Donald Trump long pursued the Nobel Peace Prize and openly campaigned for it. Observers expected him to win FIFA’s newly created award. On Friday, FIFA awarded Trump the new peace prize during the 2026 World Cup draw, adding a distinct Trump flair to the tournament’s matchups. The announcement drew immediate attention from global media and political commentators.
Close Ties Shape the Recognition
Trump maintains a strong alliance with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Infantino publicly argued that Trump deserved the Nobel for brokering a Gaza ceasefire. At the ceremony, Infantino declared, “This is your prize, this is your peace prize.” He consistently highlights football’s unifying power, though this award departs from FIFA’s usual sports focus. Trump told reporters at the Kennedy Centre in Washington that he did not expect the honor and emphasized, “I don’t need prizes. I just want to save lives.”
Controversy and Global Reactions
FIFA defined the prize as honoring “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.” The award comes amid scrutiny over Trump administration strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and his hardening immigration rhetoric. Meanwhile, the Nobel Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who partially dedicated her honor to Trump for “his decisive support of our cause.”
