Trump says 'soccer' could be renamed to 'football'

U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino carry the FIFA Club World Cup trophy on stage before presenting it to Chelsea FC at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This is the first time the U.S. has hosted the the FIFA CWC competition, one year before the U.S., Mexico and Canada are scheduled to host the World Cup in 2026.

The U.S. has long referred to European football as "soccer" — but President Donald Trump signaled this week that he could officially change the practice.

Speaking to DAZN TV channel, Trump was asked about the possibility of an executive order to rename the sport.

"I think we can do that, I think I could do that," Trump laughed as he spoke to the global sports streamer in an interview published Monday.

"They call it 'football,' but I guess we call it 'soccer,' but that change could be made very easily. But it's great to watch," he said, as he was interviewed during the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, which was held in New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

While the term "football" is widely used for the sport, especially in Europe and much of the world, the U.S., Canada and Australia generally use "soccer" to refer to the game.

It remains to be seen how serious Trump is about making the name change, but he certainly appears to have caught the bug for what the British call "the Beautiful Game." CNBC has reached out to the White House for further comment and is awaiting a response.

Trump, who was present for the FIFA Club World Cup final match, appeared alongside winners Chelsea — much to the bemusement of players — as they lifted the competition trophy.

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