NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
President Donald Trump suggested that American football be given a different name, so that soccer, which is called soccer in almost every other country, could take that name.
Trump’s comments came Friday during the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., as he discussed the growth of soccer in the United States.
“When you look at what’s happened to football in the United States, again football in the United States, we never seem to call it that because we’re kind of in conflict with another thing called football, but when you think about it, shouldn’t it really be called, I mean, it’s football, there’s no question about it. We need to find another name for the NFL stuff,” Trump said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
“It really doesn’t make any sense, when you think about it.”
Trump also received the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize in Friday’s draw.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA President presented Trump with the award, which included a trophy of golden hands holding a football. He also received a medal which he put on almost immediately.
Trump says we’re ready to host the World Cup and will ‘take care of’ crime in host cities
U.S. President Donald Trump poses for a selfie with FIFA President Gianni Infantino on stage during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, December 5, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Émilee Chinn/FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
In March, Trump signed an executive order creating the Task Force for football tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Trump chairs the task force, while Vice President JD Vance serves as vice chair. As executive director, Rudy Giuliani’s son was responsible for managing and overseeing daily operations.
The United States is home to 11 of the 16 host cities.
The president had previously threatened to move games out of cities if they were deemed unsafe, but after arriving at the Kennedy Center on Friday, he reaffirmed his confidence in the safety of those cities and promised federal support if necessary.
President Donald Trump chooses the United States for Group D in the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, December 5, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
The championship game will take place July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The international tournament, which will span North America, begins in June 2026 and will be the first World Cup in more than two decades to be held in multiple countries.
