Soccer

Introduction

Beloved throughout the Arab world, soccer is enjoyed in many Middle Eastern countries both as a spectator sport and as a recreational activity throughout all segments of society, from pick-up games in the street to the professional level. Called kurat al-qadam – literally, “ball of the foot” – in formal Arabic, this pastime is also widely referred to in Arabic as simply kura (ball) or even borrowed straight from English as فوتبال.