Trump Advocates for “Football” Terminology in U.S.

That’s quite a statement!

President Donald Trump waded into the ongoing discussion about the name of the sport commonly referred to as soccer in the United States. He strongly believes it should be called football instead.

This declaration came during the 2026 World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where Trump was recognized as the inaugural recipient of the FIFA Peace Prize.

“When you think about American football, it’s a bit contradictory to call soccer ‘football’ in the U.S.,” he remarked. “So, perhaps we will never call it that. But honestly, shouldn’t we? It is football, without a doubt. We really need to find another name for the NFL. It doesn’t quite make sense if you think about it; it’s not really football,” he stated in his address.

His comments were received with enthusiastic applause, especially after encouragement from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

The debate over soccer versus football has been around for ages, with many asserting that the U.S. is the one that rebranded the sport. However, Stefan Szymanski, a professor of sports management at the University of Michigan, argues that the blame actually lies with England.

In his work, “It’s Soccer, Not Soccer (and Vice Versa): The History, Emotions, and Ideology Behind One of the Internet’s Most Fierce Debates,” published in 2014, Szymanski delves into the origins of the term soccer.

He explains that in early 1800s England, football and rugby were essentially two variations of the same game. As rules evolved, the Football Association was formed in 1863, establishing the first formal guidelines, allowing boys from affluent backgrounds to compete.

Following suit, the Rugby Football Union structured its own rules in 1871, leading to a split in the sport. This division created confusion among young players, who began using terms like “rugger” and “soccer” for differentiation.

Notably, at prestigious universities like Oxford and Cambridge, it became fashionable to add an “ah” sound to many words, leading to the sport being called soccer.

Additionally, during wartime, the term gained traction, particularly as American troops were deployed in Europe.

The acceptance of the word shifted based on the political landscape between the U.S. and Britain. A study noted that in the 1970s, the relationship was strained, which impacted the use of the term.

In the 1980s, the dynamics improved, but many Britons were already resistant to the term soccer by then.

Currently, the term soccer is prevalent in the United States, Canada, and Australia, where each has its own version of football.

Interestingly, the first official American football game took place in 1892.