Fueled by 2026 World Cup hype, U.S. President Donald Trump sparked controversy on Friday (Dec. 5, 2025) by declaring that America should stop calling its own sport “football” — because, according to him, the real football is soccer.
“We have a little conflict with something else called football,” Trump said at the World Cup draw. “But when you think about it… this is football. No question. We need a new name for the NFL.”
He added: “It really doesn’t make sense when you think about it.”
Trump’s comments set the stage for a uniquely American culture clash. In the U.S., “football” has always meant the NFL — a sport dominated by hand plays, pads, and helmets — while the rest of the world uses the term exclusively for the global game played with the feet.
One World Cup = 104 Super Bowls
FIFA president Gianni Infantino seized the moment, telling Americans that the 2026 World Cup — hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada — will be the equivalent of 104 Super Bowls.
A lifelong sports fanatic, Trump has grown increasingly attached to soccer as the tournament approaches. His remarks, however, have reignited the age-old identity debate: Who really owns the word “football”?
