FIFA Creates Rival Peace Prize to Honor Trump After Nobel Snub
FIFA,soccer’s global governing body,swiftly established its own “FIFA Peace Prize – Football Unites the World” shortly after former President Donald Trump was overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize,a move widely seen as a gesture of favor towards a key ally. The hastily arranged award,presented on Friday alongside the draw for the 2026 men’s World Cup,has raised questions about the organization’s political neutrality and the extent of its president,Gianni Infantino’s,personal relationship with the former president.
The announcement of the prize reportedly surprised several of FIFA’s most senior officials. According to four soccer executives briefed on the events,board members and vice presidents were caught off guard by the speed with which the award was created and bestowed upon Trump. “This was clearly driven by a desire to ingratiate FIFA with the former president,” one executive stated.
“This is truly one of the grate honours of my life,” Trump said after receiving the prize at the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington.
The creation of the award appears to stem less from a commitment to peace through sports and more from Infantino’s efforts to cultivate a close relationship with Trump,a relationship that has become a top priority.
Trump has enthusiastically embraced Infantino,recently referring to him as “my boy” and actively participating in World Cup planning.He even established a government task force, led by Andrew Giuliani, son of his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, to ensure the tournament’s success.
A key objective of the task force is to expedite visa processing for World Cup attendees, notably as the Trump administration has implemented stricter travel restrictions. Officials have proposed prioritizing visa appointments for ticket holders, a contrast to the visa-free travel offered to ticket holders by the previous two World Cup hosts, Qatar and Russia.
Trump has also sought to leverage the World Cup for political gain, using the potential economic benefits of hosting games as leverage against Democratic politicians. He has threatened to withdraw matches from Boston following a dispute with its mayor.
A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, stated that Trump was “excited to attend” the draw and that the partnership with Infantino would deliver “one of the most iconic sporting events in history.”
the relationship between Trump and Infantino dates back to Trump’s first term, when FIFA selected the United States as a co-host for the 2026 World Cup. Infantino became a frequent visitor to the Oval Office and has traveled extensively to attend events with Trump, even arriving late to FIFA’s annual meeting in Paraguay after a trip to the Persian Gulf with the former president, prompting a walkout by European soccer leaders.
The exchange of praise and privileges flows in both directions.Trump invited Infantino to Egypt in October to commemorate the Gaza Strip ceasefire deal, making him the only sports official present.At a business summit in Miami last month, Trump exclaimed, “The president of FIFA – Gianni Infantino… Wow, Gianni, my boy. I didn’t know he was going to be hear.”
Despite FIFA statutes requiring officials to remain politically neutral, Infantino, who has described Trump as a “really close friend,” has openly supported the former president’s agenda. “We should all support what he’s doing becuase I think it’s looking pretty good,” Infantino remarked at the Miami gathering.
Miguel Maduro, a former head of governance at FIFA, argued that Infantino’s actions crossed a line. “That is clearly, in my view, a violation of the duty of political neutrality imposed by FIFA’s code of ethics,” Maduro stated. FIFA has not responded to this criticism.
Illustrative of the close relationship, Infantino reportedly gifted Trump a replica of the men’s World Cup trophy during an August visit. Trump, admiring the “lovely piece of gold,” allegedly asked to keep it. It was at this meeting that Trump announced the World Cup draw would be held at the Kennedy Center,a decision that required FIFA to occupy the venue for three weeks,leading to the cancellation of numerous scheduled events.
