If you think the debate over the words “football” and “soccer” is over, President Donald Trump just brought it back to life.

The U.S. President made his comments at the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C. He talked about how soccer is growing fast in the United States. Then he pointed out the confusion Americans face when talking about “football.”

“When you look at what has happened to football in the United States, 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,” Trump said. While that's nothing new, what he added to that statement went viral.

"When you think about it, shouldn't it really be called, I mean, this is football, there's no question about it. We need to come up with another name for the NFL stuff. It really doesn't make sense when you think about it,” President Trump asserted in FIFA President Gianni Infantino's presence.

This might come as a surprise, as the President is a football fan himself. He even attended a Washington Commanders game and appeared on Fox’s broadcast this season. And the NFL? The league has retained its name since 1922, when it changed from the American Professional Football Association to the National Football League.

Although Major League Soccer is growing in popularity, the NFL remains the most popular league in America by a wide margin. The sport dominates broadcast viewership, attendance, and advertising. Yet, that wasn't the only unique thing that happened in Washington.

President Trump Received the First Honor of Its Kind

FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave Trump the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize. The award came with a trophy shaped like golden hands holding a soccer ball and a medal that Trump put on immediately. The certificate said, “The FIFA Peace Prize is presented annually on behalf of the billions of football-loving people from around the world to a distinguished individual who exemplifies an unwavering commitment to advancing peace and unity throughout the world through their notable leadership and action.”

In March, President Trump signed an executive order to create a special task force for the 2026 World Cup. The U.S., Canada, and Mexico will host the tournament. Trump is the chair of the task force, with Vice President JD Vance as vice chair. Rudy Giuliani’s son handles daily operations. The United States will host 11 of the 16 cities, showing how big this event will be for the country.

Trump once warned that games could be moved if any city was unsafe. But after he arrived at the Kennedy Center on Friday, he showed full confidence in all the host cities. He said the federal government would support them if needed to keep everyone safe.

The World Cup will begin in June 2026 and will be the first in more than 20 years to take place across multiple countries. The final match will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Now, with Trump’s bold statements stirring new conversations, the big question is simple: What do you, the reader, think about his suggestion?

Written by

Mohd Mudabbir Ansari

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi