FIFA Courts Trump with Newly Created ‘Peace Prize’ as 2026 World Cup Looms
the FIFA president,Gianni Infantino,presented Donald Trump with a newly created “FIFA Peace Prize” Friday at the 2026 World Cup draw held at the Kennedy Center,a move widely seen as a strategic effort to secure the former president’s support for the upcoming tournament. The award,which did not exist five weeks prior,drew criticism for its apparent lack of impartiality,with Trump being the sole candidate considered.
“you definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way,” Infantino said as Trump accepted the medal and draped it around his own neck. “This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump responded.
The presentation underscores a pattern of Infantino’s overtures toward Trump, seemingly aimed at leveraging the former president’s influence as the U.S. prepares to co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico. For Infantino, aligning with a figure who once held the world’s most powerful office and who still commands important loyalty among a segment of the American population, and claiming credit for its success is seen as especially appealing.
FIFA statutes mandate that the president “seek to maintain and develop good relations” with host countries, and a spokesperson emphasized the importance of collaborative relationships. This has manifested in a series of gestures toward Trump in recent months. Infantino attended Trump’s inauguration, invited him to present medals to chelsea’s Club World Cup champions – an event during which Trump reportedly pocketed a medal – accompanied him to Egypt for a ceasefire summit, and leased office space in Trump’s Manhattan building.
the World Cup draw itself was moved from Las Vegas to Washington, D.C., at Trump’s request, disrupting months of prior planning. This accommodation highlights the extent to which Infantino is willing to go to maintain a positive relationship with the former president.
However, Trump’s unpredictable nature means Infantino cannot take his support for granted. As David Goldblatt, a British sportswriter and visiting professor at Pitzer College, noted, Infantino’s approach has been “shrewd, if occasionally humbling.” The FIFA president, once a critic of Trump’s policies, now appears to be appealing to his desire for recognition and accolades.
Infantino’s shift in strategy extends beyond the U.S. He has cultivated relationships with other world leaders, including Vladimir Putin, accepting the Order of Friendship medal from the Russian president following the 2018 World Cup. Reports indicate FIFA has recently directed European clubs to pay transfer fees to Russian teams despite international sanctions, raising concerns about the organization’s political neutrality.
Similarly,during the 2022 World cup in Qatar,Infantino dismissed concerns about human rights abuses and sided with Qatari leaders on controversial issues like the prohibition of rainbow armbands and restrictions on alcohol sales. while he previously criticized Trump’s Muslim ban, Infantino has remained largely silent on the current management’s travel restrictions impacting citizens of countries, including World Cup qualifiers Haiti and Iran.
“Infantino is intoxicated by the elite circles of power, status and wealth, into which he has been elevated,” Goldblatt said. “Now he’s king of the universe and has been moving in pretty exalted circles. How does he cope in that world?”
This shift has prompted unease among some soccer officials, with delegates from UEFA walking out of a FIFA Congress in May after Infantino arrived late due to a trip with Trump. They argued that the FIFA president’s “private political interests does the game no service.”
However, others suggest the benefits – including securing federal subsidies and support for an event projected to generate $9 billion in revenue – may justify the approach.By all accounts, the relationship between Trump and Infantino appears genuine, albeit fundamentally transactional. Trump refers to the FIFA leader as “Johnny” and “my boy,” while infantino has demonstrably prioritized securing the former president’s favor, even if it means creating awards solely for his benefit.
At this stage, Infantino’s primary goal appears to be ensuring the World cup proceeds smoothly, even if that requires offering Trump a symbolic trophy. the FIFA president would likely welcome an end to Trump’s threats to pull games from cities that are not perceived as supportive, and a relaxation of travel restrictions for international attendees. But, ultimately, he seems willing to pay the price of a trophy to ensure the show goes on.
