Trump Receives FIFA’s New Peace Prize

United States President Donald Trump has been awarded the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize at the draw for the 2026 men’s World Cup, held at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center. The newly created award recognizes individuals FIFA considers to have made exceptional contributions to global peace.

Trump, who has previously campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize, thanked FIFA and called the award “one of the great honours of my life,” emphasizing his claims of having resolved multiple international conflicts during his tenure.

Ceremony Highlights

The glitzy, celebrity-studded event featured FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has close ties with Trump, serving as master of ceremonies. Infantino praised Trump’s efforts to broker peace in conflicts including Israel’s war in Gaza, calling him deserving of recognition and even suggesting he could have won a Nobel Peace Prize.

“This is your prize, this is your peace prize,” Infantino told Trump, highlighting football’s power as a global unifier. The ceremony included US, Canadian, and Mexican leaders, who will host the 2026 World Cup, standing behind brightly colored podiums in a game-show-style format to draw participating teams.

The 2026 tournament is set to feature 104 matches across 16 host cities from June 11 to July 19, 2026, beginning with Mexico versus South Africa at the Azteca Stadium.

FIFA Peace Prize Criteria

FIFA announced the prize in November 2025 to honor “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace.” A video tribute during the ceremony credited Trump for purportedly helping end the Gaza conflict and seeking to resolve Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The award consists of a gold-plated globe held aloft, symbolizing global unity, and a medal, which Trump wore during the ceremony. Infantino praised Trump for promoting “peace and unity around the world,” while Trump himself claimed,

“We saved millions and millions of lives. The world is a safer place now.”

Controversy Surrounding the Award

The prize has faced significant scrutiny. Critics, including Human Rights Watch, argue that FIFA’s award is controversial given Trump’s recent actions, including military escalations around Venezuela, deadly air strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels, and harsh migration policies affecting asylum seekers from countries including Haiti and Iran.

HRW’s Minky Worden questioned the lack of transparency in FIFA’s selection process, noting that nominees, judges, and criteria for the award have not been disclosed.

“FIFA’s so-called peace prize is being awarded against a backdrop of violent detentions of immigrants, national guard deployments in US cities, and the obsequious cancellation of FIFA’s own anti-racism and anti-discrimination campaigns,” Worden said.

Trump’s claim that he ended eight wars in his first ten months is widely disputed. Experts note that several conflicts, including Israel’s war on Gaza, remain unresolved despite his assertions.

Global and Political Reactions

The award ceremony has drawn mixed reactions internationally. While supporters celebrated Trump’s recognition as a global peacemaker, critics argue that his domestic and foreign policies contradict the values typically associated with peace awards. The event underscores the increasingly political role of sports organizations in global affairs, raising questions about transparency and legitimacy in such awards.