Donald Trump pursued the Nobel Peace Prize for years and expected to win FIFA’s newly created award. FIFA awarded Trump the new peace prize during the 2026 World Cup draw on Friday, adding his influence to the football event. Observers widely predicted his victory, reflecting his prominence on the global stage.
Connections and Public Statements
Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino maintain a strong alliance, with Infantino insisting Trump deserved the Nobel for his Gaza ceasefire efforts. Infantino announced, “This is your prize, this is your peace prize.” He often described football as a global unifier, yet this award deviated from FIFA’s usual sports focus. At the Kennedy Centre in Washington, Trump told reporters he did not know if he would receive the prize, adding, “I don’t need prizes. I just want to save lives.”
Controversies and International Response
FIFA defines the prize as honoring “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people worldwide.” The award arrived during scrutiny of Trump’s lethal strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and his intensified anti-immigrant rhetoric. The Nobel Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who dedicated part of her honor to Trump, praising his decisive support for her cause.
