Trump actively pursued the Nobel Peace Prize and long sought international recognition. Observers expected him to win the newly established FIFA award. US President Donald Trump received the FIFA peace prize during the 2026 World Cup draw on Friday, adding a strong Trump presence to the football event. Analysts had predicted this outcome well before the ceremony.
Close Ties Shape the Honor
Trump maintains a close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who publicly supported Trump’s peace efforts in Gaza. Infantino presented the prize, declaring, “This is your prize, this is your peace prize.” He often described football as a global unifier, though this award diverged from FIFA’s traditional focus on sports. Trump told reporters at the Kennedy Centre in Washington that he did not know if he would receive the prize and emphasized, “I don’t need prizes. I just want to save lives.”
Controversy and Global Reactions
FIFA defined the award as honoring “individuals who take extraordinary actions for peace and unite people worldwide.” The announcement came amid scrutiny over Trump administration strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and growing anti-immigration rhetoric. The Nobel Peace Prize instead went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who dedicated part of her award to Trump for “his decisive support of our cause.”
