- CAF Confederation of African Football is the administrative body of association football in African. CAF was formed on February 8, 1957, in Khartoum Sudan.
- CageyA game where neither side takes many risks.
- Captain A title awarded to a player whom the whole team trusts to lead on and off the field. The captain wears an armband to signify his or her role and is the only player that is permitted to talk to the referee outside of those directly involved in incidents on the pitch.
- Cap TieWhen a player represents a country in a competitive match, making them ineligible to play for another country.
- CarryTo dribble the ball over a distance.
- Catenaccio In Italian literally means "Door Bolt." An Italian tactical system that has a heavy emphasis on defending and closing spaces to prevent goal-scoring opportunities.
- CautionOfficial term for receiving a yellow card.
- Center-backA central defender primarily tasked with stopping opposing attackers.
- Center Circle The circle in the middle of the pitch from which kick-offs are taken.
- Center-forwardAnother term for the main striker.
- ChallengeAn attempt to take the ball away or block a shot.
- ChannelThe space between defenders.
- ChantSongs or shouts made by fans.
- ChipA lofted shot or pass designed to go over an opponent's head.
- Clean Sheet Also known as “shut-outs,” a clean sheet is when a team manages not to concede a goal in a soccer/football game. This is a massive feat, especially for goal-keepers in general and they thrive on achieving such results in a tournament like the World Cup.
- Clean TackleTaking the ball away from an opponent without fouling.
- ClearanceThe action of kicking the ball away from one's own goal.
- ClinchTo secure, as in "clinching a victory".
- ClinicalEfficient and effective play, especially in front of goal.
- Close DownTo approach the player with the ball to reduce their space.
- ClubAn organized soccer team.
- Coefficient of Restitution The relation of a ball’s velocity to the height it returns to after contact with a surface. Simply, a measurement of the bounciness of a soccer ball. Also known as COR.
- CONCACAF CONCACAF is the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. It is the governing body for soccer (football) in the region that includes North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. CONCACAF is one of six continental confederations recognized by FIFA(...)
- Cooper Test Cooper Test, also known as the Cooper 12-minute run, is a fitness test that measures a person’s aerobic endurance capacity.
- Corner KickA set-piece taken from the corner of the field, awarded to the attacking team when the ball goes out of play over the goal line, last touched by a defending player.
- COSAFA Council of Southern Africa Football Associations is the governing body of football-playing nations in Southern Africa. CAF was formed in 1983.
- Counter-attackAn attack that comes immediately after repelling the opponent's attack.
- CrossA pass played from a wide area into the penalty area.
- CrossbarThe horizontal bar at the top of the goal.
- Cuju The earliest recorded form of a soccer-like game is ‘Cuju,’ which originated in ancient China from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE)
- CurlA spin on the ball that causes it to move in a curved path.
- Cut InsideA winger moving from the sideline to a more central position.
