Trump Says Soccer Should Be Called Football: “When You Think About It, This Is Really Football”
President Trump came out against using the American standard word “soccer” to describe the game the rest of the world calls “football,” during an event with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in preparation for the upcoming World Cup. The FIFA World Cup 2026 final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, 2026. “It really does not make sense, when you think about it, this is really football,” Trump said. “We have to come up with another name for the NFL.”
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But when you look at what has happened to football in the United States – it’s , again, soccer in the United States – we seem to never call it that, because we have a little bit of a conflict with another thing that’s called football. But when you think about it, shouldn’t it really be called–? I mean, this is football. There is no question about it. We have to come up with another name for the NFL stuff. It really does not make sense, when you think about it, this is really football. But who would’ve thought it would’ve come to a level where you have set all-time season-ticket ratings? Nobody has ever sold as many tickets, and you are still a long way from that ball being kicked down the field. So I just want to congratulate you. What an incredible leap this has been, and congratulations to FIFA!
