FIFA has established its Peace Prize, a new annual award recognizing outstanding contributions to peace and unity. The first recipient will be honored on Dec. 5 in Washington during the draw for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino will present the award in person.
FIFA’s version of the Nobel Peace Prize
Infantino said in a Nov. 5 release announcing the award that football unites the world and that, on behalf of the global football community, the FIFA Peace Prize would recognize those who bring nations together and inspire hope in future generations.
Speculation surrounds who will be the first recipient of the FIFA Peace Prize, with some considering U.S. President Donald Trump a possible honoree.
Trump has long cast himself as a global peacemaker and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on multiple occasions, although he has never won it. This year’s Nobel went to Venezuelan human rights activist María Corina Machado. Recognition from FIFA — especially with the ceremony taking place in Washington — would be seen by Trump’s supporters as fitting and as a symbolic substitute for the Nobel, given FIFA’s massive global audience.
Inaugural prize for a friend
Infantino and Trump are widely viewed as having a close relationship. Part of that stems from preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. There also appears to be a personal rapport between the two. Infantino has repeatedly described Trump as a «close friend,» and Trump has echoed the sentiment.
Notably, in October, Infantino attended a Gaza cease-fire summit in Egypt, posing for a photo with Trump and stating FIFA’s readiness to assist and facilitate the peace process. For global football, the truce averted controversy by preventing Israel’s potential expulsion from UEFA.
