Phrasal verbs: football (2026 World Cup)

This ESL worksheet is dedicated to phrasal verbs related to football. The majority of the sentences and examples are about the 2026 World Cup (hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico). Students will learn 12 phrasal verbs and discuss the 2026 World Cup and other football games.

The first 7 phrasal verbs (e.g. to be called up, to kick off, to be sent off, to get through, to be knocked out, to give up, to take on) are introduced through 7 sentences about the 2026 World Cup. Students work out the meanings of the phrasal verbs and match them to their definitions. To practise, they complete 3 sentences with the correct phrasal verb.

Then students look at 5 sentences about football in general and learn the rest of the phrasal verbs (e.g. to push on, to ease off, to step up, to gamble on, to let down). For further practice, students are asked to rephrase 5 sentences given, using the correct phrasal verb.

The last 3 activities are focused on speaking. First, students answer a few questions about the 2026 World Cup and their own football experiences. Then they use the photos given to create a short story (this activity can be done either speaking or writing). Lastly, students are given a role-play scenario (reporter interviewing a footballer). This worksheet will work well if combined with other lessons about the World Cup, football, and sport in general.