored when the whole ball crosses it between the posts and under the bar.
Goal-fest Football slang
A match with a huge number of goals.
Goal-line technology Rules and refereeing
Electronic system that tells the referee within a second whether the whole ball crossed the goal line.
Goalkeeper Players and positions
The only player allowed to handle the ball, inside their own penalty area. The last line of defence.
Goalkeeper time limit Rules and refereeing
A goalkeeper may not hold the ball too long; since 2025 holding it for more than eight seconds gives the opponents a corner.
Goalless draw Competitions and stats
A match that ends 0–0.
Goalpost Rules and refereeing
One of the two uprights of the goal, 7.32 m (8 yards) apart.
Golden Boot Competitions and stats
The award for the top scorer of a competition or of Europe’s leagues.
Graffiti Fan culture
Fan murals and tags on walls in club colours.
Groundhopping Stadium and match day
The hobby of visiting as many different grounds as possible.
Group stage Competitions and stats
The part of a tournament played in small groups, the best of which reach the knockouts.

H

Hairdryer treatment Football slang
A furious dressing-room rant by the manager, made famous by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Half-and-half scarf Fan culture
A scarf with both clubs’ colours; among fans it is seen as a tourist souvenir.
Half-space Tactics and technique
The vertical channel between the wing and the centre, ideal for the final pass.
Half-time Stadium and match day
The 15-minute break between the halves.
Half-volley Tactics and technique
Striking the ball just as it bounces off the ground.
Halfway line Rules and refereeing
The line dividing the pitch in two. A player cannot be offside in their own half.
Handbags Football slang
A harmless scuffle between players.
Handball Rules and refereeing
An offence when an outfield player touches the ball with a deliberately or unnaturally extended hand or arm. Inside their own box it means a penalty.
Hat-trick Rules and refereeing
Three goals by one player in a single match.
Haul of four Rules and refereeing
Four goals by one player in one game. Sometimes called a poker.
Head-to-head Competitions and stats
Results between two particular teams; in some leagues they break ties on points.
Here we go Football slang
Journalist Fabrizio Romano’s phrase confirming a transfer.
Heysel Fan culture
The 1985 disaster at the European Cup final in Brussels that killed 39 people; English clubs were banned from Europe.
High line Tactics and technique
Defenders positioned far from their own goal to squeeze the pitch, vulnerable to balls in behind.
High press Tactics and technique
Winning the ball back high up the pitch before the opponents can build an attack.
Hillsborough Fan culture
The 1989 disaster in Sheffield in which 97 Liverpool fans died; it led to all-seater stadiums in England.
Hinchada Fan culture
The Spanish word for a club’s whole support.
Hold-up play Tactics and technique
A striker keeping the ball with his back to goal until teammates join.
Home advantage Stadium and match day
The edge of playing at home: a familiar pitch, no travel and the crowd behind you.
Home and away Rules and refereeing
A format in which teams meet once at each other’s ground.
Home end Stadium and match day
The stand behind the goal where the most vocal home supporters traditionally gather.
Homegrown player Players and positions
A player trained in the country or club; leagues require a minimum number in each squad.
Hoof Football slang
A long, aimless kick upfield.
Hooligans Fan culture
People who cause disorder and violence around football. It is a crime and condemned by most supporters.
Hospitality Stadium and match day
VIP seats with catering and service.
Howler Football slang
A glaring error by a keeper or defender that leads to a goal.
Huddle Fan culture
Fans linking arms and swaying to a song, as Celtic supporters do.
Hybrid pitch Stadium and match day
Natural grass reinforced with synthetic fibres.

I

IFAB Rules and refereeing
The International Football Association Board, the body that decides changes to the Laws of the Game.
Impeding Rules and refereeing
Blocking an opponent’s path without trying to play the ball. Punished with an indirect free kick.
Indirect free kick Rules and refereeing
A free kick from which a goal only counts if another player touches the ball first. The referee signals it with a raised arm.
Injury Terrace Wars terms
A bruise, strain or tear after a knockout: −5–15% attack, armour and health for 20–90 minutes.
Interception Tactics and technique
Cutting out an opponent’s pass without a tackle.
International break Competitions and stats
A pause in club football for national-team matches.
Inverted full-back Players and positions
A full-back who moves into central midfield when his team has the ball.
Inverted winger Players and positions
A winger on the opposite side to his stronger foot who cuts inside to shoot.
Invincibles Competitions and stats
A team that goes a whole league season unbeaten.
ITK Football slang
“In the know”: someone who claims to know transfer news first.

J

Journeyman Players and positions
A player who moves through many clubs in his career.
Judas Fan culture
What fans call a player who leaves for the arch-rival.
Jumpers for goalposts Football slang
Street football with makeshift goals; a symbol of nostalgia.

K

Keepie-uppie Football slang
Juggling the ball without letting it touch the ground.
Kick-off Rules and refereeing
The restart from the centre spot that begins each half and resumes play after a goal.
Kick-off time Stadium and match day
The scheduled time of the opening whistle.
Kit Stadium and match day
A team’s shirt, shorts and socks: home, away and third.
Kit clash Rules and refereeing
When the teams’ kits are too similar and the away side changes to its alternate strip.
Kit man Players and positions
The staff member responsible for the team’s shirts, boots and equipment.
Knockout stage Competitions and stats
The elimination rounds of a tournament after the group stage.
Kop Stadium and match day
A steep stand behind the goal named after Spion Kop hill; the most famous is Liverpool’s.

L

Lap of honour Stadium and match day
Players walking round the pitch after a big win or at the end of the season.
Last-gasp Football slang
A goal right at the end of the match.
Laws of the Game Rules and refereeing
The 17 laws of football maintained by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
League Competitions and stats
A competition where every team plays all the others, usually home and away; the side with most points wins.
League phase Competitions and stats
The Champions League format since 2024: one 36-team table where each club plays eight different opponents.
League table Competitions and stats
The standings of a league by points, goal difference and goals scored.
Libero Players and positions
A free defender behind the back line who sweeps up and starts attacks; a classic role of the 1960s–80s. Also called a sweeper.
Line-ups Stadium and match day
The announced starting elevens and substitutes, usually an hour before the game.
Loan Players and positions
A temporary move to another club while the player stays under contract with his parent club.
Long ball Tactics and technique
Playing long passes from defence straight to the forwards, skipping midfield.
Long throw Tactics and technique
A throw-in launched into the box as a set piece.
Low block Tactics and technique
Defending deep in compact lines near your own box, leaving little space.
Loyal fan Fan culture
Someone who backs the club in any division and through any results.
Loyalty Fan culture
The principle that you do not choose or change your club.

M

Magic sponge Football slang
A joke about the physio “curing” everything with a wet sponge.
Magician Football slang
A gifted player who does incredible things with the ball.
Man-marking Tactics and technique
A defender is responsible for one opponent and follows him around.
Manager Players and positions
The head of the team: line-up, tactics, training and sometimes transfers. Also called head coach.
Market Terrace Wars terms
Player-to-player trading: 1% listing fee, 5% sales tax, listings last 48 hours.
Mascots Stadium and match day
Children who walk out holding the players’ hands.
Match day (Terrace Wars) Terrace Wars terms
A game event tied to your club’s real fixture: announced 72 h before, banners from 6 h, the whole stand opens 2 h before kick-off. Points ×1.5 while the match is live.
Match tokens Terrace Wars terms
A rare currency earned on match days, from predictions and season rewards. They cannot be bought.
Matchday Competitions and stats
A round of league fixtures in which every team plays.
Matchday programme Stadium and match day
A booklet for the match with line-ups, articles and stats; a collector’s item.
Matchday revenue Stadium and match day
A club’s income from tickets, food and merchandise at the ground.
Matchday ritual Stadium and match day
A fan’s routine before a game: the pub, the walk, the scarf.
Material Fan culture
Everything used for the support: banners, flags, drums and megaphones.
Mexican wave Fan culture
A wave of standing spectators running round the stadium.
Mid block Tactics and technique
A compact defence around the halfway line, neither pressing high nor sitting deep.
Midweek Competitions and stats
Games from Tuesday to Thursday, usually European or cup ties.
Minute’s applause Stadium and match day
An alternative to silence: a tribute through applause.
Minute’s silence Stadium and match day
A tribute in memory of someone before kick-off.
Morale Terrace Wars terms
A team resource in 3 v 3 and 10 v 10 fights; with enough of it the captain can use Captain’s call.
Mural Fan culture
A large wall painting of a club legend or fan symbol.

N

Near post Tactics and technique
The goalpost nearest the ball, a common target for corners.
Neutral venue Rules and refereeing
A stadium that is home to neither team, as used for finals.
New manager bounce Football slang
The jump in results after a change of manager.
Not in the squad Football slang
A player who did not even make the matchday squad.
Number 10 Players and positions
The creative playmaker behind the strikers, named after the traditional shirt number.
Nutmeg Tactics and technique
Playing the ball through an opponent’s legs.

O

Offside Rules and refereeing
An attacker is offside if, when the ball is played to them, they are nearer the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last defender. Punished with an indirect free kick.
Offside trap Tactics and technique
Defenders step up together to leave attackers offside.
Olé! Fan culture
The crowd’s cry on every pass when the opponents cannot get the ball.
On-field review Rules and refereeing
The referee watches a replay on the pitch-side monitor after a VAR recommendation and makes the final decision.
One-club man Players and positions
A player who spends his whole career at one club.
One-two Tactics and technique
A quick give-and-go pass to get past a defender. Also called a wall pass.
OpenSkill Terrace Wars terms
The rating system for team fights (3v3 and stands): it tracks each player’s skill and uncertainty; the shown rating is 1000 + 20·(μ − 3σ).
Overlap Tactics and technique
A full-back running round the outside of the winger to create an overload on the flank.
Overload Tactics and technique
Creating a numerical advantage in one area to open space elsewhere.
Own banner Terrace Wars terms
A banner or tifo with the player’s own text. Once a moderator approves it, it gives +10% match-day points and hangs on the stand wall.
Own goal Rules and refereeing
A goal a player scores into their own net; it counts for the opponents.

P

Pace Football slang
A player’s speed.
Panenka Tactics and technique
A penalty chipped softly down the middle as the keeper dives; named after Antonín Panenka.
Panic buy Football slang
A rushed signing, often overpaid.
Parking the bus Tactics and technique
Ultra-defensive play with almost the whole team behind the ball to protect a result.
Parry Tactics and technique
A save where the keeper pushes the ball away rather than catching it.
Pass accuracy Competitions and stats
The share of passes that reach a teammate.
Peña Fan culture
A Spanish supporters’ club, often tied to a town or a bar.
Penalty Rules and refereeing
A spot kick from 11 metres (12 yards), awarded for a foul by the defending team inside its own penalty area. Only the goalkeeper may defend it.
Penalty arc Rules and refereeing
The arc at the edge of the box that keeps players 9.15 m from the ball during a penalty. Also called the D.
Penalty area Rules and refereeing
The 16.5 × 40.3 m box in front of goal where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and defensive fouls become penalties.
Penalty shoot-out Rules and refereeing
Five kicks each from the spot, then sudden death, used to decide a knockout tie still level after extra time.
Penalty spot Rules and refereeing
The mark 11 m (12 yards) from goal where penalties are taken.
Perfect hat-trick Rules and refereeing
A hat-trick scored with the right foot, the left foot and the head.
Physio Players and positions
The physiotherapist who treats injuries and runs on to help injured players.
Pitch Stadium and match day
The playing field; the standard size is about 105 × 68 m.
Pitch invasion Stadium and match day
Fans flooding onto the pitch; forbidden and punished.
Plastic fan Fan culture
A mocking name for a supporter who only knows the club from TV.
Play-off Competitions and stats
Matches between teams from different positions or divisions for a place higher up.
Player of the match Competitions and stats
The player judged best in a particular game.
Playmaker Players and positions
The player who runs his team’s attacks with vision, passing and control of tempo.
Poacher Players and positions
A striker who lives in the box and scores from close range.
Points Competitions and stats
In a league a win is worth 3 points, a draw 1 and a defeat 0.
Police escort Stadium and match day
The police escort that takes away fans from the station to the ground.
Positional play Tactics and technique
An approach where players occupy zones to always offer passing options and overloads. Juego de posición.
Possession Tactics and technique
The share of time a team has the ball. On its own it does not guarantee winning.
Postage stamp Football slang
A shot placed perfectly into the very corner.
Postponed match Rules and refereeing
A match that does not start on its scheduled date and will be played later.
PPDA Competitions and stats
Passes allowed per defensive action; a measure of pressing intensity. Lower means more aggressive.
Pre-made squad Terrace Wars terms
Up to three friends team up before the fight: they search for 3v3 together and can sign up for their club’s match day.
Pre-match pub Stadium and match day
The bar where fans gather before the game.
Pre-season Competitions and stats
Training camps and friendlies before the season starts.
Press box Stadium and match day
The seats for journalists in the stand.
Pressing trigger Tactics and technique
A cue for the team to press together: a poor pass, a player receiving with his back to goal, a pass out wide.
Professional Football slang
Cynical, calculated behaviour like a tactical foul or time-wasting.
Professions Terrace Wars terms
Eight crafts, from tailor to pharmacist. You can master three, for good: the first right away, the second from level 5, the third from level 10. Recipes open with the profession level.
Promotion Competitions and stats
The rise of the top teams to a higher division.
Proper fan Football slang
Praise for someone who goes to games in all weathers.
Pyro Fan culture
Flares, smoke and strobes in the stands; banned at stadiums in most countries.

Q

Quarter-final Competitions and stats
The round with eight teams left.
Quick free kick Rules and refereeing
A free kick taken immediately, before the opponents can organise a wall.
Quick-fire double Football slang
Two goals in quick succession that change the game.

R

Rabona Tactics and technique
Kicking the ball by wrapping the kicking leg behind the standing leg.
Racism in stands Fan culture
Racist abuse, punished with fines, closed sections and lifetime bans.
Ranked duel Terrace Wars terms
A 1 v 1 arena fight against an opponent of similar rating. Turns last 15 seconds; wins move you up the divisions.
Rarity Terrace Wars terms
Common, uncommon, rare, epic and legendary gear — the higher, the more bonuses and specials.
Red card Rules and refereeing
A sending-off for the rest of the match. The team plays a player short and the offender is usually suspended for further games.
Referee Rules and refereeing
The official on the pitch who enforces the Laws, keeps time and makes the final decisions in a match.
Referee kit Terrace Wars terms
Unique gear of Terrace Wars moderators with special bonuses, bound to the account.
Regista Players and positions
A deep-lying playmaker who dictates play from the holding position with long, precise passes.
Release clause Players and positions
A sum in a contract that lets another club sign the player without his club’s consent.
Relegation Competitions and stats
The drop of the bottom teams to a lower division at the end of the season.
Relegation battle Competitions and stats
The fight at the bottom of the table to avoid going down.
Remontada Competitions and stats
A dramatic turnaround in a two-legged tie after a heavy first-leg defeat.
Replica shirt Stadium and match day
A copy of the match shirt sold to fans.
Resources Terrace Wars terms
Cloth, leather, metal, paint and other crafting materials from side jobs, streets, daily tasks and the market.
Respect Fan culture
Acknowledging the rival and his fans, without which there is no real rivalry.
Rest defence Tactics and technique
The players kept back during an attack in case the ball is lost.
Retro shirt Stadium and match day
A copy of an old kit, popular with fans.
Rival scouting Terrace Wars terms
The match-day quiz about clubs, stadiums and past results, before kick-off and at half-time.
Rivalry Fan culture
A long-running hostility between clubs and fans rooted in geography, history or politics.
Rotation Tactics and technique
Changing the line-up between matches to rest players.
Round of 16 Competitions and stats
The knockout round contested by 16 teams.
Route one Tactics and technique
The most direct football: a long ball from the keeper or defence to a tall striker.
Row Z Football slang
Clearing the ball as far as possible into the stands.

S

Sacked Football slang
When a manager is fired after poor results.
Safe standing Stadium and match day
Rail-seating sections that bring back standing support without the risk of crushes.
Scarf Fan culture
The fan’s key item in club colours, held aloft during the anthem.
Scarf swap Fan culture
The tradition of friendly fans exchanging scarves.
Scarf wall Fan culture
When a whole stand holds up its stretched scarves.
Score draw Competitions and stats
A draw with goals, e.g. 2–2.
Score prediction Terrace Wars terms
Guess any match score before kick-off: exact score 50 tokens, right outcome 15. A game, not a bet.
Scoreboard Stadium and match day
The screen showing score, time and replays.
Scout Players and positions
A specialist who finds and assesses players for a club.
Screamer Football slang
A thunderous long-range shot that flies in.
Season Terrace Wars terms
About ten weeks of ranked play, ending with division rewards and a rating reset towards 1000.
Season calendar Competitions and stats
The schedule of every round and cup stage. Terrace Wars builds its match days on the real calendar.
Season ticket Stadium and match day
A ticket for every home game of the season.
Season tickets Terrace Wars terms
The current season’s currency for team play and match days: spend it in the season shop or swap for tokens at 10:1; at the season’s end it is swapped automatically at 20:1.
Second striker Players and positions
A forward playing just behind the centre-forward, between the opponents’ lines.
Second yellow Rules and refereeing
A second caution in the same match, which automatically becomes a red card.
Section Stadium and match day
A numbered part of a stand with its own entrance. Also called a block.
Seeding Competitions and stats
Placing teams in pots by strength before a draw.
Segregation Stadium and match day
Keeping rival fans apart in and around the stadium.
Sell-out Stadium and match day
A match for which every ticket is sold.
Semi-final Competitions and stats
The last four, playing for two places in the final.
Set piece Tactics and technique
Play from a dead ball: a corner, free kick, throw-in or penalty.
Seven Nation Army Fan culture
The White Stripes riff sung by stands all over the world.
Shadow fight Terrace Wars terms
A practice duel against an AI copy of another fan: XP and coins, no rating change.
Shot-stopper Tactics and technique
A goalkeeper whose main strength is saving shots.
Shots on target Competitions and stats
Shots that would go in if not for the goalkeeper.
Side jobs Terrace Wars terms
Short shifts for coins and materials: fan shop, stadium, pitch, pharmacy and more. You cannot fight while working.
Silent protest Fan culture
A stand keeping quiet for part of a match to show football without fans.
Simulation Rules and refereeing
Faking a foul or an injury to deceive the referee. Punished with a yellow card. Also called diving.
Sitter Football slang
A chance that is impossible to miss — until someone misses it.
Six stats Terrace Wars terms
Strength, Agility, Constitution, Instinct, Presence and Mind. All start at 3, each level gives 5 points, and there is no reset.
Six-pointer Competitions and stats
A game between direct rivals: the winner gains points and denies them to the other.
Skin Football slang
To beat a defender so cleanly he is left with nothing.
Slide tackle Tactics and technique
A tackle made while sliding; reckless ones are dangerous fouls.
Smoke bomb Fan culture
A canister of coloured smoke in club colours.
Sporting director Players and positions
The executive in charge of transfers, scouting and the club’s football strategy.
Spursy Football slang
English banter for finding a way to lose when everything points to a win.
Squad 3 v 3 Terrace Wars terms
A three-a-side team fight with target choice, covering allies and team morale. It has its own squad rating.
Squad player Players and positions
A player who does not always start but is needed in a busy schedule.
Squeaky-bum time Football slang
The tense end of a season or match; a Ferguson phrase.
Stamina Terrace Wars terms
The resource abilities cost in a fight; it grows with Constitution, Agility and Mind.
Stand Stadium and match day
A section of the stadium with spectator places along one side of the pitch.
Stand battle Terrace Wars terms
A 10 v 10 team fight in three lines — front, middle, back — with reserves and a captain who gives an order every three rounds.
Stand leader Fan culture
The person who organises the support, displays and trips.
Standing ovation Fan culture
The whole stadium applauding on its feet.
Starting XI Players and positions
The eleven players who start the match.
Stat milestones Terrace Wars terms
Bonuses for 25, 50, 75 and 100 points in a single stat, from +5% damage to a signature move.
Statue Football slang
A player who barely moves on the pitch.
Steward Stadium and match day
A safety officer in the stands who checks tickets, helps fans and keeps order.
Sticker Fan culture
A fan group’s sticker, left around cities on away trips.
Stopper Players and positions
A centre-back tasked with marking the opposing centre-forward.
Streak Competitions and stats
Several identical results in a row: wins, defeats or clean sheets.
Streets Terrace Wars terms
Skirmishes with rivals around the stadium that cost energy and give XP, coins and sometimes food and resources.
Striker Players and positions
The forward at the tip of the attack whose main job is scoring goals.
Substitute Players and positions
A squad player who starts on the bench and may come on during the match.
Substitution Rules and refereeing
Bringing on a substitute for a player on the pitch. Most competitions allow five changes in three windows.
Sudden death Rules and refereeing
The stage of a shoot-out where teams take one kick each until one scores and the other misses.
Super-sub Players and positions
A substitute who regularly changes games after coming on.
Supporter Fan culture
Someone who backs a club: goes to games, follows the team and lives its results.
Supporters’ club Fan culture
An official association of a club’s fans with membership and trips.
Supporters’ trust Fan culture
A fan organisation that owns part of a club or influences its decisions.
Suspension Rules and refereeing
A ban from upcoming matches after a red card or an accumulation of yellows.
Sweeper-keeper Players and positions
A goalkeeper who leaves the box to cover a high defensive line and joins the build-up play.
Switch of play Tactics and technique
A long pass from one flank to the other to attack where there are fewer defenders.

T

Tackle Tactics and technique
A challenge to take the ball off an opponent.
Tactical foul Rules and refereeing
A deliberate foul to stop a promising attack, usually punished with a yellow card. Also known as a professional foul.
Talents Terrace Wars terms
Three trees — Pressure, Control, Support. You get a talent point every two levels; each bonus is per point invested.
Tap-in Football slang
A goal from a yard or two where the scorer only has to touch the ball in.
Target man Players and positions
A tall, physical striker who wins long balls and crosses and holds the ball up.
Taylor Report Fan culture
The Hillsborough inquiry report that made British top-flight stadiums all-seater.
Technical area Stadium and match day
The marked zone by the bench from which the coach may give instructions.
Tempo Tactics and technique
The speed at which a team moves the ball and plays.
Terrace Stadium and match day
A standing area of a stadium. Banned in England’s top divisions after Hillsborough, they remain a symbol of fan culture in Germany.
Terrace code Fan culture
The unwritten rules of the stand: sing all match, never leave when losing, respect your own.
Terrace culture Fan culture
The British culture of standing terraces: songs, fashion and away days.
Terrace fashion Fan culture
The clothes by which fans recognise each other, from scarves to certain jacket brands.
Terrace song Fan culture
A longer fan song sung in chorus.
The Poznań Fan culture
A whole stand jumping arm in arm with its back to the pitch, named after Lech Poznań fans.
Third-man run Tactics and technique
A move where a pass goes to a teammate who immediately finds a third player already running into space.
Thrashing Competitions and stats
A heavy win.
Through ball Tactics and technique
A pass into space behind the defence for a teammate to run on to.
Throw-in Rules and refereeing
A restart from the touchline with both hands from behind the head, both feet on the ground, after the ball leaves the field over the side line.
Ticket price protest Fan culture
Fan action against expensive tickets, such as walking out in the 77th minute.
Ticket tout Stadium and match day
Someone who resells tickets above face value. Also called a scalper.
Tifo Fan culture
A large visual display by a stand: banners, cards and flags that form a picture.
Tiki-taka Tactics and technique
A style of short, quick passing and constant possession made famous by Barcelona and Spain.
Tinkerman Football slang
A manager who keeps changing his line-up and system.
Title race Competitions and stats
The fight between several teams for first place.
Top bins Football slang
The top corner of the goal, the prettiest place to score. Also “the top corner”.
Top scorer Competitions and stats
The player with the most goals in a competition.
Torcida Fan culture
A fan group in Brazil or Croatia; in Brazil a torcida organizada.
Total football Tactics and technique
The 1970s Dutch idea where players freely swap positions and everyone attacks and defends.
Touchline Rules and refereeing
The long boundary line of the pitch; when the ball crosses it, a throw-in follows.
Transfer Players and positions
A player’s move from one club to another, usually for a fee.
Transfer window Players and positions
The periods when clubs may register new players, in summer and winter.
Transition Tactics and technique
The moment play switches from defence to attack or back; often decides games.
Travel banner Fan culture
The banner a group takes to away games.
Travelling fans Fan culture
Supporters who regularly go to away games.
Treble Competitions and stats
Three major trophies in a season, usually league, cup and Champions League.
Tunnel Stadium and match day
The passage from the dressing rooms to the pitch.
Turnstile Stadium and match day
The gate that admits fans into the stadium.
Twinning Fan culture
An alliance between fans of different clubs who support each other on away trips.
Two-pole banner Fan culture
A long banner on two sticks raised above the heads of the crowd.

U

UEFA Competitions and stats
The Union of European Football Associations, which runs European competitions.
UEFA coefficient Competitions and stats
A ranking of clubs and countries by European results that sets places and seeding.
Ultras Fan culture
Organised groups of active support: choreographies, banners, pyro and singing for the whole match. Born in Italy in the late 1960s.
Ultras group Fan culture
An ultras collective with its own name, symbols, banner and leaders.
Unbeaten run Competitions and stats
Consecutive matches without a defeat.
Underdog Competitions and stats
The team given less chance of winning.
Underlap Tactics and technique
A full-back running inside the winger rather than round the outside.
Upset Competitions and stats
A win by a clear underdog over the favourite.

V

VAR Rules and refereeing
Video Assistant Referee: officials who review replays of goals, penalties, straight red cards and mistaken identity.
Veteran Players and positions
An experienced player near the end of his career, valued for experience and leadership.
Vice-captain Players and positions
The player who wears the armband when the captain is not on the pitch.
Viking clap Fan culture
Slow synchronised overhead claps with a “Huh!” made famous at Euro 2016.
Volley Tactics and technique
Striking the ball before it touches the ground.

W

Walkover Rules and refereeing
A result awarded without play or instead of the real one, usually 3–0, for a no-show or a breach of the rules. Also called a forfeit.
Wall Rules and refereeing
A line of defenders standing in front of a free kick to block part of the goal.
Wall of sound Fan culture
Loud, unbroken support that puts pressure on the opponents.
Warm-up Stadium and match day
The players’ preparation on the pitch before kick-off.
Wasteful Football slang
A team that misses lots of chances.
Well fed Terrace Wars terms
A food buff from level 5: more XP or coins, faster recovery, a little attack or armour. One food buff at a time.
Width Tactics and technique
Stretching the attack across the pitch to pull the defence apart.
Wind-up merchant Football slang
Someone who deliberately provokes fans online.
Wing-back Players and positions
A wide player in a back-three system who covers the whole flank, from defending to crossing.
Winger Players and positions
A wide forward or midfielder who uses pace, dribbling and crosses along the touchline.
Winner Rules and refereeing
The goal that turns out to decide the match.
Women-only items Terrace Wars terms
Crop tops, bustiers and corsets can only be worn by female fans.
Wonderkid Players and positions
A very young, very gifted player expected to have a big future.
World Cup Competitions and stats
FIFA’s tournament for national teams, held every four years.
Worldie Football slang
An incredibly beautiful goal; a world-class strike.

X

xA (expected assists) Competitions and stats
Expected goals from shots after a player’s passes; a measure of chances created.
xG (expected goals) Competitions and stats
The chance that each shot becomes a goal; the total shows how many goals a team “should” have scored.

Y

Yellow card Rules and refereeing
A caution for unsporting behaviour, time-wasting or reckless play. Two in one match mean a sending-off.
Yellow Wall Stadium and match day
The South Stand at Borussia Dortmund, Europe’s largest standing terrace.
You’ll Never Walk Alone Fan culture
A show tune that became the anthem of Liverpool, Celtic and Borussia Dortmund.

Z

Zonal marking Tactics and technique
Each defender guards an area rather than a specific opponent.

Violence around football is a crime. Rivalry in Terrace Wars is a fictional game. Terrace Wars rules →