WASHINGTON, D.C. — FIFA president Gianni Infantino awarded his inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to “close friend” Donald Trump at Friday’s 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C.
Around 30 minutes into a glitzy show here at the Kennedy Center, prior to the drawing of teams into World Cup groups, Infantino awarded Trump a new golden trophy, a golden medal and a certificate, and told the U.S. President: “This is your prize, this is your peace prize.”
Trump, in a relatively brief acceptance speech, then addressed the audience of around 2,000 people. “This is truly one of the great honors of my life. And beyond awards,” he said, before referencing conflicts he helped end, “we saved millions and millions of lives.”
The prize — announced by FIFA last month without prior approval from its board, the FIFA Council — was introduced “to reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world,” FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, said in a release.
The timing of the announcement, the opacity of the process and criteria, and Infantino’s strong relationship with Trump led many to assume that the award was created essentially as a consolation prize for Trump after the U.S. President was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize, the world’s most prestigious award of its kind.
The Nobel Prize has been awarded annually for more than a century to the person who has, in the words of its founder, “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Its winner is chosen by the Norwegian Nobel Committee according to an established process of nominations, reviews and a vote. In 2025, it was given to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
FIFA, on the other hand, never announced nominees. FIFA spokespeople, when asked, would not say how or by whom the winner would be chosen.
The FIFA Peace Prize. (Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images)
In a news release announcing the award’s creation, FIFA said the Peace Prize would be awarded annually “to individuals who, through their unwavering commitment and their special actions, have helped to unite people all over the world in peace and consequently deserve a special and unique recognition.”
FIFA also said that the award would “be bestowed on behalf of all football-loving people from all around the world.” However, FIFA’s 37-member Council, which includes its eight vice presidents, was neither consulted nor involved in the creation of the award, multiple people familiar with the process told The Athletic. And its 211-member Congress did not vote on the creation of the award, nor the criteria, nor the winner.
Hours after some learned about it via FIFA’s news release, Infantino, speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami, was implicitly asked whether Trump would win the inaugural prize. “Well,” Infantino responded with a smile, “on the fifth of December, you will see.”
At the same event, Infantino defended Trump’s record as U.S. President. “He does what he says. He says what he thinks,” Infantino said. “He actually says what many people think as well, but maybe don’t dare to say, and that’s why he’s so successful. I have to say it: I’m a bit surprised sometimes when we read some negative comments.”
Trump, in speeches and other public comments, has repeatedly trumpeted his role in “ending” eight wars since he took office. His claim is disputed and, at best, exaggerated; but he was front and center in October at the Gaza summit as world leaders announced a plan to broker peace between Israel and Hamas. (The results of that peace plan have so far been mixed; military strikes have continued.)
By his side at the summit, shaking his hand and posing for photos, as the only dignitary without a formal political title, was Infantino.
A few days earlier, on Oct. 9, Infantino had opined on Instagram: “President Donald J. Trump definitely deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his decisive actions.”
Less than a month later, and less than a month after Machado won the Nobel prize, Infantino announced the new FIFA prize.
“In an increasingly unsettled and divided world, it’s fundamental to recognise the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace,” Infantino said in an Instagram video.
A week later, Human Rights Watch, the global advocacy organization, wrote to FIFA asking about the FIFA Peace Prize’s criteria, nominees, “judges or decision-makers” and more. It did not receive a response. “You could infer that,” Human Rights Watch director Minky Worden said at a news conference Wednesday, “that there is no process, there are no other nominees, there was no judging.”
On Friday, as expected, Infantino and FIFA awarded it to Trump. In a pre-produced video, a voiceover mentioned some, though not all, of the wars that Trump claims to have ended.
“He supported efforts to broker ceasefires and promote diplomatic engagement, actions that helped create conditions in which peace could take root,” FIFA said in the video.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the historic Abraham Accords were signed, bringing the first real progress in the Middle East in decades. His leadership has ensured that peace exists between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda; Cambodia and Thailand; Kosovo and Serbia; India and Pakistan; Egypt and Ethiopia; and Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“President Donald J. Trump’s actions have also ensured that peace exists between Israel and Hamas, by brokering the Gaza Peace Plan, and he is making a continued effort to bring a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine. This has been a presidency marked by actions to pursue peace around the world.”
The award drew further criticism from a number of quarters with leading football fan group Football Supporters Europe labelling it “nothing more than an ego-stroking stunt”. That followed Infantino previously being accused of a “clear violation” of FIFA’s statutes on neutrality by a former chairman of the governing body’s governance committee with his comments about Trump in Miami.
Let us be very clear: this baby’s rattle is not awarded “on behalf of billions of fans around the world”, as @FIFAcom claims. It’s nothing more than an ego-stroking stunt.
This is a deeply troubling day for football & FIFA. pic.twitter.com/PJSC7DfZhL
— Football Supporters Europe (@FansEurope) December 5, 2025
The draw had as much the feel of a geopolitical event as a World Cup one. Trump, soon after receiving the Peace Prize, stood onstage with Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney. As he arrived at the draw, he said he was scheduled to meet with the two later in the day. It would be his first in-person meeting with Sheinbaum, and his first with Carney since a Canadian ad impacted contentious trade negotiations between the two.
The three heads of government, representing the tournament’s three co-hosts, participated in a ceremonial drawing of the Mexican, Canadian and U.S. national teams into Group A, B and D respectively — even though those groups had long ago been pre-determined by FIFA.
They were also introduced individually at the start of the program, and Trump was pictured clapping for both Sheinbaum and Carney.
The program is slated to end with the Village People performing its “Y.M.C.A.” song, which became a Trump anthem at rallies during his 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump is also expected to be front and center at the World Cup itself next summer. He has built a strong relationship and friendship with Infantino. Infantino said earlier this year that “it is absolutely crucial for the success of a World Cup to have a close relationship with the president.”