US President Donald Trump became the first recipient of the FIFA Peace Prize, a new award announced by the world football governing body at the 2026 World Cup draw on December 5.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has a close relationship with Trump, personally presented the Cup, medal and certificate, praising the US President for his extraordinary actions in promoting peace and global solidarity.
“This is your prize, the prize for peace,” Infantino said on stage at the Kennedy Center.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino (right) presents the FIFA Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, on December 5, 2025.
FIFA describes the award as honoring “individuals who unite communities through their unwavering commitment to peace,” but has not revealed the voting process. An investigation by the British newspaper Guardian said the process for future years will be proposed by the newly established Corporate Social Responsibility Committee.
When accepting the award, Trump called it one of the greatest honors of his life. He asserted that he had “saved millions of lives,” citing Congo, India-Pakistan and many other conflict zones. Trump also praised Infantino for his record ticket sales and declared that the 2026 World Cup would be an unprecedented event.
According to the Guardian, many of Trump’s statements about his role in “ending wars” are controversial. Some of the conflicts he has claimed credit for have been or are still ongoing, such as the Gaza war or the Israel-Iran tensions. Objective assessments say that Trump’s impact on the India-Pakistan or Serbia-Kosovo conflicts is insignificant.
In addition, Trump’s controversial military actions in the Caribbean and his repeated threats against Venezuela contradict his self-proclaimed image of a “peacemaker.”
US President Donald Trump speaks at the 2026 World Cup draw.
FIFA’s recognition of Trump is expected to spark debate about the extent of the organization’s ties to the US leader’s political trajectory. Trump has repeatedly used sporting events to bolster his international image, while campaigning hard for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. After the 2025 Nobel Prize went to Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado, a number of Republican lawmakers reacted angrily and pledged to campaign for Trump’s nomination next year.
The relationship between Infantino and Trump has become more prominent with the 2026 World Cup – co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico – just six months away. FIFA recently appointed Ivanka Trump, Trump’s daughter, to the board of a $100 million education initiative funded in part by World Cup ticket sales.
The 2026 World Cup will open on June 11, featuring 104 matches in 16 cities and being promoted by FIFA as an opportunity to connect the world.
