Source: Fortune
Summary
Donald Trump, a FIFA Peace Prize recipient and U.S. President, announced at the 2026 World Cup draw that the game should be called “football.” This comes as some fans shun the term “soccer,” but a scholar of the sport argues that the word has a rich history and should be embraced. The term “soccer” originated in Britain in the mid-19th century as a shortened form of “association football” and was freely used in the British press and public until the 1980s. The scholar suggests that using both “soccer” and “football” can be beneficial and cosmopolitan.
Our Reading
The announcement sounds familiar.
Donald Trump’s suggestion to rename the NFL comes as no surprise, given his history of making bold statements. The debate over what to call the sport has been ongoing, with some fans preferring “soccer” and others “football.” The scholar’s argument that “soccer” has a rich history and should be embraced is a valid one, but it remains to be seen whether fans will adopt this perspective. The use of both terms interchangeably may be a sign of a more cosmopolitan approach to the sport. The fact that the British press continues to use both terms is a testament to the enduring legacy of “soccer” in Britain.
The numbers tell one story, but the fans tell another.
