“NFL Isn’t Football”: Trump Reignites Long-Running Name War
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, former President Donald J. Trump proposed that Americans rename the NFL, arguing that “football” should exclusively refer to global soccer — reigniting one of sports’ longest-running semantic debates.
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At a high-profile gathering marking the World Cup draw on Friday, Trump told the audience that it doesn’t make sense for the United States to continue using “football” to describe the NFL. Instead, he said, the sport the world calls “football” — known in the U.S. as soccer — should properly claim the name.
“This is football … We have to come up with another name for the NFL stuff,” he said, drawing applause from the crowd.
Trump’s remarks come as the upcoming World Cup puts global soccer in the spotlight, and they mark a sharp departure from U.S. convention where “football” has long referred to the NFL and its brand of gridiron.
While the statement was framed jokingly by Trump, the reaction has ranged from amusement to disbelief. Many on social media dismissed the idea as absurd or unrealistic given the NFL’s massive cultural and economic footprint in America. Others seized it as a witty — if provocative — critique of linguistic confusion that has persisted for generations.
The “soccer vs. football” naming dispute is nothing new. Around much of the world, “football” refers to association football — the game played with a round ball predominantly by kicking it. In the U.S., however, “football” has long meant the gridiron game played with pads, helmets, and a prolate spheroid. Trump’s comments momentarily forced the debate back into the spotlight, just as the U.S. prepares to co-host FIFA’s global tournament.
Whether meant as serious or tongue-in-cheek — Trump’s plea for a name-change underscores how deeply rooted language and identity are in American sports. For the NFL, a rebrand would be unthinkable. For many fans, the suggestion may feel like a provocation. But for now, it’s a headline-grabbing contribution to a decades-old conversation that shows no signs of going away.