FIFA awards President Donald Trump new Peace Prize, Marking a departure from sports tradition

Donald Trump was presented with the newly created FIFA Peace Prize on Friday during the 2026 World Cup draw, adding a high-profile element to the event that sets matchups for the quadrennial soccer tournament.

Trump, who has previously campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, was widely regarded as the frontrunner for FIFA’s inaugural award. He shares a close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who had earlier expressed that Trump deserved the Nobel for efforts in brokering ceasefires, including in Gaza.

At the ceremony, Infantino presented Trump with a gold medal, calling it a “beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go.” Trump placed the medal around his neck and also received a gold trophy depicting hands lifting the world, bearing his name. The certificate cited Trump’s contributions to “promote peace and unity around the world.”

“This is what we want from a leader, a leader that cares about the people,” Infantino said. “This is your prize, this is your peace prize.”

In his remarks, Trump thanked his family, including First Lady Melania Trump, and acknowledged the leaders of the other two World Cup host nations Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praising their “outstanding” coordination. “This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said.

The award represents a shift from FIFA’s traditional focus on sport, reflecting Infantino’s belief in football as a unifying force. On Thursday, he attended the inauguration of the newly renamed Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, where Trump and the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed a deal aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo.

FIFA described the prize as recognising “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and, by doing so, have united people across the world.” The award comes amid Trump’s administration’s ongoing shuttle diplomacy to resolve the war in Ukraine, even as it faces scrutiny over lethal strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and increasing rhetoric on immigration.

The Nobel Peace Prize this year went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who later dedicated part of her prize to Trump for his “decisive support of our cause.”

The FIFA Peace Prize underscores the federation’s intent to extend its influence beyond football, recognising contributions to global diplomacy and conflict resolution. Trump’s receipt of the award during the World Cup draw ensured wide international attention, blending sport, politics, and diplomacy in a highly visible manner.