“Every Kid in America Grows Up Playing Soccer”: Tom Brady Navigates Soccer-Football Debate Amid FIFA World Cup Countdown

Los Angeles—With the 2026 FIFA World Cup now looming on American soil, the century-old linguistic tug-of-war over the word “football” has found an unlikely mediator: seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Appointed an official ambassador for the tournament, the retired quarterback is using his platform to blur—rather than reinforce—the traditional boundary between American football and the global game known stateside as soccer.

Speaking ahead of the countdown to 2026, Brady deliberately adopted the international lexicon. “Football is for everyone,” he said. “It’s a chance for all of us to connect globally over something that we love. The fact that we have 48 teams in the World Cup means that 48 countries are represented… That’s more competition, more games, more opportunities for people to enjoy this incredible sport.”

The phrasing did not go unnoticed. Purists on both sides of the Atlantic have long sparred over which sport merits the unqualified title, yet Brady—whose pedigree lies entirely in the helmet-and-pads version—refused to plant a flag for either camp. Instead, he toggled seamlessly between “football” and “soccer,” acknowledging both terminologies in the same breath.

“I think there’s always been a huge appetite for soccer in America,” Brady continued, citing the enduring success of the United States Women’s National Team as evidence. He then offered a broader cultural observation: “Every kid in America grows up playing soccer. They play it in the school yard. We play it foundationally with some of the leagues that we’re a part of… And I think it just continues to grow through social media, through people experiencing such a great game on a global stage.”

Brady’s messaging aligns with his ambassadorial mandate: drive anticipation, boost ticket demand, and frame the quadrennial spectacle as a unifying event rather than a semantic battleground. Rather than resolve the naming dispute, he encouraged fans to “block out the noise” and secure seats while they can. The next opportunity to witness a World Cup on home soil, he reminded audiences, will not arrive until 2030 at the earliest.

Whether his commentary reflects polished media training or genuine appreciation for the beautiful game, Brady’s stance underscores a shifting landscape. As host nation duties approach, the conversation appears less about which sport owns the word “football” and more about how a single tournament can galvanize a diverse, 48-nation field—and the millions of viewers who will follow them.