Trump Signals Plan to Rename 'Soccer' as 'Football'
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump floated the possibility of issuing an executive order to officially rename soccer as ‘football’ in the United States during the FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday.
The remark followed Chelsea’s decisive 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the championship game — a key event leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the US is set to co-host with Canada and Mexico. Trump attended the high-profile match, sitting alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and later took part in the awards ceremony, distributing medals to both teams.
When asked by a reporter in a post-match interview whether he would consider enacting an executive order to rename the sport, Trump responded, “I think we could do that,” adding that football “can bring the world together.”
In the US, the term ‘soccer’ has been in common use for over 200 years, originally derived from ‘association football.’ Meanwhile, much of the world — including co-hosts Canada and Mexico — refers to the game as ‘football’ or a variant in local languages.
Trump tied the potential renaming to his broader political narrative, suggesting the move reflects a rejuvenated national identity. He cited recent trips to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE as evidence of the US’s renewed global standing. “There’s a lot of truth to that, we were doing very badly as a country in an incompetent administration and now we have a hot country. It’s really hot. And I think the soccer is going to be hot here too,” he told a news outlet, also claiming that NATO leaders told him the US was “dead” a year ago but is now “the hottest country in the world.”
His comments arrive as the United States accelerates preparations for the 2026 World Cup. A White House task force has been established to coordinate efforts, and officials have pledged support for anti-discrimination policies tied to the tournament. Still, critics argue that Trump’s stance on immigration and travel restrictions undercuts these promises — raising concerns about potential access issues for international fans and athletes.
Despite the significance of the occasion, Trump faced notable public backlash. He was booed multiple times during the match and again during the trophy presentation. While standing beside Chelsea player Cole Palmer during the ceremony, the crowd’s jeers grew louder, with additional disapproval surfacing during the national anthem.
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