FIFA Peace Prize: Why President Trump Received Inaugural Award
U.S. President Donald Trump missed out on the Nobel Peace Prize he long coveted, but became the inaugural winner of the new FIFA Peace Prize at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Friday.
FIFA, the global governing body for soccer, said that the award will “recognize exceptional actions for peace,” but offered few other details on how Trump or the future honorees are determined.
Plans for the this new accolade were unveiled after Trump did not win the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, having openly and heavily campaigned for the honor.
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María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan pro-democracy activist, was named the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner in October, with Trump falling short of the award. The White House said that the Nobel Committee placed “politics over peace.“
For the FIFA Peace Prize, there were no listed nominees or finalists.
“In an increasingly unsettled and divided world, it’s fundamental to recognize the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino explained before the ceremony. “At the same time, FIFA added that the award is given on behalf of fans from across the world.“
Infantino added more context at the ceremony. “We want to see hope, we want to see unity, we want to see a future,” he said. “This is what we want to see from a leader and you definitely deserve the first Fifa Peace Prize. You can always count on my support to help you make peace around the world. Thank you Mr. President.”
Trump's honor saw him take the stage at the draw, drawing the most attention among the leaders of the three host nations in attendance, including Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, all of whom remain in tense trade talks.
“The world is a safer place now,” Trump told the crowd, a personalized medal hanging around his neck. “The USA was not doing well a year ago, now we are the hottest country in the world right now.”
“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump claimed. “We saved millions of lives—the Congo as an example, 10 million died, they were heading for 10 million [more] very quickly. Also with India and Pakistan, we also stopped wars happening just before they started.
“Gianni has done an incredible job, you have set new record on ticket sales. It is a nice tribute to you and the game of football, or as we call it soccer. It is beyond the numbers we thought were possible.”
World Cup Draw Takes on Trump Factor
Outside of the Trump-tinged FIFA Peace Prize, Friday’s event was planned with several aspects likely in mind for the U.S. President, including those working on the draw and within the entertainment.
Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player of all time, has been heavily judged in his native Canada for his connections to Trump and the president’s threats of annexation, but was named as a draw assistant alongside former NFL star quarterback Tom Brady, as well as New York Yankees power-hitter Aaron Judge and NBA great, Shaquille O'Neal.
Among the entertainers, the Village People, who sing the song Y.M.C.A., were booked to perform the tune that has become synonymous with Trump’s second presidency. Previously, they performed at Trump’s victory celebration following the 2024 U.S. presidential election and various Mar-a-Lago fundraisers.
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The President often dances along to the song as well, with infamous moves that have been copied by U.S. men's national team star Christian Pulisic as a goal celebration in the past.
Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, is the director of the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force, which Trump chairs. According to the Associated Press, Infantino toyed with the idea of Trump conducting the World Cup Draw himself and Giuliani called the event the “MAGA-FIFA World Cup Draw... Just like a great opera, there will be high drama.”
Following the draw, which determined the groups for the first 48-team World Cup, teams will look ahead to the tournament, which is set to kick off on June 11 and culminate in the final at New York-New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19.
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