Donald Trump Wins FIFA Peace Prize at 2026 World Cup Draw
Donald Trump received FIFA’s first-ever Peace Prize on Friday at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. The ceremony took place during the official draw for the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino handed Trump a trophy, medal and certificate in front of nearly 1 billion viewers worldwide.
The event featured performances by Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger. Trump accepted the award on stage and gave a speech before joining Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for the ceremonial ball draw. All three leaders represent the countries hosting the 2026 tournament together.
FIFA created this new award in November 2025. The organization says it recognizes people who take “exceptional actions for peace” and work to bring people together. The prize will be given out every year from now on.
The timing raised some eyebrows. FIFA announced the Peace Prize just weeks after Trump did not win the Nobel Peace Prize in October. That award went to María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan democracy advocate. Infantino had publicly supported Trump for the Nobel Prize. He posted on social media that Trump “definitely deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his decisive actions” related to the Middle East ceasefire.
Trump and Infantino have built a strong friendship during Trump’s second term. The two men have met more often than Trump has met with most other world leaders. Their relationship centers on preparations for the 2026 World Cup. Trump created a special White House Task Force just for the tournament. FIFA also appointed Ivanka Trump to lead a $100 million education project funded by World Cup ticket sales.
Infantino spoke warmly about their friendship at a business forum in Miami. He called Trump “a close friend” and praised his direct approach to getting things done.
Some groups have questioned how FIFA chose the winner. Human Rights Watch asked FIFA to explain the selection process. The organization wanted to know about the criteria and who else was nominated. Minky Worden from Human Rights Watch said they received no clear answer. She suggested there might not have been any formal process or other nominees.
Reports say the award was created so quickly that it surprised senior FIFA officials. Many board members and vice presidents learned about it after Infantino had already made the decision.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first tournament hosted by three countries at once. Games will take place in 16 cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Most matches will happen in American cities including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia and Seattle.
This expanded tournament will feature 48 teams instead of the usual 32. The draw on Friday determined which countries will face each other in the group stage. Fans around the world now know the matchups for the opening rounds of the biggest soccer tournament on the planet.
