Washington, DC – December 6, 2025 – In a ceremony that blended global sports spectacle with high-profile political recognition, U.S. President Donald J. Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize on Friday during the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally presented the newly created award to President Trump onstage, praising him for his “exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity around the world.” The prize package included a golden trophy depicting a globe held aloft by clasped hands, a commemorative medal, and an official certificate. Infantino told the president, “This is your prize, this is your peace prize,” before draping the medal around Trump’s neck and adding, “There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go.”
The FIFA Peace Prize, formally launched in November 2025, is intended to honor individuals who “help unite people in peace through unwavering commitment and special actions.” FIFA has not yet published full details of the selection process for the inaugural award, though future editions are expected to be overseen by a newly formed social responsibility committee.
Accepting the honor in front of a packed auditorium that included Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, soccer legends, and entertainment figures, President Trump described the prize as “truly one of the great honors of my life.” He went on to highlight several foreign-policy achievements of his administration, stating, “We saved millions and millions of lives—the Congo is an example, over 10 million people killed and it was heading for another 10 million very quickly.” He also cited diplomatic interventions that he said prevented wars, mentioning India-Pakistan tensions and other conflicts “ended in some cases just before they started.”
Trump praised Infantino for record-breaking ticket sales for the upcoming tournament and predicted that the 2026 World Cup would be “an event the likes of which maybe the world has never seen.” He concluded his remarks by declaring, “The world is a safer place now… we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.”
The award ceremony capped a day dominated by the long-awaited final draw for the expanded 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Forty-two qualified nations and placeholders for the remaining six teams (to be decided in March 2026 playoffs) discovered their group-stage opponents through a four-pot system based on the latest FIFA rankings. Host nations were pre-seeded: Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B, and the United States in Group D.
Several challenging groups emerged, with the U.S. drawn alongside European powerhouse England and strong African contenders such as Senegal, instantly creating one of the most anticipated matchups of the opening round. The tournament, featuring a record 104 matches across 16 venues in 11 U.S. cities plus sites in Toronto and Mexico City, will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The opening match will see Mexico face South Africa at the historic Estadio Azteca, while the final is scheduled for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The evening carried a distinctly American and Trump-friendly tone. NFL legend Tom Brady assisted with the draw, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performed, and the ceremony closed with the Village People playing “Y.M.C.A.,” a song long associated with Trump campaign rallies.
The decision to bestow the inaugural Peace Prize on President Trump has generated sharp debate. Critics have accused FIFA of compromising its political neutrality and questioned the timing of the award, which comes shortly after Trump was passed over for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Human-rights organizations and some European football supporters’ groups condemned the move as an “ego-stroking stunt” that risks damaging the sport’s reputation for independence. Others, however, viewed it as a legitimate acknowledgment of the administration’s role in brokering several high-profile diplomatic agreements during its term.
FIFA President Infantino has consistently emphasized football’s power to unite people across borders and ideologies. In his remarks, he told President Trump, “We are uniting the world, Mr. President—uniting the world, here in America.”
As the 2026 World Cup—now just over six months away—moves from planning to execution, the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize has thrust the intersection of sport, politics, and global diplomacy into the spotlight once again. Whether the controversy surrounding the award will overshadow the tournament itself or fade amid the excitement of the world’s biggest single-sport event remains to be seen.
For now, the stage is set: 48 nations, 104 matches, three host countries, and a global audience of billions. The road to the summer of 2026 has officially begun.
