WASHINGTON: Spurred on by World Cup 2026 fever, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that American football should be renamed as the game played with a round ball, soccer, was the one true football. &quot;We have a little bit of a conflict with another thing that&#39;s called football but when you think about it ... this is football, there is no question. We have to come up with another name for the NFL (National Football League),&quot; Trump said at the World Cup draw. &quot;It really doesn&#39;t make sense when you think about it.&quot; For Americans, the word &quot;football&quot; refers to American football, a sport primarily played with the hands &mdash; completely different from what the rest of the world calls football. Almost the entire country tunes in each year to the NFL championship final, the Super Bowl, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino made sure on Friday to emphasize to Americans that the 2026 World Cup would be the equivalent of 104 Super Bowls. An all-round sports enthusiast, Trump has developed a particular affection for soccer that continues to grow as the 2026 World Cup, which will take place next summer in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, approaches.

Americas

For Americans, the word "football" refers to American football, a sport primarily played with the hands — completely different from what the rest of the world calls football.

'It doesn't make sense': Trump wants to rename American football

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: capitalize; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">LAUSANNE,&nbsp;Switzerland: FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Thursday football &quot;cannot solve geopolitical problems&quot;, as he comes under pressure to suspend Israel over the Palestinian conflict. The sport&#39;s world governing body said in a statement that at a meeting of the FIFA Council, Infantino &quot;stressed the importance of promoting peace and unity, particularly in the context of the ongoing situation in Gaza&quot;. &ldquo;At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,&quot; Infantino said. &quot;Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.&quot; He added: &quot;FIFA cannot solve geopolitical problems, but it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.&quot; FIFA banned Russia in 2022, shortly after Russian forces invaded Ukraine -- despite the fact that Russia hosted the World Cup finals four years earlier.

Football

FIFA president Gianni Infantino rejected calls to suspend Israel, saying football cannot solve geopolitical conflicts but should promote peace and unity. He emphasized FIFA’s role in harnessing football’s unifying, cultural, and humanitarian values amid global crises.

Articles tagged with "World Cup"

'It doesn't make sense': Trump wants to rename American football

FIFA 'cannot solve geopolitical problems' like Gaza, says Infantino