In an unprecedented move, US President Donald Trump received FIFA’s inaugural peace prize during the 2026 World Cup draw on Friday. This award comes as a consolation for the president, whose aspirations for a Nobel Prize remain unmet.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president and a close ally of Trump, presented the 79-year-old leader with the award at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
“Thank you very much. This is one of the greatest honors of my life. Beyond awards, Gianni and I discussed how we saved millions of lives,” stated Trump.
Infantino highlighted Trump’s “exceptional and extraordinary” efforts to foster global peace and unity as reasons for the honor.
FIFA introduced the annual prize in November to honor individuals who inspire “hope for future generations.” The first recipient was unsurprising to many.
Infantino, 55, has maintained a strong relationship with Trump, being a frequent visitor to the White House since Trump’s return to office in January.
The US president claims he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for resolving what he cites as eight conflicts this year, including a tenuous ceasefire in Gaza.
However, last month, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado instead.
Trump has positioned himself as the leader of a “board of peace” for conflict-ridden Gaza — Infantino was present at the signing of this peace deal in Egypt. Additionally, a Washington peace institute has recently been renamed in his honor.
Making the World Cup a focal point of his second term, Trump’s recognition by FIFA, a body that prides itself on political neutrality, was unexpected.
Questions about the prize’s transparency persist. Human Rights Watch has requested details about nominees, judges, criteria, and selection processes from FIFA, but no information has been provided.
The award comes amid criticism from Democrats and rights organizations on various issues.
The self-proclaimed “president of peace” has increased military presence around Venezuela and authorized airstrikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats.
He has also enforced strict immigration policies, threatening to relocate World Cup games from cities with military deployments and freezing asylum from 19 countries, including World Cup competitors Haiti and Iran.
Moreover, Trump has taken a firm stance against political adversaries, opposing ideologies, and those contesting his unfounded 2020 election victory claims.
The Kennedy Center, site of the World Cup draw and where Trump has declared a battle against “woke” culture, serves as a symbolic venue.
