U.S. President Donald Trump joked about signing an executive order to officially rename "soccer" as "football" in the United States, aligning with global terminology. The light-hearted remark came during his appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday, July 13.

Speaking to DAZN at MetLife Stadium where Chelsea FC defeated Paris Saint-Germain in what Trump called “a bit of an upset” he lit up when a reporter suggested the idea.
“I think we could do that,” he quipped, drawing laughs.

Trump attended the match alongside former First Lady Melania Trump, at the invitation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, whom he described as a longtime friend.

Infantino has previously praised Trump for supporting FIFA’s global tournaments, including the United States' role as host for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. The final is scheduled to take place at the same MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

During the interview, Trump touched on broader topics, linking America’s resurgence on the world stage to the growing popularity of international sports like soccer.

“[The U.S.] is doing very well on the political stage, on the financial stage,” he said.
“I was just in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE  all the leaders said a year ago your country was dead, and now it’s the hottest country in the world. It’s really hot. And I think soccer is going to be hot here too.”

Trump also emphasized the unifying power of global sports.
“It’s about unity, a lot of getting together, a lot of love between countries,” he said.
“I guess this is probably the most international sport, so it can really bring the world together.”

He went on to joke that FIFA had to commission a new Club World Cup trophy after Infantino mistakenly left the original in the Oval Office during a previous visit, humorously adding that it “matched the gold accents” in his décor.

When asked to name the greatest footballer of all time, Trump picked Brazilian legend Pelé, reminiscing about watching him play as a young man a memory he said he still cherishes.