Here’s a bold statement: the name of one of America’s most beloved sports leagues might be all wrong. But here’s where it gets controversial—President Donald Trump has reignited an age-old debate by suggesting the U.S. should stop calling soccer ‘soccer’ and start calling it ‘football.’ If that happens, what would we call the National Football League? Suddenly, the NFL might need a rebrand. And this is the part most people miss—this isn’t just about semantics; it’s about cultural identity and global alignment.
During the FIFA World Cup draw, Trump pointed out the confusion caused by having two sports called ‘football’ in the U.S. ‘When you think about it, shouldn’t soccer really be called football?’ he asked. ‘There’s no question about it. We might need a new name for the NFL—it just doesn’t make sense otherwise.’ His comments highlight a long-standing linguistic divide: outside the U.S., ‘football’ refers to soccer, while ‘American football’ distinguishes the sport played in the NFL. In the U.S., the term ‘soccer’ stuck due to the explosive popularity of gridiron football in the early 20th century, though it wasn’t always clear-cut. For instance, the national governing body for soccer was called the United States Soccer Football Association until 1974, when it simplified to the United States Soccer Federation.
The NFL, founded in 1922 (originally as the American Professional Football Association), is undeniably America’s most popular sports league, dominating viewership, attendance, and advertising. Trump, a longtime NFL fan who recently attended a Washington Commanders game, isn’t just tossing out a random idea—he’s tapping into a global conversation about how sports are named and perceived. Meanwhile, FIFA is gearing up for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, marking the first time the tournament returns to American soil since 1994. At the draw event, FIFA President Gianni Infantino even awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, adding another layer of intrigue to the discussion.
Here’s the controversial question: Should the NFL change its name to avoid confusion, or is this just a storm in a teacup? And if a change were to happen, what would you call it? The American Gridiron League? The United States Football Association? Or something entirely different? Let’s spark a debate—share your thoughts in the comments below. After all, language evolves, and so might the names of the sports we love.
Dec 5, 2025
Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms. Find the hidden link between sports terminology. Sam Jane, a trending news writer for The Athletic, brings you the latest in sports culture and controversies. With previous internships at The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, and MLive, Sam is a senior at the University of Maryland, where he served as sports editor for The Diamondback. Stay tuned for more thought-provoking insights!
