Get ready for a potential name game! Donald Trump is stirring up the sports world, suggesting a major shift in how the United States refers to soccer. He wants to call it 'football,' just like the rest of the world, and even proposed the NFL might need a new name!
Outside the U.S., what Americans call 'soccer' is almost universally known as 'football.' To avoid confusion, 'American football' is used to specify the gridiron version of the sport.
Speaking at the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, Trump stated, "When you look at what has happened to football in the United States, which is soccer in the United States, we seem to never call it (football) because we have a little bit of a conflict with another thing that’s called football." He then added, "But when you think about it, shouldn’t it really be called … this is football, there’s no question about it. We have to come up with another name for the NFL."
But here's where it gets interesting... The U.S. has a history of wrestling with this very issue. The governing body for soccer in the U.S. has changed its name multiple times, originally starting as the United States Football Association, then evolving to the United States Soccer Football Association, and finally settling on the United States Soccer Federation in 1974 to avoid overlap with American football.
The NFL, on the other hand, has been the National Football League since 1922, when it rebranded from the American Professional Football Association. Over the decades, the NFL has become a dominant force in American sports, leading in attendance, TV viewership, and advertising revenue. Trump himself is a known fan.
And this is the part most people miss... Trump was also awarded the new FIFA peace prize at the 2026 World Cup draw. He and FIFA president Gianni Infantino are close allies. Trump thanked his family and praised the leaders of the other two host nations, Canada and Mexico, for their outstanding coordination.
This brings up a fascinating question: If the U.S. adopted 'football' for soccer, what should the NFL be called? Could this simple name change have a bigger impact than we realize? What are your thoughts? Share your opinions in the comments below! Do you agree with Trump's suggestion, or do you think the current naming conventions are just fine? Let's discuss!
